Weaving Overshot With Tree Bark

Updated 2/21/16

Yes, I said tree bark. To see how I harvest and prepare the fiber for weaving, see my old post on making cordage with tree bark. The fiber I used came from a Tulip Tree sometimes called a Tulip Poplar. I have NEVER cut down a tree for its bark; Mother Nature knocks them down for me. This is how I usually find the bark.....

So, let's get started. 1st, you will need the tree bark. In this case it is the inner tree bark, not the hard outer bark.

 In order to weave with this fiber, it needs to be wet. I soaked mine in water and squeezed out the excess.

Now, to the loom. I used 8/2 linen for the warp and tabby weft. The tree bark was my pattern weft. 

I wove a few inches in plain weave and then began the overshot. I used the same pattern as my previous post; Periwinkle.

I chose a few pieces of bark that were roughly the same size and began laying the weft with the help of a stick shuttle.

I left the selvedge in its natural state to illustrate that I used individual pieces of bark. I made sure to use floating selvedges and took care that the tabby weft locked in the bark pattern weft, as shown above. 

Here is a closeup of the weaving on the loom (still damp at this stage)

Here it is off the loom and dry...

This was my 1st attempt at using bark for  weaving. My brain is spinning from the possibilities. You could use cordage made from the bark as weft for a sturdy rug. I've spun the bark on a drop spindle before so you could go that route as well. I think there may be a handwoven tree bark rug in my future ;)

Happy Weaving!

Weaving With Linen

Cotton, wool, bamboo, even the dreaded acrylic from time to time. It seems I've worked with just about every fiber except linen. I've seen flax grown, harvested, broken, combed & spun. I have just never used it. Not looking to make a huge investment, I bought 3 8 oz spools of 8/2 linen. I know that this is mainly used for tapestry weaving, so we'll see what happens. 

While warping the 1st thing I noticed is that the thread has zero give. None. I asked about linen at the yarn store and the only advice I got is that you need to have perfect tension when weaving with it. Threading was a breeze. I hate threading heddles. Hate it!!! Threading with the stiff linen made it easier to see which thread was next and easier to get through the heddles. 

I wound the warp carefully and tried to tie on as evenly as possible. I am using an overshot pattern called Periwinkle . Here is the draft.....

After weaving one repeat of the pattern I noticed a threading error. I cut the incorrect threads and re-threaded and re-sleyed them. I tied a knot in the warp threads and secured them to the weaving with a T pin. It worked!

The repair is at the lower right side of the fabric. For this 1st sample, I used 3/2 pearle cotton in black for the pattern weft. 

For my 2nd sample, I messed with the treadling a bit and used Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport in a blue as pattern weft.....

The next sample is the same treadling as the wool but with twine as pattern weft. 

Finally I used hemp as patern weft and changed the tie up to weave in Monk's Belt.....

Now, the wet finishing. Since I've never worked with linen before I was at a loss as to how to finish it. I saw a few things online that mentioned cold mangling. When I asked at the yarn store, they said they'd never even heard of that before. I decided to cut off a small piece of weaving (where I had made my repair in the beginning of the warp) and then I threw it into the washer and then the dryer. The transformation was amazing!

The design became more defined and both the linen & cotton softened considerably. 

Though initially scared of working with linen, now I can't wait to use it again :)

Happy Weaving!

Happy New Year!!!

In the last year, I've been overwhelmed to see the progress of my little blog. It's humbling to know that people all over the world take the time to look at the things I make. My love for crafting is something that I have had since I was a little kid. I was lucky enough to have a crafty grandmother who shared her secrets and a mother who had the foresight to save everything so I can see now how far I've really come. 

As I start a new year, and quickly try to finish off my last warp, I wanted to thank each and every one of you for stopping by. As my journey through the world of fiber arts continues, it's nice to know that there are others out there who take interest in that journey. I thoroughly enjoy sharing my mistakes because I truly feel that you do not learn unless you make them and grow from them. 

I look forward to sharing more fun things in the coming year. Stay tuned for upholstery and an in depth look at doubleweave, both on the 4 shaft & rigid heddle looms as well as lots & lots of more overshot ;)

May this new year bring you peace, love and joy! 

Thank You & Happy Crafting,

Lynette