Amulet Bag Directions
You'll need:
- matteboard/cardboard
- tapestry needle (or any needle with large eyehole)
- needle threader (helps with larger fibers, I use dental floss threaders)
- crochet thread or pearl cotton (size 8 I think is what I used of the pearl cotton, whichever is the smaller size)
- various fibers
- glue
- embellishments (beads, charms, buttons, etc)Directions:
Cut board to whatever width you'd like your bag to be. For the length, figure about how long you want the bag to be and add at least 2 inches. This will make it easier to tie the knots at the end when you're finished weaving. I used a piece about 3" wide and 6" inches long. Take the pearl cotton/crochet thread and wrap around the board lengthwise and tie a knot. Continue to wrap the thread around the board, I did wraps about 1/8" apart. When the board is completely wrapped, tie another knot to end the thread on the opposite side from the beginning knot. One knot on top and one on the bottom since you need an odd number of threads. I leave the ends a little long. Thread the needle with the first fiber you want to use and start weaving...over/under/over/under and when you reach the side, flip the board and continue. Just make sure that if you ended one side with an under, the other side starts with an over.
When you're close to finishing a fiber, leave it hanging and thread another. I start the new fiber a thread or so before where the last fiber ended and just follow with the same over/under that the last fiber ended with. Leave some fiber hanging and continue to weave. Periodically push the fibers down to keep them tight.
Keep weaving until the bag is the height you want it to be. When I'm finished, I either tie the loose fibers together and glue the knot or just add a bit of white glue to hold them in place and then snip the ends off when the glue is dry. You can also leave them hanging and add beads or charms to the loose ends. For the top, I cut two threads at the top of the card at a time. I will tie a knot in the threads next to each other and continue to do this until all the wraps are tied (one will be three threads knotted together since there's an odd number). I'll glue the knots, let dry then cut excess thread off. For the tops of the bags I made, I just took a heavier fibers and overstitched the top to hide the knots then run the end through the overstitching to secure. Voila, that's that. To make the necklace part, I just sewed them on with regular sewing thread and then added beads and charms.Here is a link to some pictures I have of a couple of bags in process and finished, they are in the Amulet Bag album.