Episode 24: Tapestry
Tapestry weaving breaks weaving out of the grid and enables the artist to create pictorial representations in swaths of touchable color. Sarah Swett helps us get our arms around this simple-yet-complex art form, and shares many of her secrets of success. In the final essay, I share lessons I've learned from my attempts to learn tapestry.Resources
Kids Weaving: Projects for Kids of All Ages
- The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
by Betty Edwards
- Tapestry Weaving
- Tapestry Weaving: A Comprehensive Study Guide
by Nancy Harvey
- Tapestry Handbook: The Next Generation
by Carol K. Russell
Musical Guest
- "Shapeshifter" by Man Bites God
Sponsor for Episode 24
Download Episode 24: Tapestry
posted by Syne Mitchell at 5:26 AM
12 Comments:
Wow! You are really on the ball..
Syne, think about coming to the MD Sheep and Wool Fest this year, podcast or not!
I am sooooo enjoying these. It's really inspiring me to get started on something!
Wonderful show as always.
I also have the Kirsten Glasbrook book. The sampler might be a good subject/topic for a weave-along. (?)
Inspiring interview Syne. I enjoyed it immensely. Debbie
Another beautiful tapestry book, just released, is Carol Russell's Tapestry Handbook: The Next Generation. The original Tapestry Handbook -- one of my favorites -- went out of print a number of years ago, but this new edition includes even more well illustrated and essential weaving techniques, as well as images of work woven by some of my favorite weavers, including Barbara Heller, mentioned in the show. In the interest of full disclosure, I must add that I was fortunate enough to have two of my tapestries reproduced in the book, including the infamous Carolyn and Shithead.
Thanks again for all you do Syne.
Sarah
The podcast just keeps getting better and better.
Listening to you, and some of the trials you have experienced, keep me trying to improve my own craft.
Thank you!
Every single word of this podcast resonated with me. I've woven tapestry for years and am just now coming back to it after a long break. I'm weaving a tapestry box per Sarah's instructions and having a love affair with tapestry again. Thank you so much for the wonderful inspiration.
I am a kindergarten teacher with a Harrisville Friendly Loom in the classroom. The children are learning to weave on it as well as individual cardboard looms. I would love suggestions for teaching weaving to children besides the book on the list.
Thanks.
I greatly appreciate Sarah Swett's comments on Art v. Craft. A topic I think many weavers use to flog themselves and artists use to stroke their egos. For me what matters most is at the end of the project is did I feel successful? Did I enjoy the process? Did I learn something new? Did it challenge me?
If yes, then the project was worthwhile.
Thanks for keeping me company while I finished the Valentines Scarves.
As usual, I enjoyed WeaveCast and especially your interview with Sara Swett. I have greatly admired her work for years.
I do have one teeny disagreement with calling the backside (haha) of a tapestry "dirty underwear" if the tail ends of the threads are left hanging on the back. Please know that it is a tradition of centuries to have the ends just hang there. The majority of presentations of tapestries is such that the back is not seen and that is ok. It takes so long to weave a tapestry that to darn in or otherwise hide the ends is over the top not necessary. Not only that, but the hanging ends are an education in technique to those of us naughty enough to look at the backs of tapestries.
That said, thanks again for your WONDERFUL podcasts, your terrific sense of humor and such a lovely and abiding interest in all that is woven.
Hey All:
Thanks for the great words about the podcast! Sarah was great and got me all fired up about Tapestry, an area of weaving that has frankly, kicked me around the ring a few times. ;>
PatWilli:
You are right. There is a long standing tradition of tapestry with the threads left on the back. As as someone who hasn't woven a tapestry she's willing to have seen in public, I am certainly no authority on the subject. I just speak for myself when I say that it always felt wrong to leave them there. ;>
Wow! it is very nice to listen to this podcast. Listening to Sarah is to a degree listing to myself as a painter and fiber artist. The fiber arts do make you slow down and really think about the concept, compositions, and design. When I first tried tapestry, I used one of my painting and I found it transformed into something new and yet familiar. I finally felt satisfied with that painting/ tapestry. I must try a wool warp because I do not like the movement that happens with the standard cotton or linen warps. As an art teacher I must check out Kids Weaving.
Thank you Syne
Good luck on your weaving and thank you for WeaveCast. P.S. Try pile with the crewel or needlepoint yarn. DMC floss is a great yarn to use for blending too.
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