Demonstrating how to make a simple loom is important to me because I want new weavers to work on a good, affordable loom with tension control. Tension control is key to making a good tapestry because 1) it allows you to warp up your loom with even tension. This means you are not trying to keep your tension both tight and even at the same time while you dress your loom. This way you can just focus on keeping your tension even and then tighten it when you are done. Even tension means your tapestry will be woven evenly, ie your weft won't pack more (or less) densely in some parts compared to others 2) Your warp thread should to be under very tight tension in order to pack your weft easily and densely 3) It is simply easier to weave with tight tension.
The loom I show you how to build in this video is a PVC version of the basic copper Archie Brennan-style tapestry loom, and the illustrations shown in it are a screenshot from his and Susan Maffei;s website. I used the copper version in school for my first tapestries. Our teacher Anthea Mallinson taught us how to pickup every second warp using our fingers, and with practice we gained finesse. It's a technique I really enjoy and still use in small sections of weaving. For my next DIY post, which will be the first of the ATA Tapestry Unlimited blog tour next Wednesday, I will show you how to warp up and weave on this loom using that finger picking technique. These will be great tools and skills to begin your venture into tapestry weaving. ​xoJanna PS I left in some Sammy sounds and footage because that is the beautiful/challenging reality of making DIY videos as a stay-at-home mom. Blurg.
4 Comments
Nancy Kramer
12/17/2015 11:49:04 am
Thanks so much for this demo. Looking forward for the blog tour. One question: I'll be out-of-town when your 12/23 DIY post appears. Will I still be able to access it after Christmas? Thanks again, for doing all this.
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Janna Maria Vallee
12/17/2015 01:01:55 pm
Hi Nancy, Thanks! And yes it will be up forever. Thanks for following!
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Leonora A Bishop
12/17/2015 12:19:49 pm
Thank you for the info. I signed up and am looking foreword to participating in the blog tour. Se ya beginning 12/23
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Janna Maria Vallee
12/17/2015 01:03:12 pm
Great! Looking forward to hearing any feedback, too :)
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Welcome to the Vancouver Yarn blog! This space exists to celebrate and spread the word about all events, new local patterns, products and businesses. Submit the details of an event or new locally designed knitting/crochet pattern, or other local DIY news and I'll post about it here. Thank you! ~Janna Vallee Hi, I'm Janna. I'm the proprietor and natural dyer at Everlea Yarn, and the tapestry instructor at The School of SweetGeorgia. I am a tapestry weaver, longtime knitter and 2013 graduate of Concordia University's Fibres and Material Practices program.
I created Vancouver Yarn in 2008 as a space to hold as much of the textile awesomeness that I could find in and around Vancouver. Here on the VY blog I mostly share about local events, pattern releases as well as share Community Highlights. Do you have an event, KAL, yarn or pattern release, launch or other thing you want us to post? Just fill out the form at the top of this page, or send your press release to me at janna (at) vancouveryarn.com Thank you!
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