Deflected Double Weave on a Rigid Heddle Loom

I've just been developing a simple deflected double weave that can be woven on a rigid heddle, so I thought I'd give you a series of short video's that will help to explain how it's done.
The warping is relatively simple using two rigid heddles of the same dpi that are suitable for your yarn.  I used a  2/6's wool yarn and so used two 7.5dpi heddles.

Warp in colour groups of four, that is 4 red ends, 4 black ends repeated across the loom ending with 4 red ends.  In this example the red ends are passed 2 at a time through the slits of both heddles, followed by the black ends 2 at a time through the slits of both heddles, until you have the width of scarf you want.  Wind the warp onto the back beam ready to thread as follow:

• The first 2 red ends go through the front heddle slit and are threaded normally through the back heddle, slit, hole.  Repeat with the second 2 red ends in the next front heddle slit and threaded normally through the back heddle, slit, hole.
• The 2 black ends are threaded normally through the front heddle and through the slits only, through the back heddle.  Repeat with the next to black ends.
• Continue across the warp in this way threading 4 red ends followed by 4 black ends, finishing with 4 red ends.

Here is a link to my YouTube video showing how the warped loom looks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7TAUBmkGhQ

Now comes the weaving, starting with the red ends.   Always pick up the red warps to make the down shed when both rigid heddles are in the down or lower position.  Always pick up the black warps to make their down shed when both rigid heddles are also in the down or lower position.

Here's a link to the whole process of weaving deflected double weave:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MIRBUjR9dM

I hope you enjoy trying this technique on your rigid heddle loom.  I'd love to hear how you get on!

Colour Palette of the Month - March 2017

We are just five days into the Month and Spring is beginning to show in my garden with a few miniature daffodils and the last of my snowdrops.  There is a little warmth in the sun when it does shine, so I'm going to continue this cheer with my Palette of the month.

This photograph was taken a few years ago in the evening and the light gave the blue background which I love against the pale yellow of the flowers.  It would make some lovely striped fabric or an unusual and interesting tweed.
I used a quick Stripe Generator to produce the following pattern.  The colours aren't strictly true, but it gives you a good idea of what can be produced.

With the tweed design I wanted something a little different, not true checks or diagonal stripes, but a bit more broken.

I hope you like the ideas I've developed and I'd like to hear if you've had a go at reproducing your own designs or even these.

Lace Weave Workshop in September

After the success of the Block Weave workshop in June, the lovely Fibre East team have booked me for another workshop, this time Lace Weaves, in September.  This workshop explores up to five lace weaves in either cotton or wool (yes, wool!), so if you're interested in the beautiful Scandinavian textiles that use these structures then why not book on this course?

Yes, wool!  Most lace weave fabrics are woven in linen, cotton or a mix of them both, but it's equally beautiful in wool for soft draped scarves, striking cushions, blankets, etc.  Don't let your pre-conceived ideas prevent you from having a go at weaving them in wool, the UK's most versatile fibres.  The course is designed so that every student will pre-warp their own loom in one of the structures and in the workshop will share their looms with each other, in a "round robin", so that everyone goes home with swatches in each structure, some in cotton and some in wool.

Below are two shawls I was commissioned to make a few years ago, in Huck Lace.  Both are hand woven in silk and cashmere.

Just How Eco Friendly is Bamboo?

Just how eco friendly is bamboo, well there is a really good article on Ecouterre which explains the viscosing process of bamboo in nice simple terms.  Check it out!

Ever since Jane and I wrote Creative Spinning, we realised that most of these new "eco friendly" fibres, really are not friendly to the environment at all.  I've even turned down the chance of a commission to design bamboo fabric for a mail order company who were specialising in bamboo products, I felt so strongly about it!

The claim by the manufacturers that bamboo is the only anti bacterial fibre is really not true, wool also has these properties and for area's that have sheep it is the only sustainable fibre.  Here in the UK wool now has a champion in Prince Charles.  I'm not a monarchist, but I do applaude his sentiments  and if it takes his forthright views to get people to sit up and take note then I'm with him 100%!