Seeing a weaver’s wet finishing process is a rare sight. Typically, we only catch a glimpse of the magic on the loom before—voilà!—the complete project appears, trimmed, hemmed, and ready to display.

For me, this is the best part of weaving! Follow along as I finish the piece I wove for Live at the Loom on my rigid heddle loom. This is the project designed by Dawn that we discussed in Make it Work Moments.

Step 1: Assess the Project before Wet Finishing

The first step is to evaluate my project honestly and at a macro level to determine if it’s suitable for its intended purpose. I ask myself:

• Did the structure perform as intended?
• Is the weaving width fairly consistent across the cloth?
• Is the length appropriate?
• Does the drape work for my needs?
• Do the colors complement each other?
• Is the weaving consistent?
• Are there any glaring errors I’m trying to ignore?

If my initial impression is disappointing and there are significant flaws, I document the mistakes, set the cloth aside, and move on. I can always revisit it later with fresh eyes to cut, sew, or repurpose it. There’s no point in hemming and finishing a piece I’m not happy with.

If the basics are sound, I move on to Step 2.

Step 2: Clip and review in more detail

Next, I clip the weft ends to about 0.5–1 inch and take another step back to assess the fabric from a few feet away. I ask:

• Are there any noticeable threading or tension issues?
• Does the fabric have a clear “top” or “right” side?

At this stage, I mentally note any errors for further assessment in the next step. For this project, I’m happy with its potential as a table runner. One side looks more appealing, so I mark it as the “right” side before proceeding.

Step 3: Identify errors

Now, I closely examine the cloth for threading or treadling mistakes and assess how many skipped threads or other errors I want to fix.

For this project, a warp thread broke, and I rethreaded it into the wrong heddle eye about one-third of the way into the weaving. I could reweave a new warp end and remove the old one, which might only take about 30 minutes since the piece is 36 inches long. But realistically, how many people will notice the mistake? It’s hard to spot from a distance.

The more significant issue is the selvages. Working with floating selvages is still new for me, and it’s challenging to establish the smooth rhythm one can achieve on a floor loom, on a rigid heddle. Additionally, the fragile silver crochet yarn I used frayed in places, exacerbating the problem.

Step 4: Decide on corrections before wet finishing

At this point, I decide how to handle the issues I found. I’d fix every flaw if this piece were for a competition or show. Since it’s a personal project, I weigh what I can tolerate.

For this table runner, I opted to leave the threading error as-is because it’s barely noticeable. However, I addressed the selvages.

After considering options like a crocheted edge or blanket stitching, I chose a simple solution: folding the selvages like a rolled hem and tacking them down with a running stitch.

Since only one side will be visible, this approach worked well and looks tidy.

Step 5: Trim and Hem

Now it’s time to trim the fringe and decide whether to twist it or hem the project. I can hem the towels before wet finishing or after, preferences vary here. Since I’m hand-sewing wide, forgiving hems, I opted to hem first and then wet-finish. If I were hemming multiple towels by machine, I’d wet-finish first.

Step 6: Wet finishing

Time for a bath! Wet-finishing methods vary depending on the fiber and intended use. For this table runner, I plan to hand wash it, as it won’t get dirty often.

Here’s my process:

1. Soak the cloth in warm water.
2. Aggressively pull the fabric on the bias to help redistribute uneven weft picks, as I’m not using a washing machine.
3. Let the cloth soak for an hour to relax the fibers.

Note: I skipped soap to see if the deep blue dye might bleed, but soap is fine to use.

After soaking, I wrung the cloth dry and laid it flat to dry.

Step 7: Final Touches

Once dry, I trimmed all weft and warp ends close to the cloth.

Ironing depends on the fiber and your preferences. Since my table runner contains linen, I pressed it while damp using high heat and firm pressure to achieve a crisp, wrinkle-free finish. Other fibers might require light pressing, steaming, or brushing to enhance their texture.

Enjoy Your Finished Cloth!

I never really use table runners, but I love having a handwoven piece greet me whenever I grab a cup of coffee in the morning. This project will live as a shelf liner in our 1940s cabinets- our kitchen is blue and white, so it’s perfect!

Though the weaving process feels complete, this is just the beginning of the cloth’s life. It will wear, fade, soften, and wrinkle over time—transforming into something unique and cherished, much like the Velveteen Rabbit when it became “real.” I

Don’t be too precious about it. Use it, enjoy it, and start planning your next weaving project!

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