Yes. I know.
It's a little early to start blogging Christmas projects. Please know that I have no plans to bypass Thanksgiving (it's my favorite holiday!), but the thing about DIY Christmas projects is that if I wait until December to share them, there's a good chance they are not actually helpful to try for the upcoming season.
Plus, I figure this same project could work with any short word - it certainly doesn't have to be holiday-themed.
I have really wanted to experiment more with woven projects since I have been following @houseofmaryanne on Instagram. She does phenomenal things with her weaving and I am obsessed with her work. I noticed that she does a lot of shape pieces instead of just weaving a row at a time (like I did for this project).
I figured if you could weave shapes, you could weave letters and ta-da...the JOY idea was born. Last time I tried weaving, I built my own "loom" out of scrap wood and nails (and then took it apart before we moved). I assumed I would have to do the same thing until I found this loom kit while wandering Jo-anns with Ellerie (a favorite past-time for us both). I felt a little bit like Gob in Arrested Development - "I didn't know this sort of technology existed!" - and purchased right away.
I strung the loom with bakers twine and then worked my way down.
I wove the letters one at a time with white chunky yarn and then built the red portion around each letter.
Keeping the letters nice and bold was key for this project (as was letting go of "perfection").
Mindless projects where you quickly see your progress are my absolute favorite and I am so happy with how this turned out. Sometimes I make holiday crafts and know while they are fun, they probably will not be around in a few years. This one (much like my autumn wreath and the table runner I made for the quilt eCourse) I know I will be thrilled to pull out again and again.
