Plant Dyed Wool: Day 2, Peg Loom Weaving

On the second day of the plant dyed wool class I recently took, Jane Meredith taught us peg looming. I thought maybe all of those loom bands I'd been making with my kids all summer would give me a leg up on this craft, but weaving on a peg loom is actually easier than making a triple single rubber band bracelet. We had beautiful weather the last two days of the course; it was a proper Indian summer. Below is the view of the Wye river, which Jane's house overlooks. 

Peg looms are made from a simple strip of wood drilled with holes and pegged with dowels. It's incredible to think that such beautiful rugs, pillows, wall hangings, etc., can easily be made from such a basic tool. I loved this ragged Cotswold wool rug (below) that Jane showed us, and decided to make something using natural, undyed fleece straight from the sheep's back. 

The trickiest bit of weaving is warping up the loom, which wasn't all that hard to do. Below, my loom is warped and ready for weaving.

Jane demonstrates warping up.

I used a combination of brown, grey and white fleece. Most of the women around me (the course was inexplicable absent of any men) were using the colored wool we had dyed the day before. Because I worried I wind up with a tacky technicolor monstrosity if I started using colors, I decided to stick with the browns and whites.

Below, an example of the right way to use color. Each woman's weaving was so totally unique from anyone else's, it's a shame I didn't take more photos to illustrate the various possibilities.

Here is my finished weaving, which is about the size of a small bathmat. I still can't decide if I like it, but I loved making it!

By the way, if you ever find yourself looking for a place to stay near Hereford, may I enthusiastically recommend a lovely B & B called the Old Rectory in Byford. Audrey and Charles Mayson were lovely hosts, and my room was the perfect haven to return to in the evenings. 

My next and last post about this course will be about weaving on the Brinkley loom. I loved it so much a bought one from Jane, where it's currently in use on my dining room table.