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Learning for Free

Here are lots of free resources aimed at helping the development of skills and understanding in a number of textile-related activities.  Please get in touch if you know of any resources that you think would enhance this open education area. 

Tapestry Weaving

What is Tapestry Weaving - this video from the American Tapestry Alliance explains it beautifully.

Our Links page provides access to many external websites, including those of contemporary tapestry artists, national tapestry weaving organisations, commercial tapestry studios, exhibitions and much more

How to warp a tapestry frame.

This series of three videos, made by weaversbazaar, illustrating how to warp the Standard Adjustable Tapestry Frame and add the headers before commencing weaving.

   
Part 1: Putting on the warps   Part 2: adding the first headers   Part 3: adding the second headers

 

If you prefer written instructions on warping then download our free 'How to Warp' booklet.

Five techniques for sewing slits - 2 short videos by Margaret Jones.

Sewing Slits - Part 1 Sewing Slits - Part 2

 

The American Tapestry Alliance's Unlimited Blog Tour was an initiative undertaken between December 2015 and January 2016, with 6 experienced tapestry artists sharing their knowledge and expertise via their blogs. This is an amazing learning resource and the links to all of it are below.

  • Getting started: the first entry was from Vancouver Yarn and includes detailed videos plus lots of information about terms and equipment.
  • In 'techniques to blend colour' Rebecca Mezoff integrates yarns of different colours to create the illusion of further colours. This blog also introduces how to manage multiple wefts. Rebecca is an amazing tapestry artist and runs online tapestry weaving courses as well!
  • Using slits to create vertical lines in tapestry weaving is the focus of Terry Olsen's posting for the Blog Tour. Terry is a very well established tapestry artist who has been weaving for about 25 years.
  • Weaving shapes are addressed by Claudia Chase from Mirrex Looms. She shows how, using the grid of warp and weft, shapes of different types can be woven - including the ever-challenging circle!
  • How to 'paint' with yarn: colour blending through multiple strands of weft. This well-illustrated description of a more advanced approach to colour blending is from the wonderfully informative blog by tapestry artist Elizabeth Buckley.
  • The Value of Tapestry is a contribution from amazing tapestry artist Sarah Swett. She is looking at the challenge question of tonal value in the choice of colours when weaving tapestry images. Her post is not only well informed but fantastically illustrated.

Other learning opportunities.

Four selvedge weaving: this is an advanced technique that results in a tapestry without any warp ends to 'tidy up' once the weaving is finished. The very well illustrated explanation is another great blog from tapestry artist, needlewoman and illustrator, Sarah Swett.

Dovecote Tapestry Tutorial with Jonathan Cleaver.  

Tapestry Weaving Technique Videos. The American Tapestry Alliance website provides links to a collection of online videos that demonstrate tapestry weaving equipment and techniques.

Rebecca Mezoff teaches James Koehler's weft interlock technique for tapestry weaving     

     
Making a Tapestry   Woven tapestry techniques   Wind a tapestry bobbin   Finishing a Tapestry

Tapestry Weaving Course providers

Cloth Weaving  

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Winding a warp                    
How to warp your table loom. Part 1 How to warp your table loom. Part 2

Free resources can be found at the On-Line Digital Archive of Documents on Weaving and Related Topics

The Weaving Draft and Document Archive has lots of resources.

Stacey Harvey-Brown's YouTube weaving channel

Textile School has a very wide range of resources and information on weaving

The Weaving Library provides details and drawdowns of a huge number of weave structures


Knitting & Crocheting

How to knit: the basics       How to knit: the purl stitch

General resources