Blue Sky - Mini Tapestry

Blue Sky -- mini-tapestry

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Starting over on the mini-tapestry sample for my class. Shawn the Sheep was just too complicated and large a project for a short class.

So I'm going to do the top portion, the blue sky, complete with moon, stars, cloud and beady rain. Should be sufficiently interesting and pretty for a class project.

I'm warping a new sample shortly. Something like this:




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Another thing to add to the class supply list: fray check or white glue, for any broken or damaged warps that may arise. Murphy's Law, you know.

Also long jewelry pins to hold beads before adding to the warp.

Sewing thread works best for threading on beads -- finer than floss.

And don't forget a disposable tablecloth for catching beads that inevitably get away.

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Here's the board warped up with the new cartoon:



Next I'll add the beads.




The warp isn't that messy -- the pins holding the beads loosened when I had to flip it to scan. Once weaving has begun it won't do that.

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Wow, I have a full class -- eight students -- with four wait listed already. Maybe I should have two classes.

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Here's a good start on the weaving. I've pinned the beads down to keep them from loosening the warp until I can get some of the cloud woven. I'll do that next.

It's compulsive. Time to take a break.






Almost done. Just one more push and it'll be finished.





I need to move the cloud over toward the center a couple of warps. It's a little too close to the edge, which makes color changes problematical. Also make the rain beads a little longer. They eat up too much of the bottom of the cloud. I wanted it to hand down a little below the tapestry.

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I'll need to make up more foam core boards -- enough for a second class. Also see if I have enough tapestry needles and dental floss.

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Almost there. The closer it gets to filling in the harder it gets. Threads have to be pushed out of the way to make room to weave. Pins often help hole areas back. At this point you have to make sure there are no loose areas. Push them tighter with the tapestry needle and fill in the blank spots.

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Finished weaving. I've tucked the last of the thread ends to the back.

And here it is blocked.

I spritzed it with a water bottle and pinned the sides to keep it from pulling in. That's the cheater way, I know, but I didn't feel like taking it off the loom, wetting it thoroughly, and pinning it back down again. But it does wreck the cartoon and graph paper beneath.

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Here's what the back of the tapestry looks like before trimming the tucked ends.

Ta-Daa! Here is is: