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As a follow up to our article on Reading and Understanding Profile Drafts, we thought we’d get into the details for those technical weavers who really want to understand theory. In this article, we’ll share more about the difference between block weaves and unit weaves.
In our last article, we introduced block weaves, which are a family of weaving structures where the warp and weft threads can make two (or more) different interlacements, usually a Plain Weave and a pattern layer. The threading of a block pattern usually follows a predictable and recurring sequence that you can use to create curves, shapes, and areas of distinct pattern.
However, to make it more confusing, not all block weaves can be used with profile drafts. That’s because profile drafts need a specific type of block weave: a unit weave.
“Block” and “unit” are two terms that often get used interchangeably in weaving, but there is an important difference and they do different things. If a block is an area of similarly threaded ends, a threading unit is the same, but the ground and pattern interlacement areas work independently of each other. I like to think of it as a door that opens and then closes. You can put several threading units side by side without needing to add in an extra end to maintain Plain Weave or “close” the block, because each unit opens and closes itself.
A good example of a familiar block weave is Overshot/floatwork. Overshot has four blocks:
A: 1, 2
B: 2, 3
C: 3, 4
D: 4, 1
Plain weave: 1, 3 / 2, 4
When threading overshot, each block is active as long as I continue to thread it: if I thread three repeats of block A, my pattern pick will float over 6 ends of warp, which you can see in the example on the left (I’ve omitted the Plain Weave picks for better pattern clarity, and circled each of the four blocks).
Left: Overshot draft, Right: Overshot blocks treated like a profile draft
In the example on the right, I’ve followed the logic of a profile draft, which only tells me what block to use and how many times I should use it. If my profile draft tells me to thread three blocks of A (1, 2) followed by three blocks of B (2, 3), you can see that I quickly run into Plain Weave and pattern problems; starting block B on shaft two results in a set of doubled ends, which I’ve highlighted in pink.
A floatwork block needs to be ‘closed’ before you change to another, usually by adding or subtracting an end (in the case of Overshot, you start the next block on its second thread — each block “shares” an end, which closes the block).This makes overshot a block weave, but not a unit weave.
In contrast, a unit weave like Summer and Winter has two blocks on four shafts:
A: 1, 3, 2, 3
B: 1, 4, 2, 4
Plain weave: 1, 2 / 3, 4
Each unit (A or B) of Summer and Winter is self-contained: it both opens and closes each time you thread it. I can put four repeats of block A (circled in green) next to each other and not worry about needing to close or add in an extra thread when I change to block B (pink) (I have omitted the Plain Weave picks again for pattern clarity).
This makes summer and winter a unit weave, the type of block weave that can be used with profile drafts and block substitutions. Going back to my profile draft example in Reading and Understanding Profile Drafts, I can easily apply Summer and Winter, Bronson Lace, or another unit weave to that draft without worrying about broken Plain Weave or missing (or extra!) floats.
There is no “better” structure – block weave or unit weave — they’re just cousins that have specific uses and both create beautiful, fascinating projects to weave and draft.
Amanda Rataj is an artist and weaver living and working in Hamilton, Ontario. She studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design University and has developed her contemporary craft practice through research-based projects, artist residencies, professional exhibitions, and lectures. Subscribe to her studio newsletter or follow her on Instagram to learn about new weaving patterns, exhibitions, projects, and more.
