Weaving with Art Yarn — How to Use Handspun Art Yarn in Weaving Projects
How to Weave with Art Yarn.
A beautiful solution for what to do with art yarn.
Not sure what to do with your handspun art yarn? Weaving is the answer. Learn basic techniques for weaving with art yarn using an embroidery hoop or simple loom.
Written and Designed by Brittany of @Bee _ Ritt _ Fiber_ Arts on Instagram Please follow her for more inspiration and creativity with the fiber arts. You can even buy some of her gorgeous art yarn weavings at herWebsite .
If you're going to spin yarn, why spin something that looks like what you can buy at a store? That's why I love spinning art yarn! But what do you do with art yarn exactly? I started just using it as decor; bought a pretty glass jar from IKEA and began collecting little balls of handspun. I also repurposed an antique crystal bowl (family heirloom) and put my favorite yarn pet inside (shout out to my fiber friend Jesse for the great idea!). But you can only store so much yarn before it becomes hoarding, although that's a highly debatable topic.
A great way to use art yarn and look like a boss learning a new skill is weaving! You only have to know a couple basic weaving techniques to make your weaving look absolutely stunning with all that gorgeous art yarn- it does most of the work for you.
First decide how you want to do your weaving. It's pretty simple to make your own basic loom if you don't already have one, or my personal favorite is using an embroidery hoop as a loom.
Next, curate yourself a "weaving pack". Spin some crazy art yarn or pick a favorite you've already spun. Pick a few more basic yarns or rovings that coordinate. For my example, I actually spun 3 different styles of yarn using the same merino braid from Crafty Housewife Yarns.
Then weave away! I stick to pretty much 3 basic weaving techniques: tabby weaving (traditional alternating over and under), Egyptian knot, and soumak. Experiment doubling up yarn strands. Extra puffy yarns can be left sticking out a bit, instead of being pulled in tight, for extra texture. Play with letting delicate locks stick out. If you're doing a round weaving, play with weaving in different directions.
Weaving is also a great way to use your art yarn "experiments". A spin that didn't go as well as expected can still be redeemed by using it in weaving. You can hide so much or even use the errors to your advantage! I had some bobble spun yarn that was way over spun and broke my core while plying it. I thought it was unusable and unsalvageable but it actually was perfect for weaving! The overspun pigtails bunched up for a unique texture and I doubled up the parts with broken core for an extra bubbly effect! To finish, you can set your weaving and open up the texture even more with a little steam.
Just like spinning, weaving with art yarn has no rules! Don't limit yourself by researching every single technique. Learn the basics and develop your own personal style. You'll have more fun and go further.
Editor's Note: This post was written by the incredibly talented Brittany of Bee Ritt Fiber Arts — one of my favorite examples of what's possible when you spin with intention and let the yarn lead. If you're inspired to start spinning your own art yarn, Feral Scene has everything you need to get started — from fiber arts subscriptions featuring unique breed wools perfect for art yarn spinning, to online spinning courses for beginners and beyond. The art yarn Brittany used in this post was spun from a Feral Scene merino braid — proof that what arrives in your subscription box can end up as something genuinely extraordinary.
