I am working on a series of circular tapestries that are contemplations on the nature of healing, imagination, dreams, stories and the power of community.
These two tapestries: ‘Each Flower Has a Memory’
and ‘Mermaid Circle of Imagination and Hope’
were woven on many different looms, including peg looms, weaving sticks and a variety of pin looms.
There’s also quite a lot of tatting included because of the soothing nature of lace making.
The tapestries are each 28 inches in diameter (70 cm).
Here’s a little video that shows the new tapestries:
When someone on facebook asked if it was possible to weave tapestry on triangle looms, I thought: ‘Great question!’
and then … ‘Of course it is!’
and then….’I have to try it to see if it really is!’
I had been mulling over weaving a new Mermaid tapestry for quite awhile, and had woven narrow bands on my Structo 4 harness loom as well as my rigid heddle box loom, to start.
I had a big ‘aha!’ about weaving the rest of the mermaid using my 14 inch triangle loom from Dewberry Ridge Looms. LINK
Because there are a few things to know about weaving tapestry on a triangle loom, I made a short video as part of the video about the Blue Butterfly Mermaid tapestry – it’s close to the end of the video.
I used other looms to weave the other elements of the tapestry: a hexagon woven in copper wire on the Lily Speed o Weave Loom, narrow bands woven on the 4 harness vintage Structo loom, narrow bands woven on a rigid heddle box loom, 2 small triangles woven on the 7 inch Lil Weaver loom from Dewberry Ridge Looms and some tatting.
The hair is twisted cord made with a cord twister from Lacis.com.
The metallic threads used in the tapestry are from Kreinik. LINK
This Mermaid has been tapping me on the shoulder for months, asking to be woven, so I made a plan.
I carefully chose my colorways when I was making all the ‘how to’ videos on the hexagon loom, (see previous posts) so that I could use them to build a Mermaid tapestry.
And, here she is: Sophia is her name:
She’s about 44 inches tall.
She includes techniques for weaving tapestry technique, mandala (tapestry woven in the round), Teneriffe and floral motifs on hexagon looms as well as a little help from the Vasilisa and Mollie Whuppie looms.
The glittery narrow band that outlines her body was woven on my little narrow band rigid heddle loom, using Kreinik metallic threads.
This tapestry is a one of a kind piece, and there are no patterns for her.
My friend asked me to please photograph the process of how I was weaving the mermaid tapestry, so I have – although I was well into the project by the time I started the photographing.
Anyhow- here’s a video showing glimpses of the hundreds of hours I put into weaving Sophia, the Mermaid, tapestry:
My wee grandson does not like it when I make a doll or weave a tapestry that has closed eyes, or no face.
He frowns and says to me: “She can’t see me! Open her eyes!”
I think I have internalized his demand to ‘Open her eyes!’, because the other morning, I woke up, after dreaming about my large Singing Mermaid tapestry, and heard, you guessed it: Open her eyes!
And so, The Singing Mermaid from my Woven Women series- see here LINK for previous post about her:
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
has opened her eyes – with the help of my felting needles and some fleece:
The colors are looking slightly odd, but in real life, they are quite pleasing.
The Jasper Community Habitat for the Arts Gallery that will be hosting my ‘Woven Women’ show of tapestry and woven works is not on schedule with the construction.
So, the show will now be running from August 1, to Sept 9, 2014 in Jasper AB.
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