Weaving

You may have heard that unbalanced weave structures are not possible on counterbalance looms. But that is not true! In this blog post, Maja Lampa  provides an overview of how this is achievable, and how to adapt your tie-up to make it work.

Designing any project from scratch can feel daunting, and Shadow Weave can seem even more intimidating simply because of the visual complexity of the design. In the third installment of her three-part series, Jennifer Leigh dives into designing your own Shadow Weave project.

Choosing yarn for Color-and-Weave, and Shadow Weave in particular, requires careful consideration in order to give the desired effect. This article is the second in a three part series by Jennifer Leigh, and discusses key concepts to keep in mind when selection yarn for Color-and-Weave and Shadow Weave projects. 

Rep Weave is a warp-faced technique known for creating bold patterns and sturdy fabric, ideal for projects like rugs, placemats, and bags. Traditionally Rep Weave is woven on multi-shaft looms, but it is easily adapted to rigid heddle looms as well. In this blog post, Carolyn Heacock provides an overview of getting started with Rep Weave on the rigid heddle. 

After Plain Weave and Twill, Color-and-Weave and Shadow Weave are frequently the next steps in a weaver’s journey. This simple technique of manipulating warp and weft color order to create patterning gives extra visual interest to almost any weaving structure. In the first installment of this blog series, Jennifer Leigh explores the key differences between Color-and-Weave and Shadow Weave structures. 

In a craft that tends to be very structured and rule-oriented, it can be wildly refreshing to play with patterns and see what other forms the weaver can create. In this blog post, Kate Koconis explores how she uses an Overshot weaving structure to create experimental, intuitive weavings. 

Name Drafting is a method of incorporating a name or phrase into a weaving pattern such that it creates a unique graphic. There are many ways to name-draft, all of which serve as a tool to assist the weaver in the design process and make the draft uniquely theirs. In this blog post, Penny Lacroix provides step-by-step instructions for how she has used Name Drafting in her designs.

Aside from stashing weaving yarn, we know weavers also love to stash weaving books. While we have a few “must haves” listed on our resources page, we polled a few folks in our design community to find out what their favorite weaving books are, and why.

Repetitive motions are a critical aspect of what we do as weavers. But if we're not mindful, these repetitive actions can create cumulative strain and cause us to feel real pain and discomfort. To help us all keep healthy, and hopefully continue our craft for many, many more decades to come, weavers Christine Jablonski and Amanda Rataj have joined forced in this blog post to provide their ergonomic best practices in the weaving studio.

In this blog post, Karla Stille explores one possible adaptation of her Endless Options Mug Rugs. By winding a longer warp and re-sleying the loom, weavers can explore weaving a modified Rep-Weave table runner on the same warp as their mugs. 

This article is the third and final installment in a series about lace weaves. Different lace weaving techniques can create wonderful effects, from open and airy sections providing the illusion of shapes and curves, to toothsome textures. In this blog, learn about the unique attributes of Huck and Spot Bronson lace weaves. 

Beautiful weaving can be crafted by incorporating multiple colors in the weft. When weaving multiple picks with a single yarn before switching to another, many weavers opt to cut the weft yarn before transitioning. But when the yarns change with each pick or at small intervals, it is more practical to keep all the weft yarns connected to the weaving. In this blog, Carolyn Heacock shares tips for successfully carrying two and three yarns up the selvedge in a way that creates structurally sound, beautiful selvedges.