Weaving Fabric Strips into a Bag

Not finished, but it does look like a bag! Woo-Hoo!

 A great project for a rainy afternoon!

I watched a DIY video and fell in love with the possibilities of weaving fabric strips onto a cardboard loom. Since this was my first time weaving fabric pieces, I wasn't sure how much fabric it would take, so I cut plenty. Once the weaving was finished, I realized that I had overestimated the required amount. At least I was prepared, though.

Plenty to choose from:  3" fabric strips in blacks & blues, yarns & ribbons.

 As you can see in the pictures, I chose bright colors and different textured fabrics:  black velvet, black satin, marine blue linen tweed, blue printed silk, turquoise/brown cotton batik, and assorted yarns.  I cut & tore the fabrics into strips about 3inches wide. Some strips were 14 inches long while others were 36 inches or longer. All of these fabrics were upcycled from gently worn clothing:  skirts, tops and a scarf. The velvet ribbon is new, and so is the black hemp twine

that I used as the base warp. 

(Warp is the definition for the set of vertical length wise yarns that are held in   tension on a frame or loom.  The yarn woven over & under the warp threads is called the woof, welt, or filler.)

😊😊😊 

                   All of this was done on a piece of corrugated cardboard measuring 10 inches tall & 9.5 inches wide.  These dimensions weren't planned. It just happened that the piece of cardboard from the box I used was this size. So, I went with it.  Fifteen slots were cut at the top, spaced about 5/8's of an inch apart and about 1/2 inch deep. The hemp twine was roped around the cardboard, and I had to watch the DIY video to get that right.

  

Link to DIY:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Qrh6dtSgc 

Colouricious:  Sewing Projects - Handmade Handbags - Artist Marilyn Pipe - Jamie Malden

(Used without permission, but maybe they won't object to the free advertising.) 😇

Starting at the bottom of the warp, I tied my first fabric strip onto an outside warp string and began weaving over & under the twine. When I reached the end of the fabric strip, I cut a hole in the end of the strip. I grabbed the next strip, cut a hole in one of the ends and threaded the two strips together. (Like making a chain.)  A few times I tied the ends together and left a cute bow visible.

I like both methods!

Scrunching the fabric strips down towards the bottom was a constant task, and very necessary. Doing this makes for a tight weave, and a tight weave maintains the shape that you see on the cardboard loom.  (Once the weaving is finished, the cardboard will be removed, and a loose weave will have holes in it and won't maintain its shape.)

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When I made it to the top of the loom, it was slow weaving the fabric strips at the edge. That's because the warp twine was very taut at this time. A pair of tweezers was most helpful pulling the thick velvet through the warp. I persevered because I wanted two strips of the black velvet at the top.

Success! The colors look beautiful together, and there is just enough of the bright shaggy yarn to give the piece that artsy look that I wanted. I love the colors, the different textures, and I love the funky yarns, ribbons & bows! Looks like some tweaking needs to be done where the fabrics are joined together. I may trim the ends or I may weave them under, but I don't have to decide that at this time. Thank goodness!

However, I do have to pull out the cardboard.

Oh, my gosh... is this going to work, and will the fabric stay intact?

Cardboard loom with warp & woof ready to be removed.

 To be continued...

 Watch for the next episode:

Weaving Fabric Strips into a Bag

 Part #2

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