Weaving Techniques || Changing Thread in a Circle Weave

I received a lot of questions on how to weave different threads next to each other when circle weaving. I think that figuring out how to work with the different warp spacing of the circle weave was definitely new for me. I found that as I got towards the outer part of the circle, the large gaps in the warp threads made me have to change my design a bit. But actually, to add two different weft threads I did use some of the same techniques that I use when weaving on regular warp threads. As always there are a lot of was to weave and get the same outcome. Today I’m going to show you two ways that I wove the different colored threads.

So here is the issue when putting a new thread in a row of weaving. A gap is created. Some times with normal weaving I leave a gap or two because the warp threads are so close together that the yarn will sit in the gap and almost cover it up. But when circle weaving, the closer you get to the outer part the larger your gap will be.

One way to cover this gap is to do the interlocking weft technique. To do this, I have one thread woven on the one side. When I bring in my second thread, I pull it through the loop of the 1^st thread so that they are now looped together, hence the interlocking name. I then continue to weave the first side, then the second and interlock them again and again until I have the shapes I wanted.

A second way to cover this gap is to weave a dove tail with the two threads. To do this, you weave thread one over and around a warp, then weave thread two over and around that same warp. Continue weaving thread one then thread two, until you make the shape you wanted. This is called a dove tail. Because my thread one is thick and my thread two is thin, I added a row between my dove tails where I wove just next to thread one (creating a gap). When I pushed the wefts down the warp thread they fit together nicely and that one gap became somewhat hidden. If I didn’t add this extra row, then I would have ended up with a gap where my thread two bends to dovetail with thread one. If you are weaving with two equally weighted yarns, then this shouldn’t be and issue.

I ended up using both techniques in my weaving, but I favored the interlocking weft. It was just easier for me to weave my whole shape with one thread and then come in with a second thread later and interlock the colors. And like I said before, both of these techniques work with regular weaving also.

Have you used either of these techniques in your weavings? Which method do you prefer?

Happy Weaving!

Kate

 

Have you signed up for my email list yet?  By joining you’ll receive an email every time a new post is up on the blog along with access to my free weave pattern!

First Name Email Address Submit

For more fun, follow me here ->