Tried and True: Designing with Fibonacci
- By Karen
- June 11, 2019
- 18 Comments
Before starting, I sketched out several versions of the finished blanket, showing different sizes and arrangements of the rectangle blocks. My favorite version is one with a random look. This twelve-shaft double weave has three blocks. Block 1 is a solid color across the warp. Block 2 has a narrow, vertical contrasting rectangle. Block 3 has a wide, horizontal contrasting rectangle. The warp threading determines the width of the rectangles. But the height of the rectangles is determined by the treadling pattern. I decided to use a Fibonacci sequence of numbers in random order to guide my treadling options as I weave.
Low-Tech Random Fibonacci Sequence
1 Determine the desired range of the Fibonacci sequence. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13
2 Determine the number of repeat options for each block (one repeat is 4 picks per double-weave layer).
- Block 1, solid color – 2 repeats every time
- Block 2, narrow rectangle – 2, 3, 5, 8, or 13 repeats
- Block 3, wide rectangle – 1, 2, 3, or 5 repeats
3 Write each number of the sequence on individual squares of paper. Make three sets of these numbers. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13
4 Fold each paper square in half and place in a container at the loom. Mix thoroughly.
5 Randomly select a paper square to reveal the number of repeats for the next narrow or wide rectangle block.
For this blanket I have a woven hem and border, and then two repeats of Block 1 (solid color) between alternating Block 2 (narrow) and Block 3 (wide) rectangles of varying heights.
Surprise is built in which makes it hard to leave the loom. “Just one more block,” I tell myself…
May you be greeted by random (happy) surprises.
Happy Weaving,
Karen
18 Comments
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Tame the Wool
- By Karen
- April 23, 2019
- 10 Comments
I am in Germany this week, but before I left home I started the blue wool blanket. Twelve shafts and twelve treadles is challenge enough. Double weave with a sett of 5 EPC (12 EPI) per layer in 6/2 Tuna wool adds to the challenge. This wool stubbornly clings to itself in this sett. I don’t care to fight defiant wool to get a clean shed on every treadle! I could re-sley to a coarser sett. But I want to keep the sett as is, as written for this project in The Big Book of Weaving, by Laila Lundell. Cowboy Magic to the rescue! I discovered this horse mane detangler when I wove a mohair throw a few years ago. It rinses out nicely in the wet finishing. It worked magic for me at that time. Now, with a small amount of slick detangler on my fingers I can tame these blue wool fibers. Voila! No more fighting to get a clean shed.
Now I have something to look forward to when I get home.
May you eliminate unnecessary fighting.
Weave Happy,
Karen
10 Comments
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Beth says:
Beautiful! Cowboy Magic is a great solution. Hope you’re having a grand time on your trip!
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ellen says:
it is a great idea, but i don’t understand how you use it. you put it on your hands and wipe it on the warp? while you are warping or after? do you have to wait a while before you can use it? ellen
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Hi Ellen, So far, I have been putting it on my hands and wiping it on the warp behind the reed and in front of the heddles. I re-apply each time I advance the warp. I’m not very far yet, so as I progress, I may try applying it to the warp at the back of the loom and see if that works just as well. I haven’t been waiting. I just apply it and weave.
I’ll let you know if I change my methods as I go.
Karen
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Ruth says:
Wishing you a wonderful journey in Germany. Who would have thought the detangler I use on Reno, RD and Sitka would work at the loom? Love these cross overs from one aspect of my life to another weaving it all together. My one sure common thread is Christ!
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Hope you had a wonderful and safe Easter.
Just curious… Would any of the hair conditioners work?
Love the color combination
Nannette
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Hi Nannette, I have wondered the same thing–whether other hair conditioners or detanglers would work. I think they would, but I went with something I had heard from other weavers. I thought about trying a detangler for children’s hair, as it would probably be mild.
Karen
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Joan says:
Do you think that there would be less stickiness if one used 6/1 Fårö yarn rather than the 6/2 Tuna?
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Hi Joan, I think the sett makes the most difference. At this sett, 6/1 Fårö would probably give no problems, but the fabric would be a looser weave. At a denser sett, I think the Fårö would have the same stickiness issues. But it would be worth an experiment… Maybe next time? I do love that Fårö wool!
Karen
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[…] I made an embarrassing blunder. No wonder this Tuna wool resists all my efforts. It’s the wrong yarn! Tuna is 6/2 wool—twice as thick as the 6/1 wool I should be using. Cowboy Magic won’t solve this sticky problem. (I thought it would, as I expressed in this post: Tame the Wool.) […]
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My Loom Is a Pipe Organ
- By Karen
- August 31, 2018
- 6 Comments
Threading twelve shafts in three blocks is like having three four-shaft looms all in one. The three simple block patterns can be arranged in various ways, giving me infinite design options for these towels. There will be no two alike. Double weave gives us crisp lines between colors, producing amazing cloth! This is another instance where weaving on this Glimåkra Standard feels like sitting at a big pipe organ, where glorious color patterns are the music of the loom.
Exciting color combinations!
Second towel has squares and fewer weft color changes.
As the first towel wraps around the cloth beam, the second towel nears its hem.
Faith. Faith in the powerful working of God is like exploring the possibilities of handweaving. You know the systems are in place for something amazing, but you find it takes a lifetime to discover all the glorious wonders. Double weave is just a glimpse of that glory. I have faith that there is Oh so much more. Likewise, our faith in God is an ongoing discovery of his works and his ways. With every glimpse of his glory and goodness, we know there is Oh so much more. Eternity won’t be long enough… And maybe heaven will be filled with music that explodes in color.
May you know the thrill of discovery.
With faith,
Karen
6 Comments
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Betsy says:
Those are works of art! I’d be thinking of framing one.
And you had me looking at the Glimakra price list, wondering how much it would take to expand my Standard to 12 shafts. 🙂
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Hi Besty, The first three towels will go to my daughter. There should be enough warp after that for one more towel, or table runner, or maybe a framed piece. That’s a great idea. Thanks!
You can do almost as much with 8 shafts. But, I have to admit 12 shafts is nice.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Annie says:
Love these colors, Karen! And the variety of the patterns is amazing! I can’t wait to learn Doubleweave. Your daughter will treasure these and I expect everyone in Chile will want a pair as well.
I am looking forward to seeing you on the 6th.
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Hi Annie, It is interesting to try different patterns. I think these colors will be fitting for Chile.
See you soon,
Karen
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Janet Hageman says:
Karen, These towels look amazing! Did you pre-plan the patterning for each towel, or are you “winging it” as you weave?
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Hi Janet, For the pattern on the first towel I was making it up as I went. After that, I got out some graph paper and crayons and planned it out. Having a plan saves quite a bit of time at the loom. It’s fun to create different patterns.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Testing Color Surprises with My Little Helper
- By Karen
- August 28, 2018
- 12 Comments
Twelve shafts and twelve treadles are all tied up. I found and fixed one threading error. And I am still making some adjustments on the tie-ups to get clean sheds. But for the most part, the Standard is ready to go! I have a week with this loom, to weave towels for my daughter. This colorful double weave looks promising.
Arrangement of the heddles on the shafts give a clue to the three blocks in this twelve-shaft double weave.
Testing weft colors and patterns with granddaughter Lucia by my side.
Two-year-old Lucia helps manage the shuttles.
Design decisions for the towels will be made based on this beginning sample.
It’s surprising to see the array of colors produced by only four shades of cottolin thread.
When the loom is properly dressed and prepared, the weaving is delightful. Every pick of color is a pleasant surprise. Our Father knows our needs. He is the loom dresser. Everything is set up for the threads to make gorgeous cloth. Do we think prayer is all about asking God our Father for things? Yes, he does invite us to ask for the things we need. But let’s start with admiring his ways and works, with a heart of gratitude. Then, with the threads he puts in our hands, the future looks promising!
May your looms be ready for weaving.
Happy weaving,
Karen
12 Comments
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When God blesses us with variables your loom demonstrates I believe He not only wants to meet our needs but wants to bring joy to our souls. Some people weave tabby with their lives. Some people live their lives weaving lizards while exploring the subtle variations in the process. I believe God wants us to explore and enjoy all the good He has to offer and dresses our individual looms to do that..
Yesterday our second grandchild arrived. He is as perfect as his older sister. A day such as that makes it easy to forget all the threads that had to be re-sleighed along the way.
Blessings to all
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Hi Nannette, Congratulations on your new grandchild!
I’m grateful that God has given us so much to enjoy.
All the best,
Karen
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Laura says:
Love the pattern and colors….
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Lynette Glass says:
Can I weave something similar with four shafts? Do you have any four shaft doubleweave pattern ideas or books that you know about? I like your colors very much!
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Hi Lynette, You can certainly do double weave on four shafts. I don’t personally have much information on the topic, though. I do know that Jennifer Moore is known for her work in double weave and has a book and video about it, as well as workshops that she teaches.
I chose colors that were not in my usual palette, and I’m pleasantly surprised at how much I like them.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Susie redman says:
This looks stunning – the colours are so complementary. Are you managing this double weave on only one back beam?
Susie-
Hi Susie, I have only one back beam, and I don’t know the first thing about weaving with a second back beam. Is double weave like this something for which a second back beam is useful?
Thanks!
Karen-
Susie says:
Hi Karen,
I have only experienced double weave on a table loom and it was fitted with a second beam – one for each layer. My own loom is a Glimakra Standard too and I’m heartened to see that you can achieve double weave with one back beam. I had thought that it would be out of the question.
Many thanks,
Susie-
Hi Susie, You will have no trouble weaving double weave on your Glimakra Standard! I think this loom can do anything!
Karen
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Rebecca Neef says:
This is so beautiful and inspiring. What an adorable helper you have! I have a Glimakra Standard also, a 120cm model. Mine only came (used) with 8 shafts, although it has 12 treadles. Is yours a special model made for 12 shafts, or did you do anything special to accommodate the extra shafts? I’d sure love to be able to do some 12 shaft weaves on mine! Thanks.
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Hi Rebecca, I was surprised that my little helper would sit there as long as she did. There was a lot to keep her attention, I guess.
My loom (120cm) also came with 8 shafts. I wrote to Glimåkra USA and told them I wanted to upgrade to 12 shafts and they listed all the parts I would need to do that, and then I ordered the parts.
I don’t expect that I’ll use 12 shafts very often, but it’s nice to have them for a few special projects.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Weave Two Connected Layers
- By Karen
- May 11, 2018
- 11 Comments
Two layers of cloth exchange places in this double weave structure. One layer of warp is solid deep plum. The other layer has stripes of bold colors. Clean lines occur where the layers switch places. So, with deep plum weft alternating with orange, blue, green, and red weft, we get a message written in clearly-defined blocks: Be invigorated with vibrant color!
Dark plum weft alternates with the blue weft. The reverse side of the fabric has dark plum squares in long vertical color stripes.
Colors of the warp stripes are used as colors for the weft stripes. As a result, you can see the “pure” colors in a diagonal line–orange, blue, green, red–where the warp and weft colors are the same.
Variance in the blocks of colors gives the cloth a dynamic appearance. Not including the dark plum background, there are sixteen different colors of blocks as a result of the four colors being used as warp and weft.
Message. We have a message from heaven. When Jesus came to earth, he not only brought the message, he was the message. Not that we should try to be good like him. Nor that we are already good enough. But that he, the direct link to heaven, would suffer the consequences for all our misdeeds. And rise again. He willingly switched places with us—the great heaven and earth exchange. This good message brings hope and grace to all of us who live on this earthly layer. Thanks to our Grand Weaver’s faithful love, we are woven into a vibrant-color existence through faith, on this layer and the next.
May you see your surroundings in living color.
Joyful weaving,
Karen
11 Comments
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Hi Meg, The contrast between the deep plum and the other colors has a surprising effect. Working with colors never grows old!
All the best,
Karen
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Chris says:
Hi Karen,
I love doubleweave, so many interesting effects possible. This is a terrific project.:)
I am so pleased I discovered your blog.
Kind regards
Chris-
Hi Chris, Doubleweave is fascinating! This project stretches me—literally, side to side—making it a delightful challenge to weave.
I’m delighted you found your way here!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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This is just beautiful! And timely. I am currently trying to design a similar doubleweave windows draft for a throw and have come across 2 sources that explain the block design differently. I have been trying to work this out in my head, one vs the other, in my planning process and how to apply it. I confuse myself and have had to keep setting it aside and studying it again later. Seeing this post of yours, I just now realized that you have been posting about this same block design all along and your pictures are now helping me work through it. I am planning a gray background with 10-11 shades of blues, greens, purples in the “windows” for the front. I may vary the heights and widths of the windows throughout the throw…haven’t progressed to that decision yet.
My first source for this project is in the book Loom Controlled Double Weave by Paul R. O’Connor, on pp. 42-43.
The second source I found online: https://www2.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/webdocs/opr_8s.pdf pp. 2-4
The two may actually be the same thing, just explained differently, so I was having a little difficulty figuring it out in my head. In the second, they are using Dark/Light instead of color letters. If I use gray for both the D and L in Block A, I’m thinking it would be the same as O’Connor’s threading. If I used the second threading, and used gray as D and my colors as L throughout, I think it would only change the appearance of the back. Am I right? If I want gray to predominate on both sides, I think I just follow O’Connor’s threading, but I think the second source (using D/L) shows the tie-up in conjunction with the treadling and would be more helpful in setting up my loom.
I went back through your previous posts about your throw and it appears you used the second approach, the D/L threading in both blocks A and B. I would really like to know what the back of yours looks like, but I still think I want to follow the O’Connor threading. It has been incredibly helpful looking back at your posts at this point in my design process! I feel like a light went on and suddenly it is making sense to me.
Thank you so much!!-
Hi Janet, I haven’t studied doubleweave like you have. The draft I’m using is similar to the one in the arizona.edu file. I don’t have the O’Connor book to reference. The draft I am using is from The Big Book of Weaving, by Laila Lundell, p. 176, if you want to compare it. I wound the warp with 2 ends–plum, plum; and plum, other color. The threading alternates the plum with the other color in the blocks with squares.
I’ll post a picture of the back in a little bit.It’s great when a light comes on like that! Hooray!
Karen
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Karen, thank you for the view of the back! I think I understand the difference in the 2 threadings now. I also pulled out another book I have (and forgot to look at–head slap), Doubleweave by Jennifer Moore), and found an example done using the O’Connor threading that also showed how the back looks in that case.
When I first started my comment above, it was going to be asking you a lot of questions to help me make sense of it all. As I typed, that light kept getting brighter, and I answered most of my own questions before they even got typed, so I ended up with a completely different comment than when I started. So, without even knowing it, you enlightened me! Sorry, I do tend to run on when I get wound up….
Don’t mistake me for someone that knows what I’m doing. I think I am more of a technician (& perfectionist) than a creative artist, so I have to understand how things work (and then modify them). I do it when I sew also. Unfortunately, it means I spend more time planning (or “studying”) my projects than actually doing them. I would probably learn more if I just dove in and made things, but I guess I’m not made that way.
I have put a request in to the library for the Lundell book, and I imagine I will end up buying it. As a technician, I am also a collector of resources and tools.
Love your blog! You are an inspiration.-
Janet, There are many different learning styles. It’s great that you understand how you are wired! I think I’m also a technician to some degree. I enjoy systems and knowing how something works, and being able to alter that, too. But I’m also finding that I learn a lot by doing, even when I don’t understand. My mistakes — like the several I’ve made with this project — take me to greater understanding and experience. Learning is a lifelong pursuit. I’m glad about that!
Karen
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D’Anne says:
Love those colors, Karen! The purple becomes a neutral background.
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Hi D’Anne, I never would have thought of purple being a neutral, but you’re right. It’s almost like a deeply colored black that sets off the other colors.
Thanks,
Karen
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Copyright © 2019
What a fabulous piece of work!
Hi Beth, I’m glad to have some success after such a rocky start with this Tuna wool. Thanks for your sweet compliment!
Happy threads,
Karen
I love the controlled randomness and the fun of the unknown design.
Hi Maggie, I’ve always been intrigued by random-looking designs. But the control part is important to keep some coherence. I appreciate your observations!
Happy weaving,
Karen
Love it! I can’t wait to see the whole blanket off the loom. This design would also make a great rug.
Weave on
Betsy
Hi Betsy, You’re right. This would make an incredible rug design! Hmmm, I’ll have to give that some thought.
Thanks for the input,
Karen
What a wonderful used of Fibonacci!!!!! And, you have fun finding out the next block to weave…always a surprise.
I hope to visit soon as there are so many of “our kind” of stories to share with you from the Navajo mothers and daughters….so, so many!!!!
Thank you, for being in my life…
Hi Charlotte, Fibonacci sequence is a mathematical wonder when you consider how often it appears in creation. I like coming up with ways to use it in design.
Looking forward to hearing your stories.
All the best,
Karen
Beautiful!
Thanks so much!
How adventurous! I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Love that shade of blue, Karen.
Hi Annie, This shade of blue is incredible!
Karen
I love this random use of Fibronacci. Your blanket is going to be fabulous. I try to use Fibronacci in my Mexican Tapestries, but have never tried picking a number at random. This sounds like so much fun and I am definitely going to try it.
Hi Michele, It’s always fun to mix things up in unexpected ways.
Happy weaving,
Karen
Wow!! Great result using ‘random’ repeats…
Or.. Is it God’s guidance?
Nannette
Hi Nannette, I’m glad you like it. If it comes out great, we can say it was God’s guidance; but if it turns out to be a flop, I better take the credit/blame.
Thanks,
Karen
Lovely result, Karen. Love that beautiful blue!
Hi D’Anne, Good to hear from you. This blue is the star of the show! Vavstuga calls it Lapis Lazuli.
Thanks,
Karen