🕸 TAPESTRY TIPS 🕸 Threads I use for Tapestry Weaving!

[@TheJustineCredible]

I've only just started playing around with some handmade cardboard looms but weaving has always fascinated me. Finding your channel has been so AWESOME! The types of yarns you use are exactly what I've been searching for. Hearing what they are and your blending threads really has excited me to try similar blending. I come from a background of being an absolute disaster when it comes to crochet or knitting, self-taught machine and hand sewing, and various crafty things. I actually started out as a graphic artist back when we did everything by hand, before computer graphics were a thing. I much prefer working with my hands when it comes to creating and weaving always seemed like such a far off goal. I don't know what intimidated me about it but here I am, 57yrs old and once again, challenging myself to learn a new skill! I'm American so your sources don't work for me, but the great thing is I've found that my city has a lovely yarn shop with recycled, plant based bamboo (which is WAY too soft for anything I want to do), and worsted wools that I am so excited to have found!

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Oh yay, I'm so excited! Thanks so much for letting me know, and you're most welcome :)

[@katiep9649]

I’m so happy to have found your channel! Tapestry is something I have always dreamed of learning, and now I am in a place where I can begin… only to find boho and mediocre tutorials everywhere I look. You are one of the very few people I have found who share their traditional works and the style I am hoping to work myself!

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Hi Katie, thanks for your lovely comment! Tapestry weaving is difficult to learn, but it's all about practice!! I also recommend Rebecca Mezoff's channel 😁

[@deborahcherry1735]

Have never done a tapestry but a few ladies at our spinning and weaving guild are doing them and it’s fascinating never realised how different it was from weaving.and yes I have a ikea trolley

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Haha, those Ikea trolleys are LIFE!! 😅

[@PNWwonder]

New subscriber, I am a yarn snob too! I spin, knit, weave and make bobbin lace each uses a different type of yarn in my opinion as well. I am dipping my toes into this style of weaving.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Welcome Amber, thanks for subscribing!! Oh, bobbin lace looks like so much fun - if I didn't have enough to do already, I would be very tempted to learn it 🤣

[@adrianhamblinkc3ibu33]

I "discovered" your KZbin channel today and become an instant fan, but when you said you want your work to last for years, my fan-ness went off the scale. Nicely said and created.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Awww, thanks Adrian - you've made my day!! :D

[@MsBooshka]

Super helpful… great topic. I’d love to see a video on your process of translating art work into tapestry.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Thank you! Actually, my process is literally to think of something and make a cartoon for the tapestry in a very rough form ... so not very sophisticated at all! I am more intuitive about the way I weave, not as organised as I should be! You may like this video, about finding your visual language? kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3XZYYyaiJ1nhs0 You can also see me preparing my cartoon in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJPQn2SPmbKoiMU

[@danasheldrake2799]

Thank you Michelle, I look forward to more videos! Very helpful to me as a beginner.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

You are so welcome!

[@noelnicholls3622]

Very helpful. I need to be continually reminded of why I use the yarn I do. Mostly ATW but I have also dyed Tekapo 3ply. It is a bit spongy, so I usually use it for small tapestry…inspired by Rebecca M. So Thankyou Michelle your vlogs lift my day and push Covid well into the background! Love that IKEA trolley.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

You're very welcome! I did try the Tekapo, but yeah, a bit spongey for me too! 😉

[@karinvaleri7130]

Thankyou Michelle for t he info....I am a traditional weaver, on a floor loom, and in the past few months have been practising tapestry techniques. As you said, tapestry weaving there is so much to learn! I have Rebecca's new book, and am fortunate to have some books from when my mom did some tapestry in the 1970's which had alot of tips. My issue, living in Canada, the seine twine that I have from here versus the measurement of twine from US..different numbers in the weight of twine....so I thought that if I figure the yards per pound in Canadian it comes close to the ypp in U.S. and hopefully it was all work out, but then, ordering tapestry yarn here can be difficult ...I would have to order at least 100 gr. of each colour. I have done samples, and some are with weaving yarns, which does work..but I think I will add the linen, as you recommended to add to the stability.anyway, I guess I'll keep on practising! My mom's tapestries have held up nicely since the 70s and 80s and is a thinner yarn but thicker than yours. Looks like she doubled her warp strands 2 in a heddle...Can't wait for more videos.....Love your work and easy explanations!

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Thanks so much Karin!! Yes, we have the same problem here - I have also done the weight technique to figure out seine twine!! Handweaving is so much different from tapestry - I tend to use cotton for handweaving 😉

[@corrinneloudon525]

That will be me unpicking my current project and re-doing it, then! Using stranded embroidery floss and crochet cotton to do a (very speckled) blackbird. Still, now I have a great excuse to visit my nearest Hobbycraft shop on a yarn hunt 🙂

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Oooooh, only unpick if you absolutely HAVE to ... otherwise, try and make it work!

[@corrinneloudon525]

@@ThreefoldDesigns thank you. I managed to redeem the pieces by going back and packing them down ruthlessly 😊. The first effort is almost bearable… the next one is coming on much better 🙂. I’m even starting to like it, lol.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

@@corrinneloudon525 Haha, perfect!

[@yarnaboutyarn]

Forgot to say I'm looking at making my own warps and would love to hear some pros & cons on warping mills vs warping frames

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Well, I started with a warping frame, and now have a warping mill - the warping mill has really saved my back, lol! It's great! You can just stand there and spin in around, rather than move your shoulder ...

[@worksofhands]

Thank you for your contents! I am almost 2 months old learner.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

You're very welcome Vincent! I hope that my videos can help you, please let me know if you have any questions, or requests for future videos!

[@nancypierce6861]

Thank you for all the great information and inspiration. Getting ready to purchase my first tapestry loom. Planning on going a bit out of the box combining tapestry techniques and rigid heddle weaving.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

You're welcome Nancy!! There are quite a few tapestry weavers who use a rigid heddle loom, so it's definitely possible! 😁

[@Annieetsabibli]

Just discovered your channel and subscribed. Your tapestries are amazing and content too! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. :)

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Thank you! And welcome to my corner of KZbin!!

[@weaverbird24]

Thanks Michelle, this was most interesting. I haven't come across the idea of blending in a thread of linen. I noticeyou don't wind your yarn onto your bobbin, I did wonder if this blend would wind & hold together well on a bobbin? Totally agree with your views on knitting wool. it's really spun quite differently and suits its purpose - which is different to ours in weaving tapestry. Materials need to be appropriate, for sure. And I'm not sure that good quality knitting yarns actually come in that much cheaper per kg! As you mentioned, small quantities of random yarns with interesting textures etc can be incorporated with care. I have done this successfully in a number of tapestries and it can work. But not too much! I have been lucky enough to acquire a good stash of ATW yarns over the years, and it is wonderful stuff. All of mine is either 3/20 or 2/20, I've not seen any that is as fine as you mentioned. Their shop sells small quantities which is described as 2/18. Thank again for your video.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Thanks Rita! Actually, maybe the ATW yarn is 2/18 - it was hard to read the sticker!! I don't see why you can't wind the mix I use onto a bobbin - give it a try! 😁

[@yarnaboutyarn]

One Ikea trolley is never enough. I might have 2 :) Another great video Michelle - I always love a peak into someone else's studio and how they create.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Ummm ... I might have another one on the other side of the room, lol! Thank you, I love peeking inside artists' studios too!

[@jackydoyle1177]

I have 3, so far, one in the kitchen, one with my floor loom and one in the lounge, might need another for tapestry 🤣

[@jeanellef9336]

Great video! Thank you

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

You're most welcome!! 😁

[@splotka]

I agree whit you - Tapestry should be for generetions - You are so right!!!! It's not posh, it's reasonable. You have whole pint of vodka in Poland, so feel invited. XD

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Haha, I'd love to visit Poland one day!! ;) x

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Let me know in the comments what type of yarns YOU use for tapestry weaving!

[@debeveritt4652]

Thank you so much for your gems,,everything you said was so helpful,,I'm wondering what size /kind of warp thread you use? Thanks for doing the video ! Im a longtime fan of your work, Big Hugs from Canada, TuxedoDeb Environmental Artist & Harpist🤵‍♀🎶

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

You're so welcome! I use Seine Twine 12/12 for my tapestries :)

[@erintroxler9851]

I’m not sure if I can use my own hand spun yarn on my 8 EPI Mirrix saffron loom? If not I don’t know what to use. Please help because I can’t find good info anywhere. Thank you and I love your channel

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Thanks for watching!! You really need to do some samplers - you can definitely use hand spun, but the thickness will determine how many strands you need for tapestry. I've never used handspun, but a lot of tapestry weavers do! Just experiment ... let me know how you go!

[@jackydoyle1177]

So far I have used ATW and stranded cottons, my tapestry are small and i like the range of colours available in these, i mix together multiple strands, 6-10 depending on yarn and set of a variety of shades to achieve the the colour/effect I want. And Nicky at the Thread Collective is awesome, I asked if she could get seine twine in and she did :). I also work on a finer scale at around 16 epi

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Hi Jacky! Yes, I love Thread Collective - I get all my seine twine from there too! Wow, 16 epi is very fine!!

[@jasonpetrone8220]

thanks for the info super helpful wondering if you treat your finished pieces to prevent moths from doing their thing ?

[@valerieduchesneau5167]

What is the white tag on the back for? Is it care instructions? I love your work and am just learning about tapestry weaving at 57. I graduated with a studio art degree in 2019 and am now getting my master's in world languages, French, online through Colorado State University. But I miss doing art and decided to learn a new medium: Weaving tapestry.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

I sew a piece of fabric with the name of the piece, year, and my name ... just in case the batten gets separated from the tapestry!

[@valerieduchesneau5167]

@@ThreefoldDesigns thank u Michelle for explaining.

[@melweismann]

I know it's been 2 years since this was posted, and I'm wondering if you ever found more of the vegan options/replacements for your wool?

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

No, unfortunately not! 😪

[@zanelleaero]

Thank you! I use knitting yarn and call my eork weavings instead of tapestry. Your quality is impressive. I feel like im making flags. Ha.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Hey, flag making sounds cool! :D

[@surinamdesign7577]

Hi Michelle, can you do tutorial tapestry using rigid heddle loom please

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Hi Surina! I don't have a rigid heddle loom, and haven't tried doing tapestry on one, but Kelly Casanova does tutorials on her channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXfdYoKIjpiCirc Good luck!

[@erintroxler9851]

How do you keep a straight line as the base of your weaving? I know cardboard is one option I’ve also seen people use some Siberia attached at the bottom and tied it the sides of the loom, I don’t know how this is done. You do patterns instead of the other types I’ve seen that are more textured. I want to try this, do you sketch the design, then attach (somewhere) as a reference on your loom? If I don’t have magnets yet is there another way? .

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Hi Erin, I use a piece of cardboard to keep the base straight, then use the hemming technique to start the tapestry (see video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGOkfaGljaaXiJY) There are many ways to attach your cartoon to your warp - I use magnets, but most weavers loosely stitch their cartoon on, or hold with pins or bulldog clips. Whatever works for you! When you say that I 'do patterns', do you mean in tapestry, or in my handwoven fabric? If you mean in my tapestry, well that is the traditional handwoven tapestry technique. If you learn the technique, you will learn how to weave pictorial images. (see Rebecca Mezof's channel for more info). It just takes a lot of practice! Feel free to check out my studio vlogs, as they show me at the loom, which will help you get better at weaving :)

[@paulettemorrissey9428]

Do you ever use cotton, like 8/2 or 10/2?

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Hi! I don't use cotton for tapestry weaving, only for handweaving! I don't feel like it has enough structure for me - but doesn't mean you can't experiment with it! (though I would recommend mixing it with a fibre with more structure)

[@camilorojas1744]

How do you secure the swamp of loose ends in the back. Knots? Or you just leave them hanging in there

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Hey! I just trim them to a couple of cm long, and just sew in the ones at the edges so they don't stick out! You can check out my 'finishing tapestries' video for more info!

[@Mervanya]

What do you mean by butterfly?

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

A 'butterfly' is a yarn that is wrapped in a figure 8 configuration - I use this rather than winding onto bobbins when tapestry weaving.

[@Mervanya]

@@ThreefoldDesigns thanks

[@hiyacynthia]

You’re a vegan! Yes! I haven’t bought any wool yarn for my fiber projects. I have bought acrylic but using fossil fuels is not so great either. And tbh I think the yarn I have used are not the best for tapestry. I’m looking into cotton, hemp etc

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

Hey Rama! No, not vegan, but vegetarian 😁 I do actually use Danish wool for my tapestry, as acrylic is just too spongey ... it would be great to find a plant-based equivalent!

[@hiyacynthia]

@@ThreefoldDesigns thank you for saying that/ “spongy” that’s exactly what it is. I feel like have wasted a lot of time, weeks of time, weaving with acrylic which sort of looks good until you take it off the loom and it looks like a limp dishcloth. I thought it’s because I’m bad at weaving but it’s not that at all

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

@@hiyacynthia Yeah, if you don't use good materials, it really affects your technique!!

[@danasheldrake2799]

Thank you Michelle, I look forward to more videos! Very helpful to me as a beginner.

[@ThreefoldDesigns]

You're most welcome Dana! Thanks for watching!