Sunrise over Kalavarda - My initial weaving foray

Sunrise over Kalavarda

October 2022

Materials: Sashiko thread, a wooden stick

Tools: cardboard box loom

Dimensions: about 11 x 9 cm

 

My interest in weaving was initially sparked by a September 2022 trip to France, where I was fascinated by the massive and intricate Jacquard looms on display at the Musée du Vieux Pérouges. I got it into my head that I'd like to try to do some weaving in order to better understand how it all works. (And my sewing machine was out of commission at the time, so I was itching for a new hobby.)

Once I got home, the first thing I tried, as a sort of proof-of-concept, was to weave something out of sewing thread, using a small piece of cardboard I'd cut slits into. I ended up making what might be the tiniest tapestry in existence, of a pink hill against a lavender sky. It came out very rough, and sewing thread was obviously a terrible material for it, but it gave me the confidence to try something more substantial.

Next I made a small box loom (7 x 11 x 4 inches) by cutting the top and sides off of a cardboard box, and inserting a bunch of small nails into either end. I cut alternating slits and holes into a piece of cardstock to form a heddle, and cut a bunch of spoon shapes out of cardboard to serve as shuttles. I then bought a few colors of Sashiko (Japanese embroidery) thread, warped up the loom and began weaving. (I used Sashiko thread because that was the only yarn-like thread I could find at my local fabric store.)

The inspiration for the little tapestry I made this way was a family trip the Greek island of Rhodos, and watching the sun rise over the Aegean Sea. While the sides came out pretty lumpy, I actually quite like the overall result. Once I was done weaving, I cut the piece off the loom, tied the ends of the warp into little bundles, and suspended it from a stick I found outside my apartment.