Woven wall hanging.

Recently all I'm seeing is these woven wall hangings all over! They're back in style and more beautiful than ever! They come in various sizes and styles, colours and yarns... if you can imagine it, it probably exists, and if it doesn't... well... you know what I say... MAKE IT!

But really, there is so many different styles of these wall hangings out there that it would be hard NOT to find one you really love. My favourites by far are those that feature soft, faded colours, and contain various textures by mixing different yarns/other textiles and weaving techniques, and overall look modern, organic, and even maybe a bit boho. 

I've been meaning to try my hand at making one of these beauties for the longest while, but other projects and orders always stole my time. So, when I had a customer request one, without hesitation I took the challenge on! I couldn't wait to get started!

I have never weaved before so everything, from owning a loom to starting, weaving, and finishing, was absolutely foreign to me. However, a few DIY vids on YouTube later, I felt confident enough to get going. 

First order of business was getting a loom. Being a beginner and not really sure if I'd even enjoy this new venture, I didn't really want to spend any money on a loom. Instead, I made one using some scrap lumber (which I never seem to have a shortage of) and a cheap box of small standard nails. I simply built a large rectangle and nailed in the nails along the "top" and "bottom" edges in a straight line, 1/4" apart. Easy peasy. Then, I warped my loom ("looped" on the vertical string around the nails on the loom into which the various yarns are woven horizontally). I used a scrap flat wood slat to help me separate the warp when necessary. 

Before I began, I had a rough idea of how I wanted to execute my wall hanging; I would be using yarns in varying weights, textures, and shades of mint, coral, gray, and off-white. I knew I'd do some long fringe along the bottom and considered another level of shorter fringe just above to break things up a bit. Also, I wanted the highlight of this hanging to be two or three big, fat braids that start out full and thick at the edges, and taper off towards the centre of the weaving. In between the braids, I was just going to go with the flow. Overall, I was aiming for my favourite look - soft, modern, and organic.

As I worked my way up the loom, I (VERY) slowly filled it with various elements. I played around with many yarns, colours, and weaving techniques. Often times, I undid my last step (or two... or three... or few!!!) and started again. But, as I continued, my woven hanging started to take shape and I was very happy with where it was heading...

After what seemed like an infinite amount of hours (this project honestly did take me a whole lot longer to complete than I originally anticipated), I was finally done and thrilled with the result!

My favourite features of this weaving are the fat, plump, full, and thick braids. This style of braid is achieved by weaving roving yarn using the soumak weaving technique. I just love the softness and fullness of these braids in contrast to the rest of the flatter, colourful surroundings. I also really like how I was able to incorporate various textures into the background by using different yarns and weaving techniques. 

I debated whether I should add a smaller fringe above the long bottom fringe, but I'm happy I decided to do so. It adds interest to the whole wall hanging.

These woven hangings can be attached to just about anything long and straight, but my favourite option is driftwood. Since I had a piece of just the right size hanging around the garage, waiting for its destiny to be determined, I used it to suspend my masterpiece.

Not too bad for a first try, right???

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