Rhian Wyman Creates An Eco Range To Add To Her Elegant Collection Of Handwoven Contemporary Designs

Hermes & Hestia
May 17, 2021
3 min read

Rhian produces elegantly handwoven goods in the Royal Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. All of her beautiful products are designed, handwoven, darned, washed and tentered by Rhian herself, using traditional techniques throughout.

Contemporary designs and colour placements are influenced by Rhian’s interpretation of surrounding environments that she finds inspiring.

One of the essential processes of setting up the loom is called warp winding. Its where you transfer the yarn from the cone to a measured length on the warping frame. Repeating this process till you have enough ends for the width of the loom. Just this one process alone usually takes Rhian a day to complete.

You can watch Rhian's truly beautiful, inspiring video below that tells a fantastic story of her craft and shows you how she produces her incredible, handwoven throws.

"Colour helps you feel - so you can feel emotions through different colour combinations. Its not till its on the tenter frame that I really see the true magic of the colours pushed through together. That's when you can stand back and really appreciate the work that I have just put into all that and how wonderful and lovely it looks and feels."

After graduating with a BA Hons Degree in Textile design in 2014, Rhian undertook a year of internships with several established designer makers. This led to her becoming a weaving assistant for Sioni Rhys Handweavers, and weaving the cloth for the National Eisteddfod crown 2016 with them. This journey helped her to gather techniques, skills and experiences enabling Rhian to design and develop her own brand of high quality woven goods in April 2017.

Since starting her own product range in April 2017, Rhian was made a member of the Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen in April 2018.

Threading - each thread of yarn has to be threaded through its own heddle and then grouped through the reed.

"Making each throw unique means that only you will own that one, so their is only going to be one kind of that in the world, there wont even be two exactly the same"

Throws

Throws are made from Lambs Wool sourced from a mill in the UK. They are designed to come half way up the bed and all the way to the floor.

The Lichen Collection below is inspired by the coast line of the Hebridean islands. The tones in the rocks can be found within the multiple shades of grey woven within the throws. The flash of blue imitates the crystal sea where the larger section of yellow reflects the lichen that is slowly inhabiting the grey rocks. On closer inspection you can see that the weave mimics the pattern of the waves.

Lichen - King Throw

Rhian Wyman Design throws are one of a kind, no two throws are identical, this throw is completely unique and will not be reproduced exactly the same.

The Porthclais Collection below is inspired by the late autumn shades found within the tiny Pembrokeshire harbour. Above the water line, the wet rock defines itself with a harsh, black border and is followed by a striking layer of yellowy, orange lichen. The true colour of the rock shines grey before it is overgrown with the green, hardy grass. The sharp points of the jagged rock have been picked out in the weave pattern.

Porthclais - King Throw

The Eco Range

We love it that Rhian has created an Eco Range. She uses fabric trimmings from her throws, maximising the use of high quality woven material. Helping to make Rhian Wyman Design a sustainable business with limited wastage.

"I am creating something that could be potentially passed down and just be made part of their families history"

Scarves

Rhian also designs and creates extremely beautiful woven scarves and shawls. Each one being one of a kind, no two are identical, they are completely unique and will not be reproduced exactly the same.