Building on our weave, I wanted to continue with adding solid lines (Find all the Weave Along posts here). I’m weaving with a really fine lace-weight wool, so when I do the plain weave, it doesn’t have much presence on the warp threads. I think this is good, because it adds to the lacy feel, but I wanted to make some “stitches” with more presence with this next step. I’m switching back to my natural colored cotton warp thread to weave my weft. The cotton has more weight to it then the wool, so it will show up better, but you can continue using whatever weft thread you have been using.
To start I’m weaving an up-side down soumak. As you know the soumak stitch loops around the warp thread, which causes more of a bump then if you were to simply plain weave the thread.
Row 1|| Upside-down Soumak
start with your weft thread under 2 warp threads. With your weft thread over the 3rd warp, bring the weft thread back under the 2nd warp thread and the 3rd and 4th warps also. This creates a loop around the second warp thread. Repeat the process of looping around ever other warp thread, creating an upside-down soumak.
We’ve placed these upside-down soumak stitches opposite of the plain weave we ended on last week, so it continues our pattern of under/over, but as you can see it’s a more elevated texture because of the loops.
Row 2 & Row 3|| Regular Soumak
On the last warp thread we looped around and ended with the weft thread under the warp. To start row 2, bring the weft thread under the second warp on it’s left side and over the first end warp. Next pull the weft thread to the left and pass it under and around the 4th warp. Continue crossing over two warp threads and looping around the 2nd of the two. This makes your soumak stitch.
Once you reach the end of your weave row, your weft thread will end over the last warp. Loop the thread around the last warp again and then start your soumak in the opposite direction. Again you’ll be crossing over two warp threads and looping around the second. You’re looping around the same warp thread as in row 2.
Row 4 & Row 5|| Upside-down Staggered Soumak
We’re going to make two rows of the up-side down soumak and stagger the “stitches” so that they look similar to a plain weave over/under pattern. In row 3 your weft thread will end over the last warp. To start row 4 bring it under 2 warps, then loop around the second warp. Continue passing under two warp threads and looping around the 2nd of the two. You’ll have a bump around every other warp thread just like in row 1.
Once you reach the end of the row, you’re last warp thread will loop around the end warp. Bring it over the end warp thread and under the second warp. Then loop around that second warp thread. So now the bumps are staggered. Continue passing under two warp threads and looping around the 2nd warp of the two. You can see this looks similar to two rows of the plain stitch, except that they are slightly diagonal.
Row 6 & Row 7|| Fishtail Soumak
for row 6 weave the soumak stitch like we did in row 2, crossing over two warp threads and looping around the 2nd of the two. Do this all the way across the weave.
In row 7 we’re going to stagger our soumak, just like we did in row 4 & 5, but this time we’ll see the soumak stitches looking similar to a fishtail braid. Row 6 ended with the weft thread over the end warp. Bring the weft thread over the end warp again and then under the 2nd warp thread so that it loops around it. Next start the pattern of crossing over two warp threads and looping around the 2nd of the two. Since we looped around a thread opposite of the previous row, our soumak is staggered. Continue the pattern all the way across the weave until done.
When you compare the two double soumak rows we made, you can see the difference between the braided soumak look and the braided fishtail soumak look.
This week’s weaving added more texture and dimension to our weave. We also played around with different ways to use the soumak stitch. You can really learn a lot by experimenting and playing around with stitches that seem pretty standard. I’m so excited about everyone who’s doing the weave along, I hope you’re having fun with it! Find all the Weave Along posts here.
Happy Weaving!
Kate
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