TAPESTRY SAMPLER BAG

designed by Jane Patrick

Try out tapestry weaving and make a handy little bag at the same time. You’ll use many techniques in this
project: shading studies, rya, soumak, weft-faced color-and-weave, interlocking weft, clasped weft, Damascus edge
finish, pick-up patterning on an inkle band.
We wove the bag in one piece, starting at the top edge of the back. Shading studies in plainweave and soumak
form a gradient with interesting textures. Rya knots mark the fold and create the fringe at the bottom of the bag.
On the front, bright colors form bold patterns in plainweave, interloking joins, clasped weft, and soumak. The
Damascus edge, worked off loom, was used for the edge finish on both ends of the weaving. For the strap, we
worked an inkle band with pick-up.

BAG Finished size:5-1/2" x 5-1/2", excluding fringe. Bottom

Equipment needed:Arras Tapestry Loom, Schacht fringe is 1-1/2" long.
weighted beater, 9" weaving stick, 2 stick shuttles, tapestry EPI:6
needle, sewing needle, iron (for fusible interfacing), sewing PPI:to cover the warp.
machine (optional).
Number of warp ends:36
Warp yarn for bag:#18 cotton seine twine, about 50 yards.
Warping:Warp length as wound on the Arras is 45"; you can
Weft yarn for bag and warp/weft yarn for inkle band: weave two bags on this warp. Use a tight tension to make
Jamieson Shetland Spindrift (105 m/115 yd per ball), in weaving easier.
Ginger #462 (rust), Natural White #104, Pebble #127 (light
Weft:We used 3 ends for the plainweave areas and rya
gray), Sholmit #103 (medium gray), Oxford #123 (dark
knots. For the clasped-weft section, we used a single end
gray), Mermaid #688 (blue-green), Cornfield #410 (gold),
because it is doubled in each row. For the soumak rows, we
and Black #999. One ball of each color will provide sufficient
used a doubled weft (which translates to 4 ends in the braid).
yarn for the bag and the inkle band.
Weaving notes:We wove this bag in one long piece and
Notions:Fusible interfacing, sewing thread, lining fabric for
folded it in half along the rya knots. You will be starting at
the bag, 60" of 1/4"-diameter cord for the inkle band.
the top of the back of the bag and working to the top of the
front of the bag.
Find out more at schachtspindle.com
Schacht Spindle Company 6101 Ben Place Boulder, CO 80301
p. 303.442.3212
© 2020 Schacht Spindle Company, Inc. 04.20
WEAVE THE BACK Begin weaving:
See Figure 1 for a schematic of the back; the Damascus 1. Using 2 ends of Ginger, work 2 rows of soumak (Figure 2).
edge will be worked off loom. Use weft colors Ginger (rust), 2. Using 3 ends of weft yarn, weave in plainweave, blending
Natural White, Pebble (light gray), Sholmit (medium gray), the colors as follows: 5 rows of Natural White, drop one white
and Oxford (dark gray). end and add in one end of Pebble (light gray). Weave 5 rows.
Using a double end of the warp yarn, work a row of twining to Drop another white weft end and add another Pebble. You
establish a base for the weaving (Figure 2).

Damascus edge

{
soumak (solid)
Visit youtube.com/user/schachtspindle for videos
plainweave demonstrating warping, twining, and inkle pick-up.
(shaded)

soumak (solid
& shaded)

rya knots
{
FIGURE 1: BAG BACK SCHEMATIC FIGURE 2: TWINING

A B C D

FIGURE 3: SOUMAK
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now have 1 white and 2 Pebble ends. Weave 5 rows. Drop the
last white end and weave 5 rows with 3 ends of Pebble. Drop
and add weft ends in this way to gradually shade in Sholmit
(medium gray) and Oxford (dark gray). End with 5 rows of
Oxford.
Note: Bubble the weft before beating it in place; this allows
enough weft in the shed to prevent excessive draw-in. We
used about 1" bubbles across the bag and changed sheds
prior to beating to keep the bubbles in place (Figure 4).
FIGURE 4: BUBBLING THE WEFT
3. Begin soumak section, using 2 ends of weft yarn and
making all color changes about an inch from the selvedge
(which is easier than changing at the selvedge). Work 2 rows
of soumak in Oxford. Drop one Oxford end and add in one
end of Sholmit; work 2 rows. Drop the Oxford end and add a
second Sholmit end; work 2 rows. Drop one Sholmit end and
add a Pebble end; work 2 rows. Drop the Sholmit end and
add a second Pebble end; work 2 rows. Drop one Pebble end
and add a Natural White end; work 2 rows. Drop the Pebble
end and add a second Natural White end; work 2 rows. The
bag should measure about 5-1/4" long; if needed, work an
extra row or two of soumak in Natural White.
4. Using 3 weft ends, weave the fold/bag bottom: work 1
row of rya knots in Ginger, 2 rows of plainweave in Natural
White, 1 row of rya knots in Ginger, 2 rows of plainweave in A
Natural White, and 1 row of rya knots in Ginger. Here, we
worked each rya knot from a length of yarn, then cut the
ends to 1-1/2" long (Figure 5).

FIGURE 5: RYA

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WEAVE THE FRONT Damascus edge
See Figure 6 for a schematic of the front; the Damascus soumak
plainweave
edge will be worked off loom. Use weft colors Ginger (rust),
Natural White, Mermaid (blue-green), Cornfield (gold) and
Black. clasped weft

1. Using 2 ends of Ginger, work 2 rows of soumak.

plainweave
2. Using 3 weft ends, weave selvedge to selvedge: 2 rows
Black, 2 rows Natural White, 2 rows Black, 2 rows Natural interlock
White, 2 rows Black. soumak
3. Using 3 weft ends, weave with interlocking weft for 3/4". interlock
Divide the warp in thirds (12 ends per section), working plainweave
Mermaid, Cornfield, and Ginger from right to left (Figure 7). soumak
4. Using 2 ends of Black, work 2 rows of soumak.
rya knots
5. As in step 3, divide the warp in thirds for 3/4" of
interlocking weft. This time, work Ginger, Mermaid, and
Cornfield from right to left.
6. Using 3 ends of weft, weave selvedge to selvedge: 2 rows FIGURE 6: BAG FRONT SCHEMATIC
Black, then alternating 1 row of Natural White and 1 row of
Black 4 times. End with another row of Black.
7. Using 1 end of weft, weave the clasped weft section for
2-1/4". Wind a shuttle with Mermaid and insert the shuttle
from the right. Place a ball of Ginger on the left side of the
loom. Go around the Ginger end and draw it into the shed
with the shuttle—do not change sheds. Beat.
To begin this section, make the join at the center of the
weaving and repeat for 4 rows. Now, move the join 2 warp
ends to the left and weave 4 rows, then make the join 2
rows to the right of center and weave 4 rows. On the next
pass, make a join 4 rows to the left. Alternate in this fashion,
A
moving over 2 warps, on one side and then the other for
5 repeats. Then drop the Mermaid and add Cornfield.
Continue weaving as before until 4 warp ends remain at the
edge.
8. Using 3 ends of weft, weave selvedge to selvedge: 3 rows
of Black, 1 row of Natural White, 3 rows of Black, 1 row of
White, 3 rows of Black or until the front measures 5".
9. Check that the front and the back are the same length,
except for the last two rows of soumak on the back. If B
necessary, weave additional rows on the front.
FIGURE 7: INTERLOCK
10. Using 2 ends of Ginger, weave 2 rows of soumak.

A B

FIGURE 8: CLASPED WEFT

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FINISH THE BAG 5. Measure your bag and cut lining fabric to fit. We used one
1. Cut off the warp, leaving 4" to 6" to work the Damascus piece of fabric, folded in half at the bottom, with 1/2" seam
edge. Remove the twining from the beginning of the weaving allowances and a 1/2" finish for the top edge. Since our sewn
before working the edge. Place your weaving wrong side up bag measured 5-1/2" x 5-1/2", our lining fabric measured
and work the Damascus edge on the wrong side (Figure 9). 6-1/2" x 12".
The warp ends will lay on the inside of the bag. 6. Place the right sides of the lining fabric together. Sew the
2. Sew in the weft ends on the back and trim tails. Note: you side seams with 1/2" seam allowance, either with a sewing
can also leave the weft ends hanging, as they won’t show machine or backstitching by hand, and press the seam open.
once the bag is lined. This will add some bulk to the finished Press under 1/2" at the top edge of the bag or sew a 1/2"
bag. rolled hem by hand or machine.
3. To prevent the Damascus edge knots from loosening, 7. Insert the lining into the bag so the wrong side of the
iron a strip of fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the bag lining faces the wrong side of the bag. Stitch the finished top
along the knots on both ends of the weaving. edge of the lining to the bag at the bottom of the Damascus
4. Match the top edges of the bag, wrong sides facing, and edge.
whipstitch the sides together by hand from the outside of the
bag. The inkle band will cover these side seams.

A B C

D E F

FIGURE 9: DAMASCUS EDGE

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INKLE BAND Weaving notes:This band features a pick-up pattern down
Equipment needed:Schacht inkle loom, Schacht belt the middle. Because the woolen-spun yarn is a bit sticky,
shuttle, sewing needle. it was easier to weave with the warps a little more widely
Yarn and notions: s ee page 1. spaced for a warp-emphasis band. We wove the band flat and
then hand-sewed it into a tube, inserting a cord as we sewed.
Finished length:60", excluding fringe. Fringe is 4" long at
each end. Band weaving width:1".
Warp length:82".
Warp color order:see Figure 10. Visit youtube.com/user/schachtspindle for videos
demonstrating warping, twining, and inkle pick-up.

H W W
O W W

H = heddled
Black W Natural White Ginger Cornfield Mermaid
O = open

FIGURE 10: INKLE BAND WARP COLOR ORDER

Weave as follows, using one end of Black for weft:

1. Weave 4 rows of plainweave, beginning from the left on
an open shed.
2. Weave 1 row from left to right; open (Black) threads are
up.
3. With the open (Black) threads still up, locate the 6 Black
threads in the middle of the warp. Pick up the 2 in the center.
4. Keep holding the Black threads up and then press down
on the open threads (Mermaid threads will be up). Insert the
shuttle (Figure 11). Now it is okay to let go of the picked-up
threads. Beat.
5. Change sheds (Black threads up) and weave across. Beat.
6. Keeping the Black threads raised, locate the 6 Black
threads in the center. Pick up the 2 threads on each edge of
this group (4 total; see Figure 12). Keep holding them up
while you lower the open threads (Mermaid threads now on
FIGURE 11: PICK UP 2 CENTER FIGURE 12: PICK UP 4 EDGE
top). Weave across. Let go of the picked-up threads and beat.
THREADS THREADS
7. Change sheds, with Black threads now up. Weave across
and beat.
8. Pick up the 2 center Black threads, change sheds, weave
across and beat (Figure 11). You have now completed the
pick-up pattern.
9. Weave 5 rows of plainweave, forming a black bar between
each pick-up motif, and then begin the pick-up pattern again.
Work for at least 60".
10. Cut off the band from the loom, leaving at least 4" of warp
at each end for fringe.
11. Place the selvedge edges together around a rope or cord;
hand sew selvedges together (Figure 13).
12. Attach the band to the bag. On the front, let the join form
the inside edge and sew to bag.
13. On the back, sew along the Cornfield stripe. The pick-up
pattern will dominate.
14. Trim fringe to 4". •
FIGURE 13: SEW INKLE BAND SELVEDGES
–6– © 2020 Schacht Spindle Company, Inc.