Draft Patterns Weaving Techniques

Weaving Techniques || The Chevron Weave

Chevron Weave | The Weaving Loom

While playing with patterns I decided to do a chevron pattern weave. This is very similar to a twill except after a few rows you reverse the pattern evenly so that an arrow type shape is created.

**UPDATE** I just made a video on how to weave the chevron pattern, so check it out!

To make my chevron pattern I passed the weft thread over two warp threads and then under two warp threads, repeating this pattern across the weave (Confused over the weaving terms? See this post here). I did this for 5 rows so that diagonal shapes were created, at the 6th row I reversed the pattern so that the diagonal changed directions in the next 4 rows.


Here is a simple graph of what I’m talking about. The pink color is the weft passing over the warp and the white color is the warp showing as the weft passes under it.

Chevron Weave | The Weaving Loom

And here is a picture of it with my yarns.  The first picture shows the weft separated to better show how the weft passes over and under the warp.  The second picture shows what it looks like with the threads pushed down.

Chevron Weave | The Weaving Loom

I think this chevron pattern would look nice as a boarder to a weave or even as just a random spot of texture.

Chevron Weave | The Weaving Loom

I got a really great question about how the weft passes over the warp at the end, so I’m adding some additional information.  As I explained above to create my chevron pattern I was passing the weft over two warps and then under two warps, but what happens when you come to the last warp on an uneven number? In the picture below I separated and have numbered my weft threads for the pink color. I wove these bottom to top and started right to left, so that bottom weft with the number 1 is the first row I wove.

Chevron Weave | The Weaving Loom

Row 1 – I followed my pattern of under two warps then over two warps across the weave.

Row 2 – As I came back with the weft from left to right I ended on an “odd” warp so I only went under one warp thread and then brought the weft over the warp to begin row 3.

Row 3 – This row worked out evenly with two over and two under.

Row 4 – This row got uneven so I ended only over one warp and then brought the weft under for row 5.

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Row 5 – This row worked out evenly with two under and two over.

Row 6 – Uneven row, ended with only one over and went under to start row 7. This is the row that I start to reverse my diagonal, so row 6 matches row 4

Row 7 – In this row since I have to continue my diagonal reverse, I have only one pass over two warp threads. Row 7 begins with an under the warp and then does just one over the warp before it picks the two under two over pattern. If I were to follow the pattern completely then row 7 should start with two over passes of the warp, but with row 6 ending with an over my weft would be floating, so I need to pass the weft under at the beginning of row 7.

Row 8 – This row ends uneven with just one pass under the warp.

Row 9 – This row is similar to row 7, if the pattern were followed completely it should start with two weft passes under the warp, but with row 8 ending under the weft would be floating so I had to bring it over and then pass under in row 9.


Hopefully this explains what I did, but my best advice is to not think too hard about it. Follow the pattern in the main section of your weave and at the ends do what you have to to keep the weft secure.

What do you think of the chevron pattern? For me I feel like playing with pattern helps me better understand how the weft and warp interact. Even if I don’t directly incorporate patterns into my wall hangings, it always helps to experiment and learn.

 

Happy Weaving!

Kate

Weaving Tools

Weaving Tools || What is a tapestry beater and how does it work?

Tapestry Beater | The Weaving Loom

I will be going over different weaving tools in a few posts describing what they are and how to use them. Some tools may not be completely necessary, however they do make weaving easier and quicker. I’ve also found that one weaver might rely heavily on a certain weaving tool that another weaver never uses, so these tools also are dependent on your style and what makes you most comfortable.  Today I’m talking about the tapestry beater.

Tapestry Beater | The Weaving Loom

A tapestry beater is a tool that has teeth designed to go around the warp threads and push down your weft threads. As you weave you will want to pull your weft threads loosely through your warp threads, then use the tapestry beater to push the weft threads down. The tapestry beater will help keep your weave consistent and tight.

Tapestry Beater | The Weaving Loom

 

An alternative to the tapestry beater is a household fork. When I first started weaving I used a large metal serving fork and it worked great. Another option is to use your fingers to push the weft threads down the warp, I usually do this if I’m working in a small area of my weave. For example if I am creating a shape, I will usually use my fingers to push the weft threads down the warp. Tapestry beaters can be very beautiful but also can be on the pricier side so if you are just starting out, try using a fork for a little. You can always get a tapestry beater at a later time.

Do you use a tapestry beater when you weave? Is there a weaving tool that you can’t live without?

Happy Weaving!

Kate

 


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Tapestry Beater

Alternative – Acrylic Weaving comb

Draft Patterns Weaving Techniques

Weaving Techniques || The Twill Weave

Twill Weave | The Weaving LoomI have been interested in playing around with woven patterns lately and one of the most basic patterns is the twill weave.

A twill weave is created by passing the weft thread over two or more warp threads and then repeating that pattern one warp thread over, so that a diagonal line is formed. If you are near some denim fabric, chances are it is made of a twill weave. The twill weave is used a lot when creating textiles, but I wanted to play around with it and maybe use it in a future wall hanging.

Twill Weave | The Weaving Loom

I made this weave sample and created my twill by passing my weft over two warp threads, then under two warp threads (Confused over the weaving terms? See this post here). When I came back on my second pass, I made sure that my weft stacked to the right of the row below it. Here is a simple graph of what I’m talking about. The blue color is the weft passing over the warp and the white color is the warp showing as the weft passes under it.

Twill Weave | The Weaving Loom

And here is a picture of it with my yarns.  In the first picture I left the weft threads spread out so you could see clearly where the weft passes over and under the warp.  The second picture shows the threads after I pushed them down.

Twill Weave | The Weaving Loom

 

 

I liked how the twill pattern looks, it definitely is a way to add some texture into a weave.  I really like the side profile of the twill weave where you can see the diagonal.  You can even see it in my spaced weft threads, they almost look like waves.  Oh and to explain what I have going on at the very bottom of the sample weave, it’s a few rows of the plain weave and that elevated ridge is the soumak weave.

 

Twill Weave | The Weaving Loom

 

What do you think of the twill weave in a wall hanging? Have you tried a weave like this before in your wall hangings?The Weaving Loom blog for weavers

I’ve added some links at the top of the blog to make it more convenient for all you great readers (whoop-whoop!!). There is a link to my shop, so you can treat yourself to something pretty. A quick link resource page that contains all my weaving technique posts. And last, but not least, a link to all the video tutorials I have made. I hope you enjoy!

Happy Weaving!

Kate

Weave Experiments

Weave Experiments | My Flower Loop Weave

My Loopy Flower Weave | The Weaving Loom

For this weave, I had a general idea in mind. I wanted to make a shape of a flower with loops and I wanted the top to kind of diamond with some fringe to mimic the shape at the bottom. So like many of my weaves I started on this vague idea and let the weave form as I went along.

The main body of the weave came together pretty easily and I’m very happy with the end result. I ended up making a stepped top in grey, making separate columns because I felt it gave the top more visual interest then a solid mass would have. I later sewed the columns together so that the weave had more structure. The steps for sewing the columns are documented here.

My Loopy Flower Weave | The Weaving Loom

Once the main body of the weave was finished and I added the fringe I cut the weave off the loom and finished it. But then I ran into an issue. I really wasn’t sure how I wanted to hang this weave. I tried just stringing it to my dowel rod as I have done with my other weaves, but that just didn’t look right. I actually tried a few different things and was not happy with any of it. So now I had a pretty much finished weave that I couldn’t hang, ugh! You would think that hanging a weave would be the easiest part, and with most my weaves it is, but this one just needed a little something extra.

Well, like anytime I’m creatively stuck, I put my weave down in an area where I could go about my day and glance at it occasionally as I walked past. This strategy usually works very well for me, because I stop directly focusing on the problem and let it roll around in my head subconsciously. And thank goodness for my subconscious! It generally helps me with my creative problem solving since it doesn’t work in a straight line.

My Loopy Flower Weave | The Weaving Loom

I’ve heard before that being messy helps people who are creative, which I agree with (well to an extent because being extremely messy doesn’t help anyone). Well I had this weave on top of some yarn and a warped loom, basically a small mess of stuff, and one of the times I glanced at my weave it came to me. Why not make a simple macrame top to hang this weave from the dowel rod. And there it was the problem was solved! A macrame top to hanging a weave is nothing new, many have done this before me, but I had forgotten I had seen weaves hung in this way which is why I have found it helps to not push when you hit a creative problem and try to let the answer surface.

My Loopy Flower Weave | The Weaving Loom

How do you deal with creative problems or blocks? Do you also like to step away and let it roll around in your subconscious, or does a more direct approach help you when you’re stuck?

Happy Weaving!

Kate

Beginner

Embellishing Dowel Rods to Compliment your Weave

Embellishing Dowel Rods | The Weaving Loom

So as I mentioned before I like using dowel rods to hang my weaves from. The reason for this is they are easy to cut to size, they are affordable, and you can embellish them to what best fits your weave.

Most of the time I use a wood stain on my dowel rods. You can find a wood stain in your local hardware store or on Amazon. The steps for wood staining are very easy. First cut your dowel rod to size and file the cut end. If you don’t have a large metal file, you can use a concrete slab such as what is found outside for sidewalks. patios, etc. to file down your dowel rod.

Embellishing Dowel Rods | The Weaving Loom

 

When cutting my dowel rod to size, I like to have my dowel rod extend about 1 ½ inches on both sides of the top of my weave, but this is completely up to you and the style you’re going for.

Embellishing Dowel Rods | The Weaving Loom

Now that you’re dowel rod is ready, follow the directions on the wood stain you purchased. It should be as easy as spreading the stain on the dowel rod, going with the grain. Letting the rod sit for a defined about of time (on the stain can) then wipe off the excess stain and let it completely dry. To achieve a dark stain, keep applying coats of the stain until you are satisfied. I like some wood grain to show on my dowel rods, so I only apply one coat.

Embellishing Dowel Rods | The Weaving Loom

Another option to embellishing your dowel rod, would be to paint it with acrylic paint. This an especially awesome option because it allows you to paint your dowel rod whatever color you want. You could paint the dowel rod neon pink, pastel blue, stripped colors, the options are only limited to your imagination. I’m trying out some gold acrylic paint to give my dowel rod a bit of a metallic sheen.

Embellishing Dowel Rods | The Weaving Loom

For acrylic painting your dowel rod the steps are similar to staining. Again cut it to size and file the cut end. Next paint the dowel rod however you want, letting it dry and adding more coats to deepen your colors.

Embellishing Dowel Rods | The Weaving Loom

Have you tried embellishing your dowel rods? What is your favorite technique?

Happy Weaving!

Kate

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, you’ll help support The Weaving Loom, and you’ll receive some amazing stuff, too. Whohoo!

Weaving Wishlist

Weaving Wishlist || Serene Fiber Arts

Serene Fiber Arts Yarn | The Weaving Loom

When starting out, it’s sometimes hard to know where to find good resources for weaving supplies, so when I come across some good finds I will share what is on my wishlist.

I have been drooling over the handspun and hand-dyed artisan yarns over at Serene Fiber Arts for quite some time now and if I had unlimited funds, I’d probably buy everything in the shop. This shop is a small business owned by Amanda French, and as I mentioned before, I really love to support handmade/small business whenever possible.

Serene Fiber Arts Yarn | The Weaving Loom

I purchased this beautiful handspun yarn (pictured above) and I’m sooo happy I did. It is really gorgeously dyed and spun. What I love about it most is that the color is almost neon pastels (is that even possible?).

Serene Fiber Arts Yarn | The Weaving Loom

I’m really looking forward to weaving with this yarn and sharing with you the results. Since this yarn is so unique, it is definitely going to make my weavings more unique too, which is the fun part of buying yarn like this.

Seriously, go check out Serene Fiber Arts for some beautiful yarn that will help your weaves be even more beautiful and unique. If you already have your eye on something in the shop, be quick to purchase it, as many of the yarns are OOAK (One Of A Kind) and will be gone once sold out.  This yarn I purchased is called “Joy” and is already sold out!

Serene Fiber Arts Yarn | The Weaving Loom

Maybe it’s just me, but isn’t a ball of multi color yarn just the coolest thing to look at? If you also have items on your weaving wishlist let me know, I’d love to hear about them.

Happy Weaving!

Kate

This post was not sponsored, I’m just a super happy customer 🙂

Weaving Techniques

Weaving Techniques || Using Cartooning to Weave a Picture

Picture Weaving | The Weaving Loom

I’ve always wanted to try weaving a picture of something, but hadn’t gotten around to it until recently. I found it to be surprisingly easier then I thought it would be. The technique that I used was cartooning, which has been used for weaving pictures since Medieval Times (possibly even before that!). How cool is that?

So to cartoon, all you need to do is have an image the size of the area you’re going to weave. You can draw that image, like I did or you can use a printed image. I drew up a flower that I wanted to weave from a 17th century tapestry I had seen. For my cartooning, I taped the picture to a piece of cardboard and then used painter’s tape to stick the piece of cardboard to my frame loom.

Picture Weaving | The Weaving Loom

I then wove my top boarder in order to give my warp threads stability, then began weaving my flower image. For my flower I picked out three yarn colors to use in the pedals and three yarn colors to use for the leaves. Since my picture is pretty simple I just remembered where I wanted which color to go, but you could color in your image or mark your color choice in another way.

Picture Weaving | The Weaving Loom

I wove my colored areas using the plain weave and to avoid weaving in so many ends once I was finished, I just skipped to the next area with the yarn. So for example when I was weaving my light green and finished one leaf, I let the thread hang to the side then filled in the rest of the leaf colors. I then picked up the light green thread and ran it across the back of the warps to begin weaving the next light green area. This helped me not have as many ends to weave in.

Picture Weaving | The Weaving Loom

Another way to cartoon while weaving is to draw the image directly on your warp threads, but in the past I have found this tricky as my warp threads spin around as I weave. I also found that sometimes my marks would show a little in my finished weave, which I think most people wouldn’t notice, but it bothered me. Here is a neat article on tapestry making from The Metropolitan Museum of Art that talks in a little more detail of the history of tapestry making and how they used cartooning.

Picture Weaving | The Weaving Loom

Have you tried cartooning? And if not do you think you will? As always let me know if you have any questions, I wasn’t sure if there is more detail I should go into with this or if it’s pretty straightforward.

Want to learn more weaving techniques? here are my favorite for adding texture and interest:

If you’re new to weaving, check out my posts for beginners:

Happy Weaving!

Kate
Yarn Samplers From Knit Picks

Uncategorized

The Benefits of Creating

Benefits of Creating | The Weaving Loom

If you’re reading my blog, chances are it’s because you are interested in weaving. A large part of why I created this blog is because I wanted to share with people like you the basics of weaving so that you could go on to create your own weavings.

Most of us spend our time at school or work where our accomplishments are abstract, in fact some job functions are recurring so the sense of accomplishment is either very short or non-existent. This makes creating something concrete with your hands a very refreshing and rewarding way to spend your time.

To create is to bring something into existence. When you create with your hands, it can be very empowering to look at what you made and say “I made that, I brought something into the world that wasn’t there before.” It doesn’t matter if it’s the best thing in the world or if everyone you know likes it, it just matters that you set your mind to a task, you accomplished that task, and now you have something to show for it.

Also the more you create, the more creative of a thinker you become. Being creative works like a muscle, the more you use it the better it becomes. You will become better at thinking outside of the box and will be able to better apply creative thinking to life in general. Even if you work in a non-creative environment, you can still benefit from thinking creatively at work.

Creating is also a great way to release feelings and express yourself. Some feelings are hard to put into words and creating can be a great outlet for those feelings. Drawing, painting, weaving, and so many more mediums are great outlets for expressing yourself.

Basically I want to encourage everyone to do something creative on a regular basis, however it fits into your schedule. Hopefully from reading my blog you will learn new skills and techniques that will help you on your creative weaving journey!

Happy Weaving!

Kate

Weaving Techniques

Weaving Techniques || The Pile Weave (Loop Weave)

Pile Weave | The Weaving Loom

If you’ve seen my work, you may have noticed that I love weaving loops. I really like the soft texture that they give weaves. They also give a more organic feel to my weaves.

So if you’re wondering how to make these loops in your own weaves, it’s actually pretty easy! One key item you need is a circular stick to create your loops on. I use a dowel rod for this, but a knitting needle would work really well too. The thickness of the stick you use will determine the size of your loops.

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You can put your loops anywhere in your weave, and these steps will work whether you’re weaving top-down or bottom-up.

Pile Weave | The Weaving Loom

To start weave some support rows before you put in your loops. I recommend having at least 2 rows for this, but those rows can be of soumak, plain weave or whatever as long as they aren’t loose. I wouldn’t recommend putting loops right on top of rya knots, because rya knots will separate your warp threads and you’re loops will not hold their shape. If you want loops on top of rya knots, then add 2 very thin rows (like fingering weight yarn, or even your warp thread) of plain weave that will be hidden under the loops you make.


Ok, so once you have your support rows in weave a plain weave in the area that you want your loops. Next take your dowel rod and pick up your “stitches” by wrapping them around the rod as shown. I do this higher in my warp so that I have space to easily pull on the weft threads to pick them up.

Pile Weave | The Weaving Loom

After all my row is on the dowel rod, I pull the dowel rod down on my warp so that it brings the loops down to the support rows. Next gently remove the rod so that you leave behind a row of loops. Weave another plain weave row above your loops, making sure not to pull the weft too much otherwise you’ll start to lose the loops you just made. Again pick up your “stitches” around the rod. Pull them down on the warp and gently remove the rod. Continue in this pattern until you have made all the loops you want.


Last weave a support row of plain weave and take your tapestry beater (or use your hands) and smash that support row down into your loops. You want to really smash the loop rows down so that your weave doesn’t get super loose once you cut it off the loom. If you find that when you really smash the loops down the warp that they take up less space then you wanted, then add more loop rows. I don’t recommend using a tapestry beater on the loop rows directly because in my experience they don’t hold their place and you risk messing up your loops, so it’s not worth it.

Pile Weave | The Weaving Loom

I also wanted to mention that for my example I’m making loops with just two yarn threads so that it is easy to see, but I usually use four strands of worsted weight to make my loops thicker. The number of strands and the yarn weight you use is really up to you, so as always I encourage you to experiment and discover what combinations you like.

I’ve made a stop motion video on the process for those who are interested.  You can find that video here.

So that isn’t as hard as it may appear. Have you tried adding loops to your weaves before? And if so, have you tried adding them in different loop sizes?

Happy Weaving!

Kate

 

Weave Experiments

Weave Experiments| My loopy weave

My Loopy Weave | The Weaving Loom

A while back I started experimenting with weaving loops in my wall hangings and I got stuck on the piece I was working on at the time. It was almost completely finished, but I couldn’t figure out how I wanted the bottom fringe to look. No matter what I did I couldn’t figure out what would look best on that piece. So after a few days of not finding a good solution I started working on a new weave to give my brain some space.

My Loopy Weave | The Weaving Loom

This new weave was very experimental. I just kind of let me mind wander while making loops and it turned out really unique. It wasn’t my intention, but once I was finished it ended up looking like a huge thunder cloud, which I really love.

My Loopy Weave | The Weaving Loom

When I first finished I had wished that I used different colors, but when I noticed it reminded me of a thunder cloud, I thought the colors fit really well. I love this piece for two main reasons, first it gave me creative space to let my brain wander and guess what that totally worked to help me come up with a really great way to finish the other piece I was working on and took a break from. The second reason I love it is it really taught me that I can do a lot with my weaves and create 3D shapes.

This is a perfect example of experimenting with your art, because even if it doesn’t appeal to the masses, it helped me learn a great deal more about the weaving medium.

My Loopy Weave | The Weaving Loom

If you’re interested in learning how to create loops, see my post on it here.

What kind of risks have you taken with your creations? Did it pay off? Did you learn a lot from your experimenting? I’d love to hear from you.

Happy Weaving!

Kate