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How to Weave Soumak
Soumak is a wrapping technique used in weaving to create beautiful textures and designs. The technique is believed to have originated in the Caucasus region and historically has been used to create intricate and durable rugs. Like so many aspects of weaving there are multiple ways in which the technique can be applied.
Now when a weaver hears “Soumak,” they likely will think of the super textural wall hangings with chunky rows of Soumak woven with roving or an interesting art yarn. However, Soumak can also be used for aesthetically practical purposes like in Angie Parker’s Contemporary Krokbragd Rug pattern that we will discuss below.
When you see a 3-D texture in the midst of a weaving that looks like a braid or even a row of knit, that likely was created with Soumak. At its core, Soumak is a technique that is created on a closed shed by wrapping the weft yarn around groups of warp ends in a particular order. Because it is worked on a closed shed it can be created on a frame loom, rigid heddle loom, or multi-shaft loom. It also requires no special setup or particular threading in the warp. Any warped loom will do.
Contemporary Krokbragd Rug designed by Angie Parker, photo by Ian Justice
Getting Started With Soumak
In her Contemporary Krokbragd Rug pattern, Angie Parker calls for a single row of 2/1 Soumak. This row of Soumak helps to create a crisp and clean fold for the hem.
To begin, first cut a piece of the Soumak weft that is 8x the width of the warp. Next, fold that length in half then pass the loop created by the fold under the outermost warp end and pull the tails through the loop to anchor the doubled weft to the warp.
Here we will be working from right to left, but this can be done going either direction. Once the weft is attached we will begin the 2/1 Soumak by passing the weft over 2 warp ends and then wrapping it back around 1 warp end, thus creating a 2/1 Soumak. For this method the tail of the weft will wrap above the working row of Soumak weft.
Continue working this 2/1 Soumak all of the way across. Once you reach the opposite selvedge you will complete the last wrap and then simply leave the tails hanging off the side. Once the textile is off of the loom those tails will be threaded onto a tapestry needle and dove down into the back of the piece. Both securing and hiding them away.
Building On A Single Row
In the method above a single row of Soumak was used. However, weavers commonly use multiple passes of Soumak to create interesting textures and designs.
To weave a second row directly after the first do not cut the working weft once you reach the edge. Instead continue on working with it. The second pass will travel left to right. After the last wrap of the first row use a finer size yarn to weave two picks of plain-weave. In the example below I have used 8/2 cotton in the same color as the warp. This Plain Weave gives structural integrity to the textile, and also creates a nice anchor that allows for a clean beginning to the next row of Soumak.
After the Plain Weave, dive the working Soumak weft overtop the Plain Weave and down between the outer two warp ends. Then bring the weft out to the left and you are all set to begin another row of 2/1 Soumak traveling in the opposite direction.
Continue working all of the way across. The two rows of Soumak on top of each other should resemble a braid or a row of knit.
Once at the other side you can again leave the tails hanging and then needle weave them into the back of the textile once off of the loom.
Remember that when working two rows of Soumak on top of each other that you will need to begin with a length of weft that is twice as long as needed for a single row. A good general rule is a length of weft 4x the width of the warp for each row. This number will be doubled if the weft is folded in half and worked doubled.
Note that if you are just weaving two rows of Soumak it is not essential to weave the two picks of Plain Weave in between. However, doing so makes it easier to begin the second row with a clean wrap. You may need to get a little creative and experiment with how you want to wrap the first pass of the second row if not using plain-weave. If you are weaving a large amount of Soumak in this style it is good practice to put in some plain-weave at least occasionally. The weft for Soumak wraps around the warp ends, but never truly interlaces with them. If you use a finer sized yarn for the plain-weave it can be practically invisible.
Locking Soumak
Above we have been creating Soumak, or “regular Soumak” but, like so many aspects of weaving, there are different ways to create Soumak. Another very common method is sometimes called Locking Soumak.
This method is created the same way but instead of the weft tail wrapping above the working row it now passes under the working row between the working weft and the reed or heddles. The weft tails are pulled down towards the woven cloth.
Note: A 4/2 Soumak is shown in this picture
When the locking method is used, the angle that the Soumak creates will be the opposite of when it is wrapped above the working row using the regular method. Both methods work well and create similar looks, but it is important to decide which technique you will be using at the beginning of the row to make sure that you don’t change angle directions part way through, unless that is what you are going for.
You can combine the two methods by first weaving a row of regular, followed by a row of locking to have all of the wraps pointing in the same direction. These two rows will not look like a braid, but rather a nice slanted texture.
If you are working with a single piece of weft yarn you can anchor it by either weaving it in about 1.5” with the woven row below it, or simply leave a long tail hanging free that will be needle woven in once the textile is off of the loom.
Diving Deeper
So far we have been working with a 2/1 (also sometimes written as 2:1) Soumak, but it can be created in any combination you want. For instance 4/2, 6/2, or 6/3. The first number will determine how many warp ends the weft is first passing over creating the float length. The second number states how many warp ends the weft is going back to wrap around. In general the lower the ratio between the two numbers the more pronounced the angle created in the wraps will be.
Soumak is a beautiful and fairly easy technique to work into your weavings. Depending on your personal preferences and what you are trying to achieve by using it, there are a few different methods that can be used. I recommend putting on a narrow sample warp and allowing yourself a bit of time to play and experiment with the technique to see where your inspiration takes you.
If you're a visual learner, here is a fantastic video tutorial by Katie Strano covering the basics of weaving Soumak:
References and Further Reading:
- The Weaver's Idea Book by Jane Patrick
- Inventive Weaving on a Little Loom by Syne Mitchell
- Alrug Soumak Rugs
Yarn Used in Example Photos:
- Beam 3/4 in Jam
- Beam 8/2 in Jam
- Ode in Peacock (discontinued), Straw (discontinued), and Basil
- Wool roving from author’s stash
All images courtesy of Katie Strano unless otherwise noted.
About Katie Strano
Katie Strano is a full-time fiber artist focusing on woven cloth. She weaves art pieces and cloth for both the body and the home. When she’s not working out of her home studio in Southbury, CT, she teaches floor loom and rigid heddle weaving at the Brookfield Craft Center, in Brookfield, CT. She is also the owner of Heddle Over Heels where she works as a production weaver partnering with local farms and small businesses to create custom woven goods.