Tried and True: Five Reasons Sampling Makes Sense

Why sample? It means using more warp and weft. And it means waiting longer to start to the “real” project. What do I gain from it, anyway? Is it a waste of resources and time?

I can’t imagine putting on a warp that didn’t have room up front for sampling. There’s more than one reason to put on sufficient warp to weave a sample. It makes perfect sense, especially if there is anything new or unfamiliar about your planned project.

Five Reasons to Add Extra Warp for Sampling

Drawloom
Sampling to test patterns, weft colors, and beat consistency, before starting on fabric for a garment.


1 Space to play. I want plenty of room to play, and to practice techniques that are new to me.
2 Room to try out designs. By weaving a portion of my designs, I am able to determine what works, and what adjustments need to be made.
3 Warp for testing weft colors. Only when woven can I see the full effect of each potential weft color.
4 Time to gain a consistent beat. When I start the main project, I want to have woven enough to be able to “feel” how firmly or softly I need to move the beater.
5 The best reason of all! It’s always good to have enough warp on the loom that you can invite friends and family to enjoy some weaving time. …Before your main project is in progress.

Drawloom
My weaving friend Betsy came over to see what it is like to weave on a drawloom.
Drawloom
My daughter Melody came for a visit and wanted to see what it was like to weave on a drawloom.
Drawloom, making garment fabric.
Garment fabric. This is to be used for two side panels of a vest I plan to make for myself.
Drawloom, making garment fabric.
This is to be the back panel of the vest.
Drawloom, making garment fabric.
This is the beginning of the front panels for the vest.

May you give yourself room to play.

Yours truly,
Karen

12 Comments

  • Joyce Lowder says:
    August 13, 2019 at 4:54 am

    Lovely, Karen! Your advice is well taken! Also love seeing your friends checking out the draw loom. 🙂

    Reply
  • Beth Mullins says:
    August 13, 2019 at 5:41 am

    Sample, sample, sample. I love to sample. When I need a break from big projects I’ll dress the loom with a narrow warps and play with new-to-me drafts. Great advice!

    Reply
    • Karen says:
      August 13, 2019 at 5:50 am

      Hi Beth, It’s rewarding to try out new things on samples. That’s where we get some of our best ideas for future projects.

      Happy Weaving,
      Karen

      Reply
  • Charlotte says:
    August 13, 2019 at 7:15 am

    It is lovely, visiting your Blog, today. There is a Casita gathering Feb. 12th on Lake Belton. If you and Steve could sign up, I think you would thoroughly enjoy it. We play games, at night. Have music (mostly guitars, ukuleles), enjoy potlucks. I usually spend a few minutes with Sarah in her Saori studio and then…we piddle. I can send you more information, if you think you might be free.

    Reply
  • Nannette says:
    August 13, 2019 at 8:20 am

    Good morning Karen,
    I’ve done samples in others textiles, but never considered samples in weaving. Must do. It would have been one less garage rug when weaving overshot.

    Thank you for your wisdom.

    Nannette

    Reply
  • Vivian says:
    August 13, 2019 at 9:09 am

    Ha ha ha! What a novel idea. What a delight that you invite friends and fa,ily to try your loom.

    Reply
  • Gail Pietrzyk says:
    August 14, 2019 at 8:00 am

    A sample also gives you an opportunity to test finishing methods–especially if you are using some unlabeled mystery yarns.

    Reply

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Tried and True: Designing with Fibonacci

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.

Double weave blanket.
Rectangles vary in size.

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.

Designing with random Fibonacci numbers. Low tech!
Fibonacci numbers are ready for eyes-closed random selection.

5 Randomly select a paper square to reveal the number of repeats for the next narrow or wide rectangle block.

Fibonacci numbers as design tool.
Assignment for the next rectangle block – three repeats. The lines indicate that this number can be used for Block 2 (narrow, vertical) or Block 3 (wide, horizontal).

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.

Double weave wool blanket.
Back side has reverse colors.
Double weave Tuna wool blanket.
Block 1 (solid blue across) stays a consistent size between the white rectangles.

Surprise is built in which makes it hard to leave the loom. “Just one more block,” I tell myself…

Double weave blanket. Fibonacci for design.
View of the cloth beam reveals the variety of sizes of rectangles. Eager to see it off the loom!

May you be greeted by random (happy) surprises.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

18 Comments

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Tried and True: Another Use for Thrums

Handwoven towels need handwoven hanging tabs. I finished the Vavstuga cottolin towel warp, so now it’s time to put my band loom to use. Why not use the warp thrums to make the woven band? The length of the thrums is too short for the band loom, so I am knotting two ends together for each strand.

Thrums are used to make a warp for the Glimåkra band loom.
Thrums ends are tied together to make a warp long enough for the Glimåkra band loom.
Glimakra band loom.
Cottolin band warp is from the towel warp. Unbleached cottolin is used for the weft.

Everything is starting out just fine, but my inexperience with the “weaver’s knot” proves problematic. One by one, the knots are working themselves loose. I re-tie each failed knot into a confident square knot. Finally, after three weaver’s knot failures, I decided to advance the warp far enough to get past the knots altogether. Smooth sailing after that, and I still ended up with plenty of woven band for the six woven towels.

Woven band for hanging tabs on handwoven towels.
Weaving about 30 cm before the knots, and about 40 cm after the knots. Each hanging tab is about 10 cm, so I have plenty of woven band for the six towels.
Using thrums to make coordinating tabs for handwoven towels.
Unwashed towel fabric. Using warp thread from the towels is a great way to make coordinating hanging tabs, as well as a satisfying use for some of the thrums.

I like finding another good use for the thrums. So, I will do this again. But next time, I’ll do a refresher on knot tying before I begin.

May your knots hold tight.

All the best,
Karen

9 Comments

  • Nancy says:
    May 14, 2019 at 5:17 am

    What a great idea!

    Reply
  • Nannette says:
    May 14, 2019 at 6:27 am

    It is great to find a use for the thrums. I cringe when the work of the spinner is cut away. My last thrums were set aside for raspberry tie ups. Someone else I know uses hers for pillow stuffing.

    I am not familiar with a weaver’s knot. Would you have time in a future posting describe?

    Kind regards,

    Nannette

    Reply
    • Karen says:
      May 14, 2019 at 8:30 pm

      Hi Nannette, I haven’t found a lot of uses for thrums, so I’m happy when it works out like this.

      I don’t think you should learn the weaver’s knot from me until I get better at myself. 🙂 Jenny Bellairs shows a terrific way of tying it – see the link in her comment below this.

      All the best,
      Karen

      Reply
  • Jenny Bellairs says:
    May 14, 2019 at 7:00 am

    I know the people in the weaving industry can tie the weaver’s knot very quickly, but unless I need the tiny knot, I find it is quicker to put the two ends together and tie an overhand knot.

    I did find some instructions quite a few years ago that I was actually able to remember without looking up instructions, and made a pictorial blog post here: https://jennybellairs.blogspot.com/search?q=Weaver’s+knot

    It doesn’t seem to work well on all weights of yarn though, especially thick firm yarns.

    Karen, I enjoy your blog posts and look forward to learning something new, especially since getting my Glimakra Standard 10 shaft loom last summer.

    Reply
    • Karen says:
      May 14, 2019 at 8:34 pm

      Hi Jenny, Thank you so much for posting your pictorial blog post on tying this knot–Super! I definitely want to try that out. And yes, an overhand knot would have served me better in this instance. Maybe I’ll think of that next time! Thanks!

      I hope you are enjoying your Glimakra Standard 10 shaft loom as much as I enjoy mine!

      Happy weaving,
      Karen

      Reply
    • Nannette says:
      May 15, 2019 at 11:13 am

      Thank you Jenny,

      The knot looks so easy to be such a challenge. Thank you for sharing your blog. Besides Karen’s blog I have been binging on the vlog Curmudeon66 out of DePere Wisconsin. Content driven by a retired guy with the heart of a teacher.

      My Blog is all over the place. The latest weaving posting is linked below. My work is primitive at best. Hoping to improve with each project.
      http://piasinitimes.blogspot.com/2018/04/plarn-mat-for-homeless.html

      When I have time I will have to put in a few more posts of my spring projects.

      Kind regards,

      Nannette

      Reply
  • Rachel Lohman says:
    May 15, 2019 at 6:45 am

    Maybe take the trums and tie together and knit or crochet a washcloth?

    Reply
    • Karen says:
      May 15, 2019 at 8:33 am

      Hi Rachel, I like that idea. I’m not a knitter or crocheter, but I have friends who are. Maybe they would like to use my thrums.

      I do have plans to use my saved linen thrums for weft in washcloths. I hope to do that sometime this year.

      Thanks,
      Karen

      Reply

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Tried and True: Color Gradation

When I decided to use up some of the quills that have collected, I stumbled on one of my favorite techniques—color gradation. The weft colors change gradually instead of making distinct weft stripes. Remember the placemats on the little countermarch loom? I am weaving the last few.

Color gradation on plain weave with color and weave effects.

Using up thread left on quills for some color gradation play.

Doubled weft gives opportunity for easy color gradation.

Color and weave effects on plain weave. 8/2 cotton weft is doubled.

The quills on a double-bobbin shuttle don’t always empty at exactly the same time. The quill that has thread remaining on it goes in a box for later use. Those quills in the box are what I’m using here. For this placemat I’m letting gradient color changes happen in varying increments, according to the amount of thread left on the quill. I have five shades of 8/2 cotton, ranging from coral pink to pumpkin.

Colors for gradient weaving.

Color “sisters” play well together.

This is the perfect setup for some subtle color gradation: Five closely-related hues, a double-bobbin shuttle, and a supply of leftover quills. For best effect, I arrange the colors in order, from light to dark, or dark to light.

Color Gradation

  • Weave a section with two quills of color A (the lightest color)
  • Weave the next section with one quill of color A and one quill of color B (one shade darker than color A)
  • Weave the next section with two quills of color B
  • Weave the next section with one quill of color B and one quill of color C (one shade darker than color B)

And so on…

What could be simpler?

Color gradation.

Pumpkin color adds a pleasing subtle accent to the corals and reds in the cloth.

May you make something beautiful with the little bits that you have.

Happy weaving,
Karen

6 Comments

  • Ruth Terry says:
    December 11, 2018 at 6:31 am

    Such a lovely way to play with color. I often transition from one color to another without a hard line by weaving 1 pick with new color, 4 picks with old color, 2 picks with new color, 3 picks with old color, 3 picks with new color, 2 picks with old color, 4 picks with new color, 1 pick with old color and transition complete. Will try your double bobbin change next time I am ready to play with colors. Blessings during this advent season, Ruth

    Reply
    • Karen says:
      December 11, 2018 at 8:38 am

      Hi Ruth, Thanks for sharing another way to transition the colors. That’s a great way to achieve a lovely gradient.

      It would be fun to do a sample piece with various ways to do color gradations. Or, that would be an interesting study group project.

      Advent blessings to you,
      Karen

      Reply
  • Betsy says:
    December 11, 2018 at 7:34 am

    We turned on the Spurs game the other night and I took one look at the other team’s uniform and said “gradient!” Not something you often see in a basketball uniform, lol.

    Love the placemat!

    Reply
    • Karen says:
      December 11, 2018 at 8:43 am

      Hi Betsy, That’s too funny! Who else is even going to notice such things? …unless we call it the popular name-“ombré,” meaning shaded in French.

      Happy weaving,
      Karen

      Reply
  • Vivian says:
    December 11, 2018 at 9:20 am

    I realized on a recent project the subtle transition between two light colours, in different tones added depth. I decided to shake up the mix and make the transitions much narrower in the next project and didn’t have as near an interesting effect. It needed large areas each for contrast.
    I love your pattern too

    Reply

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