Have you heard the saying, start with the end in mind? It definitely applies to tapestry weaving when you’re making decisions at the beginning of a tapestry. There are many things to decide and the equipment and materials you currently have might make some of them for you.
For example, the loom you choose might dictate how you can display your work. If you have only very short looms*, you may not be able to finish your tapestry with a braided edge because you don’t have enough extra warp to allow that. A longer loom might allow you to use that finishing technique.
A one minute clip from a Change the Shed episode on March 22, 2023 speaks to that finishing issue along with some encouragement to experiment. In the episode were discussing whether using warp woven as weft in the header influences how the weft following reacts. My answer was that it depends. Frankly, this is often my answer. It depends on all the variables like the warp and weft you’re using, how your loom works, how you weave on your loom, and what header you’ve chosen.
The second half of this 1 minute video I’m talking about how decisions you make influence outcomes later. Isn’t that always the case? In tapestry weaving that can be as concrete as the loom you choose being too short to allow enough warp length to create the braid you wanted in your finishing process.
The full recording of this Change the Shed episode is available on YouTube HERE.
I firmly believe in the power of experimentation. Being an artist is all about trying out your ideas. Some of them will fail miserably. Mine do all the time! But you might figure out something that works perfectly for what you want to express and that is worth everything. The more we make, the more we learn, so keep weaving!
So for today, give yourself permission to experiment. That applies to tapestry weaving and whatever other creative endeavors you’re involved in.
*I did a blog post and video about why you might want longer looms. Find that here: https://rebeccamezoff.com/blog/2021/5/27/questions-from-the-book-ease-of-weaving-and-loom-length