Tapestry, Weaving

Getting started with tapestry supplies

Janna Maria Vallee weaving tapestry sample on Mirrix Loom

Getting started with weaving tapestry only requires a few staple supplies, and you don’t need to invest a lot to begin with.

You will need:

Tapestry Loom

You want a loom that offers tension control.

  1. Mirrix Looms are the crème de la crème of tapestry looms. If you do want to get the perfect tapestry loom there is no doubt that Mirrix Looms are the way to go. I recommend the 12″, 16″, or 22″ Mirrix for a small size loom (those are all compatible with the loom extenders) and the 38″ Mirrix Loom (their biggest) for a large loom.
  2. A do-it-youself PVC tapestry loom is great option that you can pull off for around $20. Go here to my video showing you how to make one. (don’t forget the glue!)
  3. My PVC loom is based on the small copper loom design by Archie Brennan. If you have welding supplies this is a great option.

If you have a floor loom — any loom with tensioning will do to start, but a countermarche or counterbalance floor loom is ideal for tapestry, as they offer even tensioning when the shed is open.

Warp threads on Mirrix Loom

Warp threads on Mirrix Loom

PVC pipe looms (like the ones shown above) are easy and inexpensive to make.

Warp Yarn

For tapestry you need something that won’t break under tension. So, I recommend cotton seine twine, or anything called ‘tapestry warp’ or ‘rug warp’. I like Halcyon Yarns’ wool rug warp.

Weft Yarn

Any yarn will do to start, Just be sure to work with all the same weight yarn throughout the piece. The more you weave tapestry the more you will know learn what weft yarns you prefer to work with

A tapestry beater or dinner fork to pack your weft down. Just be sure to use the same device throughout your piece, as uneven beating can cause shape distortion once it’s off the loom.

Learn Tapestry Weaving

If you are interested in learning the fundamental techniques of tapestry, please join Janna Maria in our online Tapestry Weaving workshop on the School of SweetGeorgia. Janna even demonstrates how to build a PVC loom in this course.

If you’re ready for more tapestry technique, Janna is also leading a Zoom workshop about weaving Stripes in Tapestry on June 23, 2020 at 4 pm PST. Register to join the live audience!

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About Janna Maria Vallee

​Janna Maria Vallee is an interdisciplinary artist working primarily in weft-faced tapestry woven with naturally dyed yarns. In her art practice she explores ideas of how personal growth can be either challenged or realized through one's perception of their surroundings. Janna attended Capilano University’s late Textile Art program and graduated with distinction from the Fibres and Material Practices program at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. Janna lives with her family in Madeira Park, BC.

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