Dots and Desserts

I helped warped two looms this weekend. They were not my own looms and this inspired me to start working on my projects.

One thing I did was warp my Baby Shannock so I can start working on my tapestry for our group project. Our tapestry group is working on a group project called Dots and Desserts. We are to weave a tapestry which is 8 by 8, 8 by 4 or 4 by 8 inches with at least a quarter of it being grey. The theme is desserts and we need to incorporate in a visible and obvious way dots - - the tapestry technique of dots.

I have several ideas for the piece but am moving forward on the one with the 4 by 8 maze on a 8 by 8 background. The cartoon is complete and sewn on the hem.

For this weaving I am trying lots of new things. I am using a new warp - some Finnish cotton warp I got from Shannock for my big loom. I am weaving from the back. I am using bobbins. And I am trying a 10 epi sett with four threads as inspired from the tapestry workshop I took many moons ago.

The twining and the hem is already complete along with two rows of single soumak. I just couldn't figure out how to get the ridge on the soumak weaving from the back so I simply turned the loom around and wove on the side I wanted the ridge on and then turned it back. I have even inserted my first dot!

I am also using my new bobbins that I just bought. I didn't like the unfinished look and feel of them so I am staining them with a water based white wash and putting on a semi gloss finish. I tested the white wash stain and finish on three bobbins. I like the result - seem much cleaner that the unfinished ones. I think two coats of the semi-gloss is in order.