Warping for Tapestry

Warping for tapestry is pretty straight forward and tends to be easier than warping for bead weaving only because the warp is often thicker. Before you watch the following video (near the bottom of this post), please take a moment to look at our warping .pdf for warping for tapestry with the shedding device. If you would rather needle-weave and do not want to use the shedding device for tapestry weaving, simply do not put the shedding device on. The rest of the warping procedure is the same. That said, using the shedding device for tapestry is suggested as it makes weaving much faster and easier.

What is tapestry?
Tapestry is a type of fiber weaving. It is weft-faced (ie: the warp does not show at all), the wefts are generally discontinuous (they do not go from selvedge (edge) to selvedge (edge) and it is generally pictorial (like painting a picture with fiber).

Learn more at the website of the American Tapestry Alliance.

“Fire Flowers” Tapestry by Mirrix President Claudia Chase

What do you need before you start weaving tapestry?
-A dedicated tapestry loom with a shedding device (Mirrix for our purposes)

Heddles (you can buy these or make your own)
You do not need heddles if you are not using a shedding device.

Warp can come in a variety of different fibers including cotton, linen or wool. Your warp is going to be under extreme tension and therefore has to be very strong. You should not be able to easily break it just using your hands.

A tapestry beater
Tapestry beaters are available in wood, metal or a combination of the two. We sell a wooden version; one is weighted and one is not. You can also use a fork if you do not have a tapestry beater. 

The most important quality in a tapestry yarn (which is the weft) is beauty. It doesn’t have to be warm or soft or any o the qualities that you like in a sweater. It just has to be beautiful and available in whatever colors you want. If you were to spin your own tapestry yarn you would use the fleece from a sheep with long, lustrous locks. You would not use the fiber from something like a Marino Sheep which has short fuzzy fleece. Short fuzzy fleece is warm, but it does not make for pretty tapestry yarn. For our kits we use Brown Sheep Yarn because it comes in a large variety of gorgeous colors and is a singles yarn. The final product also withstands wear very well.

What other accessories can I use when weaving tapestry?
The Mirrix Treadle
To make tapestry weaving even faster on a Mirrix Loom, you can add the treadle which allows you to change the shed with your feet, making the process faster.

The Mirrix Stand
Although the stand is not necessary to use with the treadle, combined the stand and treadle can turn your Mirrix Loom into a tapestry floor loom. And, of course, the Mirrix Stand can just be used with a loom and no treadle. 

A Bottom Spring Kit 
A bottom spring kit is most useful for small-scale tapestry. It functions to organize your warp on the bottom beam while you’re warping. 

What is a good project for beginners?
The Tapestry/Bead Cuff Bracelet is the perfect beginner’s project because you can use very simple techniques or more complicated techniques, you can or don’t have to incorporate beads and it’s small enough that you can finish it in a relatively short period of time. This project teaches you many of the skills you need to weave tapestry, but on a smaller and easier scale. You still have time to buy the kit and weave this piece with us as the weave-along continues!

Video on how to warp for tapestry on a Mirrix Loom:

You can see the video directly on YouTube here: 

Other Tips & Tricks:
Using The Bottom Spring Kit:

Dealing with Loose Selvedge Threads: 

If you have loose selvedge threads (meaning the warp threads on the sides of your piece are looser than the rest) it may be because when tying off your warp you did not tie a tight enough knot. If you have a hard time tying a tight knot when you’re finished warping, it is helpful to loosen your tension slightly before you tie it. When your warp is under a lot of tension it can be very difficult to tie a knot and have that selvedge thread have the same tension as the rest of your warp.

What Happened if One Shed Isn’t Working:

If you have put your shedding device on the loom and it seems one shed is better than the other (meaning, when you make one shed it seems to work well and when you make the other shed it doesn’t seem to work as well) you probably have a crossed heddle. Check to make sure all your heddles were put on correctly and that no heddle is catching on anything.

What to do if you can’t get enough tension on your loom just using your hands to turn the wing nuts: 
The flat wrench that was included with your loom is designed to fit around that wing nut and give you the leverage you need to get the maximum tension possible on the Mirrix Loom.

More on Finishing a Tapestry:
Click Here

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