Meghan emailed me a while back after I posted a few photos of my Wee Weaver on Instagram about sharing my weaving on the Kelbourne Woolens blog. Meghan has a degree in textile design, teaches textile design, and is skilled at many fiber related crafts. I, on the other hand, have a BS in Economics and didn’t learn to knit until I was in my 20s. Until now, my weaving experiences have included a zoom loom and a potholder loom when I was a kid. Now the wee weaver. So when she wanted my take on weaving, I was…surprised, to say the least!
The Wee Weaver is great because it’s fast and small, which is about all I have time for these days. (I work full time, recently bought a house, and have a toddler.) I’ve wanted to learn to weave for a while, but even the time that it takes to learn to use a rigid heddle loom and warping it seems beyond me at the moment.
Meghan suggested some sort of swap of weavings, and I’m a big fan of Project Runway, so I suggested doing an “unconventional materials” challenge with the Wee Weaver. I channeled Tim Gun in my head and went to the junk drawer in my kitchen. Here’s what I found that I thought could be used in a wee weaving.
Top / kitchen twine, plastic outlet covers, and plastic bags folded into triangles (like my Japanese Grandma taught me!)
Bottom / Wee Weaver, straws, a box of safety pins, a rubber band ball, birthday candles, and zip ties.
I settled on plastic bags, zip ties, straws, and twine. I cut up the bags to make “plarn” (plastic yarn), used the cotton twine for my warp, then wove with the twine, zip ties, and a straw cut in half. To hang my wee weaving I cut a straw, tied the warp to it, and then threaded some twine through the straw.
My husband says it looks like a little girl’s dress. I like the whimsey of it. Any tips for my future weaving? Have you made any wee weavings? I’d love to see them!