If you have purchased a woven piece or planning to have one made but you have concerns on the how it should be take care of, I hope this page will help you out!
Materials used
First thing, I think it's important to learn about the materials used for your tapestry. What are the fibers woven? Tackling each of the materials will tell you about the actions you can do when it comes to cleaning. Here's a rundown of the common fibers or materials that can be included in a woven piece:
- Wool
- Cotton
- Silk
- Linen
- Hemp
- Acrylic
- Embellishment / Metallic
Each of these fibers require sensitive care. I will update this blog post tackling each of the fibers but in general, you want to inspect if there are blends of these fibers together in a fabric because if you can't wash one of them, you can't wash the whole fabric. It is also nice to make your own research in each of them and how to take special care.
Most of my weaves use cotton yarns. Knowing this, you can expect that they could accumulate dust over time. Which brings me to my next point!
To wash or not to wash?
Common question to me about my woven pieces is if they are safe to wash. Modern woven pieces are mostly very sensitive because of the techniques used to achieve the textures present, and we all know that a modern woven piece can be a very unique piece!
In short, this question can only be answered specifically to a certain tapestry. If you can, reach out to the artist of your tapestry and ask about their process. Some heavy-textured tapestries often require works that involve ironing the tassels so if you have it washed, it may affect the look of the weave. They can most likely help you clean or find a solution because they made it!
Related to the materials used, washing should also be based on whether a yarn/fiber was dyed because it could affect the whole tapestry. Another case is fabric shrinkage, that could mostly happen to natural fibers when washed with hot water.
In general though, I do not recommend washing unless necessary. Here's what I recommend!
Spot cleaning & other remedies
Depending on the type of care you will need, you just need two things: a handy hand-vacuum or a clean, damp cloth. Gentle vacuuming once a month or once in 2 weeks could help with the dusts that accumulate over time. If ever there's a need to remove a certain spot, just use a damp cloth and gently scrub the surface.
Do you have your own solutions or had your own cleaning situations? Let me know through the comments below!
More care tips!
Upon receiving a woven piece, especially if they are made with tassels, the cuttings may not be as accurate after being rolled. You can definitely cut them yourself! Just grab a sharp scissor, gently brush the length with your fingers, and cut away. If you have layered tassels, make sure to place a sheet of paper in between layers so you can collect the cuttings and it won't get to the underneath layers.
Hoping this was helpful 💘 If you have something to contribute to this post, please do add them in the comments or send me a message over at theartofyarnph@gmail.com 🥰
