Hemp Tapestry Pillow Weaving Pattern

These pillows were woven on the loom using a doublewidth weaving technique. The centre of each pillow was also woven on the loom, with a variety of techniques: clasped weft, tapestry, and leno lace.

Warp length: 4 yd.

Warp: 3 ply bleached hemp

Sett: 16 epi

Width on Loom: 19 inches

# Ends: 304

Double Width Draft woven on 4 shafts

This weaving draft shows how to weave 2 layers on 4 shafts.
Shaft 1 & 2 (Orange) )weave one layer,

and Shafts 3 & 4 (Green) )weave the second layer.

The above draft shows how to weave a tube.

• Raising shaft 1 – weaves the top layer.
• Raising shaft 2 – weaves the bottom layer.
• Raising shaft 3 – weaves the top layer.
• Raising shaft 4 – weaves the bottom layer.

 

To weave the pillow

The tapestry is centered onto the pillow front. Allow for approx. 2-3 inches for the outside edges of the pillow.

Weave the bottom section of the pillow first, as a tube.

• Raising shaft 1 – weaves the top layer.
• Raising shaft 3- weaves the bottom layer.
• Raising shaft 2 – weaves the top layer.
• Raising shaft 4 – weaves the bottom layer.

 

After you have woven the bottom edge of the pillow – approx. 3 inches, you will now weave the top sides and the back of the pillow, leaving the centre section unwoven.

• Starting at the right side of the pillow, raise Shaft 1 to weave the top right side of the pillow.
• Leaving the centre tapestry section of the pillow unwoven, pick up and weave the top right edge, throwing the shuttle from left to right.
• Now lift shaft 2 and weave the bottom of the pillow, throwing the shuttle from right to left.
• Raise shaft 1 and weave the top left edge of the pillow, throwing the shuttle from left to right.
• Raise shaft 3 and weave the top left edge, throwing the shuttle from right to left.

Once you have woven the sides of the pillow you can now weave the tapestry centre.

Clasped Weft

In this example I used a clasped weft technique. Using 2 shuttles of different coloured wefts, throw one shuttle across the weft (Yellow) and return it, looping the weft around the second (Red) weft thread. Pull back gently on the first weft yarn (Yellow) to adjust the placement of the 2 wefts. Change sheds and beat. You may need to use a tapestry beater to beat the threads into place. Weave the next row again with the same clasped weft technique

Clasped Weft

Martha Rae Middleton has collected wonderful examples of this tapestry technique

 

Hemp Yarn