Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Weaving During Lent for First Christian Church


Right before Easter this year I was asked to create a table runner for First Christian Church's communion table. This church in North Kansas City is special to me because the fall after graduating from the Kansas City Art Institute in 2007, I was commissioned to create two large weaving for their sanctuary. These two pieces were created on my 45" dobby loom that I was able to purchase with the commission money that I received from Community Christian Church the summer after graduating. (Have I mentioned how much I love my AVL loom?) I really, REALLY do!! :)

Two hand-dyed, hand-woven textiles made for First Christian Church in the fall of 2007. 


Down below are all the process images I took along the way to create this piece. 

After calculating the exact amount of yarn I needed for this project, I started winding my skeins. 

Soaking skeins

Preparing my dye baths, using large plastic cups. 

Yarn skeins in their dye baths.

It takes much time to rinse all the skeins........and back breaking. 

All the rinsed skeins on the dry rack.


Winding all the yarn skeins into usable "yarn balls".

Measuring our warp on my warping board. 


Threading each piece of yarn the a dent in the reed. 

Threading my pattern. 

After all is threaded, look how beautiful the yarn looks on the loom. 


Brushing, tightening and winding the yarn on my loom. 

Weaving time.


Working with my daughter.

Hemming both ends. 

Finished and delivered in time on Good Friday.

What a joy and honor it was to create this piece especially during the Lent season.