Weaving Issues || How to Relax a Wavy Weave

I have a weave hanging on my wall that I finished a while ago and it’s driving me crazy.  It’s positioned off to the left of my computer and as I work, I keep noticing that this weave doesn’t sit very nicely against the wall.  It is a pieces that has plain weave along with wool roving and this drastic change from super bulky to slim is making the warp threads wave.  I have finally had enough and decided I’m going to try blocking this weave.  If you’re not familiar with blocking, it’s a technique used by knitters and crocheters to relax their finished creations.  If blocking works for knitted and crocheted fibers then it will certainly work for woven fibers.  This weave I’m fixing is already hung, but if you can do these steps prior to your weaves being hung, it’s easier.  So here’s what I did:

step 1| I pulled out a large baking pan to use as my basin, but you can use whatever clean item that will hold water and comfortably hold your weave.  Fill your basin with cold water and have two towels ready along with a hand full of pins.

Ok let’s pause right here!  For those that might not be aware, you can felt wool and other animal fibers fairly easily with the use of hot water and agitation.  I don’t want to felt this weave, so I’m going to avoid those two.

step 2| place your weave in the basin and let it soak for a bit.  Remembering I don’t want this weave to felt, I did not move the weave in the water, but pushed it lightly under the water with my hands.

step 3| remove your weave from the water and place it on your first towel.  Your weave will be really wet, so to gently ring out the water by rolling your towel slowly up over your weave.  This pulls out a lot of the water without putting extreme pull on your weave.

step 4| your first towel will be really wet, so unroll your weave and lay it on top of the second towel.  We’re going to use this second towel as your blocking base.  I left my towel folded up and made sure it was a flat as possible

step 5| flatten your weave out on the towel, then start pinning your weave to the towel in the shape you desire.  Add pins along all the sides so that your weave stays in place.

step 6| let your weave fully dry then un-pin it.

The roving in my weave is still pulling at the warp threads, but the weave overall looks much better especially from the sides.  It looks much better and the wall now and  I will definitely do this again on future weaves.  If you’re looking for other weaving issue fixes, I have a few posts here.

Have you ever blocked your weaves before?  Do you have other ways you fix a weave that is wavy off the loom?

Happy Weaving!

Kate

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