Weaving for Weaving’s Sake by Lauren Chong Sng

This is a post by one of Mirrix's 2026 Brand Ambassadors, Lauren Chong Sng. Follow Lauren  on Instagram @abcrags here. 

As defined by Merriam-Webster, the word tapestry is “a heavy handwoven reversible textile used for hangings, curtains, and upholstery and characterized by complicated pictorial designs.”  The words “complicated pictorial designs” need not apply to a weaving practice.

Art for Art’s Sake:  From Wikipedia, “… L’art pour l'art [is] … a French slogan from the 19th century … which expresses the philosophy that 'true' art is utterly independent of all social values and utilitarian functions, be they didactic, moral, or political.”  A finished weaving project doesn’t require an end-use.  Art is a process at every skill level.  Art and weaving are subjective.  

On the Tate Gallery’s website, “Monochrome is a genre of art, photography, and film built entirely around a single color or hue, along with its various tints, tones, and shades.”  This, to me, sounds quite freeing.  

With the above statements in mind, I’d like to share my weaving process.

I believe a weaving project doesn’t have to be a depiction, concept, or composition. It can be a single color. Although I’m not the kind of artist who can draw figures, I am passionate about textiles and have bought yarn or fabrics that resonate with me. I’m willing to bet you have felt the same way. It’s incredibly enjoyable to weave with a color that pleases my eyes. Sometimes, I weave just to admire the color itself. You may have noticed that my work features very few colors. My goal is not to please others but to satisfy my own preferences. It’s all about the interplay of over/under and under/over. When I’m having fun at my looms, it is all that matters. Let’s weave as if no one is watching.

When I first started weaving, I could choose anything from my yarn stash, and it was wonderful to engage with the yarn in this creative activity. Initially, my focus was on developing a rhythm and creating even selvedges. At that time, I used only one yarn. Now, after nearly ten years of weaving, I’m up to two colors.

What I’m trying to convey is that a weaver doesn’t need to create a picture. For me, weaving is a meditative experience. I simply warp up and start weaving. Sometimes, an idea emerges when I’m warping, starting the first row, or midway through. Other times I search the images I’ve saved for inspiration. I enjoy incorporating texture into my small tapestries too, and the challenge is to use the same color. My recent series is a vermillion with a punch of red. Once I run out of this rich green, I’ll use another color and start a new series.

Few understand: I weave for fun. It’s the process. I finish a weave, I post it on social media, and then it goes into a pile. Occasionally I go through the pile and remember how happy I felt weaving a particular one. These are not coasters or trivets. These won’t be sewn together to make a blanket or a wall hanging. These won’t be framed or sold (maybe later to both?).  Where’s the fun in that, you ask, everywhere! The fun is in every pick. You can’t please everyone all the time. Weave for yourself, and weave because it feels good.

Start weaving by selecting colors you are attracted to. The Mirrix website has many textiles to choose from here. They all leave me drooling.