handcrafted | my summer obsession... weaving

My newest piece in the works!
I am a sucker for trying new needlecraft. Over the years I've tried everything from spinning to tatting, beadweaving to tape lace making. Knitting and sewing are the ones that have stuck the most, and that I've worked to hone my skills and further my knowledge. But I have a seemingly insatiable curiosity when it comes to new ways of expressing my creativity. Which is why when I started to see lots of lovely woven wall hangings popping up on Pinterest and Instagram, it was almost compulsive for me to go raid my yarn and fiber stash and give it a try for myself!

My first woven piece... in all it's newbie glory!
This isn't everyone's cup of tea, I know. They do harken back to the wall hangings of the 70s, but I really love that nostalgic look about them. I remember looking through so many craft books that I borrowed from the library as a kid that had things like this in them (since our library had an astonishing number of 1970s handcraft books. I occasionally wonder what happened to all those books over the last couple decades...). It's almost comforting in a weird way to me, reminding me of my childhood. What I really adore about this resurgence in simple weaving is that it celebrates such an old craft (since weaving is one of the earliest handcrafts), yet something even a child can easily master. (I do wish Audrey was just a bit older--she loves to watch me work on my weavings, but is obviously only interested in tangling the yarn at 14 months!).


Weaving, I have found, is intensely relaxing. Not to air my dirty laundry, but this year has been extremely stressful on various fronts, and I find my energy levels by the time Audrey goes to bed for the night are zilch. But I still have a desire to do something--preferrably creative--with those couple of hours before I drag myself off to bed. I can start a British mystery (working my way through Midsomer Murders right now) and occupy my hands for a bit in a way that is fulfilling. I can prop my little homemade loom on the living room floor, or at the dining table to get a couple rows in while Audrey eats.


I want to share some of the nuts and bolts of this in another post (maybe next week). But for now, I just wanted to share how much I'm loving this little summer crafting obsession of mine. I finished one piece--that is fraught with many amateurish mistakes--and have started on a far more colorful (fewer colors that scream 1970s!) and larger piece. Not sure where these will find a home, but they make me smile every time I see them and will lend themselves well to my eclectic home style.

Anyone else dabbling in a new-to-them craft this summer as well? Yay or nay on woven wall hangings?

Comments

  1. I think your wall hangings are great! I have been curious about weaving lately after coming across some work by Gunta Stolzl. I would love to hear about your setup!

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  2. Those pieces are gorgeous! I'm always wanting to try new handicrafts too, though mainly that has manifested itself in finally knitting myself a cardigan last year, and getting into new areas of garment sewing. As far as wallhangings go, they don't really work for me, but I think they do look gorgeous!

    Brigid
    the Middle Sister and Singer

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  3. I love these! I secretly really, really like 70's handcrafted home dec items and have been thinking of trying to work them into my home... macrame plant holders to start :) I also have the problem of being super exhausted in the evenings, and have been really trying to keep up embroidery. It's so relaxing and easy for those times I just can't fathom sitting in front of the machine!

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  4. I love Midsummer Murders! I use that precious, post-bedtime window to sew, knit, or work on other small projects while I watch TV as well. I look forward to those couple of hours all day, and the days I can't manage to fit them in it's so frustrating.

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  5. Your wall hanging weavings are beautiful! I taught weaving for a little while a number of years ago so it will always have my heart, though (sadly) rarely my time. My grandmother just gave me several of her crafting books, mainly from the 60's and 70's, so I'm hoping to dig in to them this summer and maybe get back in to weaving myself!

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  6. Your wall hanging is really pretty! I went through a brief weaving phase in my early teens when I found a 70's 4 inch hand loom at a thrift store. I don't know if I'd ever go back to doing it (for some reason I never connected any of the squares to actually make them into something), but it was a fun hobby to have.

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  7. Omigosh. So groovy! I love it. The 70s craft I am finding myself drawn to? Macrame. I really want to learn!

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  8. These are lovely! The colours you've chosen are great too. I've got a macrame lamp shade my mum made in the 70s & I also used to love flicking through 70s craft books - thanks for the reminder!

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  9. Your wall hangings look really neat, not something I'd be into, but still great! I do understand the whole trying new crafts though; my latest obsession is needle felting. I haven't picked it up yet, {why are new crafting supplies so expensive!?}, but I have been itching to try it. ♡

    xox,
    bonita of Lavender & Twill

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  10. Your weaving is turning out great! I really would love to get my loom out again but it just takes too darn long to set it all up for a project hehe. I'm on a stitch marker making kick at the moment. I'm excited that my little T is getting old enough to learn something soon and before you know it, A will be. I learned cross-stitch at 3 so I may attempt it with T soon! ~Nicole

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