Making a tapestry with beads by weaving discountinuous wefts.
There have been numerous debates over whether or not a pictorial piece made from beads and “woven” on a loom can be called a Beaded Tapestry. I think the general consensus was no, it cannot be called that. But that was in the case of beads “woven” in straight lines and not using discontinuous wefts. Hmmmmmm.
In any case, “weaving” beads by stringing them up and placing them underneath and between the warps and then sewing through the tops is not actually weaving. It is in fact sewing the beads to the warp. When weaving beads using the shedding device on a classic Mirrix Loom, you are actually weaving them. But let’s get past the concept of to weave or not to weave and just settle on the thing that distinguishes the below beaded piece from most beaded pieces: it was “woven” with discontinuous wefts.
How does one “weave” beads using discontinuous wefts? This is how:
Rather than string up the entire length of beads, just string up a section of beads. In order to attach them correctly, you need to sew through the bead in the above row as thus. Then string up your beads and stick then behind and between the warp threads and sew through the tops of the beads. It is that easy.
The above piece was woven on a five inch Chloe Loom using an eighteen dent comb and 11/0 Delicas. The Chloe looms are now my go-to bead looms. So easy to warp and now available in sizes to accommodate beads such as a 14 dent comb for size 11/0 seed beads and an 18 dent comb for 11/0 delicas.
A note about comb size. The 16 and 18 dent combs will work with Delicas. We find that the 16 dent combs work best for wide pieces. The above piece is thin enough that the 18 dent combs worked well. If you were to get only one sert of combs for your Delicas, we would recommend getting the 16 dent combs.
Have you woven beads on a Mirrix Loom yet? If not you are in for a treat whether it is a Chloe loom or a classic Mirrix Loom. The best bead loom out there.
Would you like to see this project in a Flying Start Tutorial?
