Tapestry Group

Tapestry Weavers
When: The group meets on the second Saturday of the month. Please email the Guild to confirm before attending.

Time: from 10:30am until 2pm

Contact: Heather Smith. email via info@hwsgv.org.au

The Tapestry Weaving group meets to share and explore any information, techniques or ideas relating to tapestry weaving.

The group is open to anyone with an interest in tapestry weaving. All skill levels are welcome. Members are encouraged to bring along whatever current project they are working on for show and tell.

There is lots of discussion and sometimes weaving actually takes place!

What is Tapestry Weaving?
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Tapestry weaving is one of the oldest forms of woven textile. Unchanged for centuries, this hand weaving technique can be done on the simplest of looms. Tapestry is a weft-faced weave, which means the weft completely covers the warp, forming a flat smooth
surface. The weft is woven in by hand, using bobbins, butterflies or needles. The design is usually drawn on paper and placed behind the warp and used as a guide during weaving, or it can be marked directly onto the warp.
Each colour or design area is woven independently of the others and requires a separate weft thread. Depending on the thickness of the warp and the size of the tapestry, the number of weft threads used in each ‘bundle’ varies. Having multiple weft threads allows the weaver to mix a limitless range of colour.

Despite the craft being deemed not economically viable (in Victoria) and phased out of our art and textile courses, there are growing numbers of tapestry weavers, both professional and avocational producing their own designs. There are also a number of regional, national and international organisations, which have formed to promote an awareness of and appreciation for tapestry
weaving as an art form.