The Deliberate Owl

After we finished our garage-to-living-room renovation project, I found myself staring at the walls. New room, new decor! While some of the walls are taken up with windows, the pantry door, a bookcase, and religious art, there are several undedicated spaces available. What to make?

I got out my tapestry lap loom. I hadn't used it in years. I remembered the basics of warping a loom and weaving shapes, but I wanted to learn more techniques. I read Rebecca Mezoff's book The Art of Tapestry Weaving. I bought wool yarn. (If I'm going to spend a lot of hours touching the fibers, might as well be nice to touch, eh?) And I set to work.

Here's what I made.

My goal with this tapestry was to learn or practice a couple skills:

• How to warp the lap loom with double warp threads on each peg to increase the epi (ends per inch)
• Changing colors, blending colors, and building shapes
• Mezoffs meet-and-separate weaving method
• Starting and ending a weaving properly, with a header or a row of double half hitches

I also intend to learn how to mount and frame smaller tapestries like this for hanging. This one is medium-small, not as small as some people make (I'd like try that, too, though!), but I think it would benefit from being hung within a nice frame. Some people will attach the tapestry to linen or cotton covered canvas stretcher frame or foam board, with space around the tapestry, kind of like how paintings or photos are matted before being framed. I'll experiment.

(Read: How I Made A Linen Wrap Skirt With Rainbow Embroidered Flowers)

This is only the third thing I've made on my tapestry lap loom. I got it as a teenager when taking a weaving class with my mom.

This is what I made first: a little purse/bag. I wove the strap on a rigid heddle loom.

Then the loom was in storage for a long while. A couple years ago I finally pulled it out and made this wall hanging from scrap fabric.

Then, my son made this wall hanging, which I love. I helped sew on the buttons. This was his first big weaving project! He did most of it at age 6. Since, he's done several other projects.

I've already started another project. Pretty fun. I've been enjoying fiber arts lately—read about my first crochet projects and how to crochet a water bottle carrier!