I begin each letter by weaving the shape below it
what I call the cradle.
In the case of the 'e' in progress here,
that means building the curve below the e with as much attention as I will subsequently apply to the letter it self, taking advantage of the highs and lows where I can.
what I call the cradle.
In the case of the 'e' in progress here,
that means building the curve below the e with as much attention as I will subsequently apply to the letter it self, taking advantage of the highs and lows where I can.
 |  Since many letter elements involve wrapping around a single warp, or maybe two, I usually anchor the ends with a needle. This not only stabilizes the letters, but also avoids the tangle of tails that decreases the flexibility of the finished piece. |
I often begin letters by burying the tail of the yarn as well
 |  I left the wispy end sticking out for demonstration purpose, and will snip it off when the letter is further along. |
Wool Warp and Weft
I forgot to take photos while weaving the word 'worsted', but the same principles apply no matter what font/handwriting I am using
A doubled warp, as with the four selvedge warping technique for instance,
allows the wispy weft tail (never bluntly cut, but always untwisted, broken or frayed with scissors as with the linen ground weft in the photos below), to be anchored/trapped between the warp pairs and then wrapped.
allows the wispy weft tail (never bluntly cut, but always untwisted, broken or frayed with scissors as with the linen ground weft in the photos below), to be anchored/trapped between the warp pairs and then wrapped.
 |  |
The needle technique works well too.
linen warp and background weft. wool letters. walnut Dye
The only exceptions to my 'no weft cutting' rule are the ends of the yarn I've already anchored with a needle, which I cut off from the front as they will not pop out in the future.
And though the letters are in mirror writing on the back,
I still love how they look.
I still love how they look.
