Once again, Instagram was a huge source of inspiration for me; when I started seeing images of woven fabric pop up in my feed, I just had to give it a try. By woven, I don’t mean the type of fabric or the way it’s made, I mean weaving strips of fabric to create a new design. If you haven’t seen any examples before, you could try exploring some hashtags like #modernmeshwork, #fabricweaving, and #weftyneedle. 

I’m kicking myself that I waited so long. Seriously, you have to try this! It looks hard, but it really isn’t. I know it can be a bit overwhelming starting a new skill, so I thought I’d show you how easy it is to get going on your first weave. First, you’ll want to order yourself a Wefty Needle. You could probably do this without, but honestly, it’s not very expensive and made the process painless; I actually couldn’t imagine enjoying the process without this tool. I also found the bias tape maker really handy, but you can do without quite easily, just don’t burn your fingertips! 

Next, you need to decide on a pattern to weave. I chose Mister Domestic’s Tumbling Blocks Weave; it’s a free pattern on Craftsy. There are several tutorials available on tjaye.com as well. For the pattern I chose, I needed 3 different colours, all cut into 2 inch strips and then pressed with raw edges under to create a 1″ strip (that’s where the bias tape tool comes in extra handy). For mine, I chose an Andover chambray and 2 different Alison Glass prints.

The Tumbling Blocks pattern instructed me to draw these lines on my foam board. Then we pin a piece of fusible interfacing overtop, to go under the weave. 

Now the fun really begins! I realized that my chambray would be the trickiest to use in my Wefty needle and weave over and under other fabrics, since it’s thicker, so I used that as my first layer. Pin each end so the fabric is slightly taut.

After my first layer was down, I couldn’t wait to get started on the weaving of the second layer. I didn’t even stop to take a picture, because it was just too much fun. It’s amazing when something seemingly magical is coming together right before your eyes.

The third and final layer is when you finally see the tumbling block. Raise your hand if the finished pattern reminds you of Qbert. I mean this in the most affectionate way of course, because who doesn’t love Qbert? People 10 years younger than me who have no idea what I’m talking, that’s who- but that’s a story for another time! 

If you’re anything like me, you probably won’t be able to stop once you start seeing the pattern and will have to finish the last layer immediately. For this step, Mister Domestic suggested using the Purple Thang and feeding it through the exit site, but I don’t have that tool, so I used the second Wefty Needle (they come in a pair) instead, and it worked really well guiding the needle on some tricky spots.

After this step, it depends what you’re doing with your project. I’m not telling what I’m using mine for, not yet anyway. Most likely, you’d at least want to fuse the interfacing and sew around the perimeter of the project to keep the ends in place. 

This was such a quick project. I had several interruptions throughout the day and easily started and finished on the same day. I think it could be less than 2 hours including all the prep work, and even faster as you get more experienced, or do a smaller piece.