Mar 27 2006
Hemstitching on the Loom
Hemstitching on the loom is the best solution to finishing off edges neatly sometimes. I find it easy to do and the edges are finished when taken off the loom. I’m using this method for multiple woven shibori scarves on the loom at the moment.
Finishing off edges neatly is always a challenge for a weaver. I usually don’t want to just machine or even hand hem a scarf. The warp threads are part of the uniqueness of handwoven textiles. They aren’t cut and are woven in one piece.
Oooh. I’m just now doing the same thing. I’m going to try (on a shawl edge) hemstitching, and then weaving a few inches and hemstitching again, so that I can finish the shawl, press and turn the hem, and sew a neat folded edge to the second row of hemstitching. It may be unworkable, but then, two neat rows of hemstitching won’t look too bad if I fail!
I want to try this — I am a brand-new weaver and am not in the least interested in dragging out the sewing machine and machine stitching a hem.