For many years when I first started weaving tapestry I used the yarn that my teacher used. After all, it was a great yarn, dyed well, and I was able to get most of the effects I wanted in my work using it.
When I started teaching tapestry, I began experimenting with other tapestry yarns and then with some yarns that are not specifically designed for tapestry weaving. It became a bit of an obsession and over the years of teaching tapestry weaving, I’ve collected and used something like 30 different yarns. Some were difficult and not suited to tapestry and I’ll never use them again for weaving. Others were yarns I loved because they suited the effects I wanted to achieve in my work.
I have a small set of favorites that I use myself, but there are many yarns made in the world that can be used for tapestry weaving. The question is, how do you know which ones those are?
If you’ve taken any of my online classes, you probably have some version of my Yarn Sources handout. As my list of yarns got longer and longer, I realized I might have a problem. I like to collect things and yarn is one of those things. In the name of research I have more tapestry yarns than I can possibly ever use. But the upside of that is that my students get to benefit from my hoarding collecting nature.
This week I’ve been weaving samples of some of the newest yarns I’ve added to my collection. One of them was featured on Change the Shed yesterday. You can watch the whole episode on YouTube HERE or I’ve cut out most of the chit-chat in the shortened version below. The yarn I’m using is Quebecoise which is made in Canada though I purchased it from a shop in the United States. It is a lovely, firm yarn without any of the bouncy, airy characteristics that can make some other yarns difficult to use in woven tapestry.
If you get the blog via email you can watch this version of the episode HERE.
Being able to evaluate the materials you’re using for your artwork yourself is an important skill to develop. This definitely applies to tapestry weaving! I teach hundreds of students every year and most of the frustration I see in new weavers comes from using materials that are not well suited to this type of weaving. If you’d like to understand better how to evaluate weft yarns for tapestry as well as see me critique a yarn live so that you can ask your own questions, join me for What makes a good tapestry yarn? The class is open for registration right now HERE. And if you can’t attend one of the September 24th or 27th live sessions, never fear. They will be recorded and there are plenty of resources in the class you won’t want to miss. As in all of my classes, you’re welcome to ask questions and use the class as a resource for as long as you’d like.
See you there!
Here are just a few of the yarns I have used for tapestry weaving.