Plain Weave in a Fancy Mess

Plain weave has never been this interesting! I am painting and stamping the warp on the loom. Imagine applying colors onto the warp between the shafts and the beater! Weaving on the printed warp produces lovely subdued woven images. And, I had forgotten how fast two treadles and one shuttle can be. After having slowly woven many rag rugs, plain weave feels like a speedboat ride now.

Stamped warp between shafts and beater.
Stamped warp between shafts and the beater, waiting to dry.

The only problem is, I don’t like the mess. Paint is messy, and I am not fond of getting my hands dirty. Yes, I wear gloves when painting, but there’s the sink, the carpet, and the loom to think about, too. No, I don’t like the mess.

Painting and stamping warp on the loom.
Tarps and drop cloths cover the carpet and some of the loom in case of paint spills. Paper towels stand ready for emergencies.
Stamped warp being woven.
When dry, the printed area comes through the beater as the warp is advanced.
Weaving a warp that is painted on the loom.
Stamped shapes become subdued as the weft goes across.

Have you ever been in a mess in life? I have. Others see the pretty fabric you produce, but never see the mess behind the scenes. Appeal to the one who can help. There is one who sees the mess, but loves us anyway. When we appeal to God as Shepherd, we acknowledge our need, and that we want him to lead us–even through the mess. Then, the fabric that is produced has beauty that is truly woven in.

May you enjoy creating beauty, despite the mess.

In process,
Karen

6 thoughts on “Plain Weave in a Fancy Mess

  1. It sounded like you painted the warp after it was on the loom? Is that correct? I have always painted the warp before it was put on the loom. You can control the mess a little bit.

    Happy Weaving,

    Kate

    1. You’re right, Kate. Painting the warp before it is on the loom is probably more practical, and certainly more common. I wanted to stamp the warp, though, and stamping has to be done after the warp is on the loom.

      Karen

    1. Hi Lori,
      I’m glad you like it! I used Tulip fabric paints that I bought at Hobby Lobby. They were easy to work with, but I did have to thin them a little with water, which weakened the color. I machine washed the fabric in hot water and dried it in a hot dryer. I wanted the fabric to soften up as much as possible, which it did. Unfortunately, some color was lost in the hot water. If I were to do this again, I would research other yarn and fabric dyes that would probably have better staying power. On the other hand, I think those fancy dyes would mean more of a mess… 🙂

      Karen

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