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How to eliminate gaps when weaving

Closing Gaps | The Weaving Loom

If you are new to weaving you may find that when you put in a vertical shape for a few weft rows a gap is created.  For me this was so disappointing to find gaps after I had finished my weaving.  If you like the look of the gap then by all means leave it. However if you do not then I will go over two ways to correct these gaps.

Closing Gaps | The Weaving Loom

To eliminate a gap while weaving you should use the interlocking weft technique. This technique involves weaving your shape like normal.

Closing Gaps | The Weaving Loom

Then when you are weaving in the area next to the shape, make sure to pull your new weft through the loop in the row that aligns with the shape and continue weaving in the opposite direction. This technique allows the wefts to fill in the gap, and will be virtually invisible.

Closing Gaps | The Weaving Loom

If you finish a weave and realize that the gaps you left in are now showing more then you like, you can close them up by sewing the warps to each other. To do this, take a string and double knot it in the back of your weave around a warp thread next to the gap. Then pull the string through the back of two or more weave stitches on one side. Next, cross over the gap to the other side and pull the string through the back of two or more weave stitches on side two.

GapClose1

Continue this from side to side until the gap is closed, making sure to keep a firm pull while sewing the gap closed. Finally tie the string to the back of your weave around a warp thread and weave in the string tails.

Has anyone ever left the gaps on purpose?  As always there is more then one way to solve a problem, so if you have corrected gaps differently I’d love to hear about it.

If you are having an issue with your warp being overexposed, check out my post on how to fix that here.

Happy Weaving!

Kate

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  • Debora
    December 3, 2015 at 10:54 pm

    I would like to know what causes the hour glass effect on both right and left of the edges of the warp. And how to avoid doing the hour glass effect…btw I am a newbie to world of weaving.

    Thank you so very much for your time and awesome helpful info.

    Yours truly Debora

    • Kate
      December 4, 2015 at 9:32 am

      Hi Debora, That is a great question. The hour glass effect is from weft tension while weaving and it is one of the harder issues to correct. I’ve found with time I get better at making my rows even, but nothing is perfect 🙂
      Here is a post I wrote that touches on weaving with an even tension https://www.theweavingloom.com/weaving-tip-back-to-the-plain-weave-basics/
      I hope this helps!

  • Jacqueline
    September 7, 2016 at 11:03 am

    Thanks so much!….this answered my problem so clearly, thank-you!….xxx

    • Kate
      September 7, 2016 at 1:26 pm

      Great! I’m so happy to help 🙂