Grey thread.
Simple right?
Don’t stop reading though, there’s more to it than that.
Why would a weaver need regular old grey sewing thread?
Grey thread is a powerhouse.
It hides in the shadows of your weaving – holding things together and helping you keep your mind and your studio uncluttered.
Instead of having thread for every color of yarn you use – you can just have one.
In theory, you will use this thread perfectly so that it is completely hidden underneath your weft and on the back of your weaving.
In practice, there’s a good chance that your grey thread will peak through your weaving occasionally. This is more than likely because despite the fact that the thread will never be on the surface of your weaving – if you’re not careful it won’t sit perfectly where it’s supposed to.
Luckily, it is sewing thread! This means it’s VERY thin. If I had to guess, I would say probably a lot thinner than your weft yarn. It should easily tuck into wherever you need it to. When it inevitably peaks through? It appears as a shadow.
The magic is in the way it mimics these shadows.
So, how can you use it?
Let me count the ways:
Sew Up Your Split Tapestries
When you are weaving tapestry, a widely used technique when you have 2 different colors weaving in the same shed (a.k.a. on the same line) is to create a slit.
This is a great technique for when you want to create a clean straight vertical line in your weaving.
If you decide to do this instead of joining them together then there is a good chance you will need to close that slit back up. You will only need to do this if it is a large opening – anything over an inch. Or if the weaving will be handled often.
When a weaving with a slit in it is hung up and it is not sewn shut then eventually gravity will take its toll.
Damn gravity.
In this case, you do have options. IF you have thread that is similar to both of your weft yarns, then, by all means, you can use that.
Let’s say for example, though, you have a slit with 2 opposing colors. One side of the weaving is blue and the other side is orange.
Which color do you choose?
Grey.
Tack Down Your Warp Ends
Sometimes you may want fringe on your weaving.
Sometimes you do not.
When you do not want fringe you have a lot of options to choose from. Most of these options require you to deal with your leftover warp ends in some way.
After doing your favorite edge finishing technique – you can either:
- Weave all of your ends back into your weaving. This creates an attractive looking back and is therefore the best option for a double sided weaving. Depending on the size of your weaving – this could be the lengthier option.
- Tack your warp ends to the back of your weaving. This is a great option for when the back doesn’t need to match the front.
Pulling the warp into little bundles and tacking them down, keeps them out of the way and takes less time to do.
Don’t forget to use your grey thread to do this.
Also, keep your bundles on the smaller side. If you try to bundle a lot of warps together at one time then your weaving will no longer lay flat and they may be more likely to break free.
Sew On Velcro
There are a lot of different ways to hang a weaving (check out THIS POST on hanging options!) I am partial to using velcro on the back of my weaving when I want my weaving to speak for itself.
If you decide to use this option then… Do I even have to say it?
Grey thread does it all.
You will want to use grey thread to sew the velcro onto the fabric and then again to sew the fabric onto the back of your weaving. Always make sure that you ca not see it on the front of your weaving. If sewing it onto a tapestry then you should easily be able to hide your thread between your weft yarn or down your warp channels.
What are some other ways you can use grey thread in your weaving studio?
Sew on embellishments
Stabilize intentional weft holes
Stabilize floating areas
Attaching title tags
Is there any time you wouldn’t want to use grey thread on your weaving?
The only time I can think of is if there is no way to hide it. The magic shadowy-ness (that is a word, right?) that it exudes only works when it is in a place that would normally have a shadow.
When you have no choice but to use something that shows up on the front of your weaving it is probably best to find a thread that matches your weft.
Grey thread is such a simple, yet versatile weaving material that is easy to find and use! It is probably one of my favorite inexpensive weaving materials, which is why I recommend it to all my students.
Do you already use grey thread in your studio? Let me know in the comments!
⇣ Love It? Share it! ⇣
You May Also Like
Great info and thanks for sharing!
So happy you found the info useful 🙂
I am also craft lover. this is really very interesting post. thankyou.
You’re welcome! Thanks for reading!
I’m so jealous of your craft skills. I don’t know how, but this skill completely missed me.
There’s still time! Weaving is great because you can start with almost nothing and make something beatiful.
I can tell you’re a master at your craft! Weaving seems so intricate sometimes so it’s interesting to see how a single thread color can fit in there.
Awww, thank you! Sometimes it’s the small things that can make a big difference!