Improvisational Weaving – Part 3 – Jasmine Lee

For my deeper dive, I chose to complete one large weaving. For part 2 of the assignment last week, I was able to explore using colors, different types of threads, and different types of looms. I decided to take it a step further this week in terms of color choices, fabric choices, texture, and composition.

A rectangular weaving of woven mint twine, white satin ribbon, cream cotton lace, and brown linen strips, interlocked within a warp of white and grey tulle on a wooden frame.
Full weaving.
Close-up of the previous weaving, with the different materials used shown layered vertically upon each other.
Close-up of an edge of the weaving.
A second close-up of the previous weaving, showing the materials tousled and entangled with one another.
Close-up of the center of the weaving.

In this weaving, I chose colors that would go well together. Since the frame was a light tan, I chose the cream lace to complement it. I also included the woven mint twine and linen ribbons to incorporate more texture. There was a nice contrast between the looser weave of the twine, and the tight weave of the linen ribbon. The white satin ribbon was also chosen to brighten up the colors of this piece, with the smooth, shiny texture of it intentionally contrasting against the rougher, natural materials. The satin helped marry the more natural strips of fabric with the synthetic tulle that was used as the underlying structure. Tulle, seeming delicate but deceivingly strong, was use to tie the ends of the strips with one another. The places where they were knotted were left uncut, to allow the viewer to see more of the process within the piece.

Opacity was also something I explored in this piece. In certain areas, I would use more tulle. On the other side, I would use rougher, opaque materials. As I switched this up, row by row, it created a nice pattern where light would shine through in different parts.

A white, green, beige, and brown weaving is propped up against a window. Ambient light shines through the horizontal ribbons of white, while shadow is created by the darker material in the weaving.
Same weaving, propped up against a window.
Vertical ribbons of light and shadow, created by actual ribbons of white, green, cream, and beige.
Close-up of the same weaving (propped against a window).

The materials used in this piece all have a backstory to them. I bought the tulle when I was first learning to sew, and it was used in the first thing I made. The lace was taken off a shirt passed down by my aunt, and the various ribbons were given by a friend of my mom’s who passed them on when she heard about my interests.

Something I would like to work on after this piece, is to better explore the different ways I can keep a warp on a loom. I would have loved for this piece to seem unattached to the frame on all four sides, with the only strands keeping it on in the four corners.

Materials: 20×16 canvas (wooden frame only), white tulle, gray tulle, white satin ribbon, mint woven twine, beige linen ribbon, cream cotton lace