Weaving Samples

I purchased Betty Lynn Davenport's revised book, "Textures and Patterns for the Rigid Heddle" and have been exploring some of the learning experiments.

My first 11 samples are done in worsted weight wool with the 8 dpi heddle. The first 10 are experiments with creating varying lengths of floats using a pick up stick.




Before reading through the instructions in the book I never realized how EASY it is to weave using a pick up stick. I always thought that for every row a pick up stick was used you had to go across picking up all those threads each and every time. NOT SO. For the first 10 samples I picked up the warp threads ONCE. The pick up stick is then left resting, in place, behind the heddle until it is used again.

For the last sample, a 3/1 lace, it required a different pattern of threads picked up, but after picking them up once I was able to weave it off, just bringing the pick up stick forward when needed. Fantastic! I love my little rigid heddle loom.

Sample Weaving

Last Saturday I attended a weaving workshop held by our guild and generously taught by one of our experienced weavers. We were learning about a weave structure which is named "Summer and Winter" after its alternating blocks of dark and light. I managed to complete 4 of the 14 samples that day, which was probably about average. I went home and completed two more of the samples that evening.

I continued with the project today and got another 6 samples finished. They aren't perfect, which of course bugs me, but I remind myself that they are just samples and are meant as learning tools. The good ones will make their way into a sample book/file, and the ones with errors may possibly be redone correctly some day --- that is if I like them enough otherwise. Some I like more than others.

Of the ones I did today, these first two are my favorites. Pardon the ends. Those are dealt with after the work is off the loom. This warp is still a work in progress.

Sample 7

Sample 8

The lower Sample in this next photo is riddled with mistakes. I think I wasn't paying careful enough attention and lost track of where I was in the treadling a couple of times. I kind of like the top Sample in the picture though. It was an experiment using "Swiss Twill" as the treadling pattern on the "Summer and Winter" warp.

Swiss Twill treadling (above)

Sample 9 (below)

Sample 10