Monthly Archives: February 2021

Daily Band Practice: Day 24

02 Tuesday Feb 2021

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This motif of a human figure is the first that I have woven. I’ve always enjoyed the backstrap designs of South American that depict human figures. It was fun to finally weave one. I did modify this design a little by adding one more pickup row in the head, and elongating the hat.

Weaving this motif was pretty straight forward, picking up warp threads in pairs for the entire design. While this is from Evelyn Neher’s book, Inkle, it is not a printed pattern in the book. I adapted it from a picture on page 50, exhibit 1, which she captioned as “Student’s first belt with pickup design”. This was the end of her section on what she calls alternating, so the next post will feature a motif from a different book. Which one will it be, hmmmm?

Until next time,

Warp, weave, be happy! ~ Jennifer

Daily Band Practice: 23

02 Tuesday Feb 2021

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Why is this one folded, you may ask. This motif was about making the design reversible. All the other motifs clearly have a “right” and “wrong” side. Unlike Baltic style pick up, only picking up threads does not make a pretty reverse pattern. You only see the weft floats on the backside. For this diamond in a diamond pattern, every thread I picked up I dropped its heddled partner. Picking and dropping takes a bit longer, but is very worth the effort for a reversible band.

The wrong side of the band doesn’t look bad, but, it is clearly the back side. The back side of Day 13 illustrates what I mean. The areas where I picked up on the front, show the green weft on the back, not a reverse image.

The observant among you may have noticed that the folded motif is off the loom. How could this be since the month had yet to finish? Well, I miscalculated and didn’t put enough warp on my loom, so I ran out of warp. I had to warp my little inkle to finish out the month. Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men, oft go astray.

The reversible diamond is a motif from Inkle by Evelyn Neher, page 43.

Warp, weave, be happy! ~ Jennifer

Daily Band Practice: Day 21 & 22

01 Monday Feb 2021

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  • Day 21
  • Day 22

Isn’t it amazing how many ways diamonds and arrows can be woven with the same 46 warp ends? The motif from day 21 was quick to weave, picking up three threads at a time. It produces a strong vibrant pattern.

Day 22 was about mixing single and double pick up. It is interesting that Evelyn Neher put this after the more complex patterns that require pick up of two colors in every row. But, I admit at being pleased to find day 21 and 22 after the struggle of day 20. If I weave this one again, I might modify it an mix in some three thread pick ups too.

Both motifs are from Inkle by Evelyn Neher, page 42.

Warp, weave, be happy! ~ Jennifer

Daily Band Practice: Day 20

01 Monday Feb 2021

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Daily Band Practice: Day 20

This motif was woven by picking up threads in alternating pairs, every other row, in both the background and pattern colors. I’ve only every done this with single colors. Doing a study of horizontal stripe pick-up has already taught me a lot.

I admit that I unwove quite a bit on this one. My warp was getting fuzzy because I unwove so much, and Lunatic Fringe Yarns is not a fuzzy yarn. The little white dots are supposed to be crisp, but they kept looking muddled, like in the area circled in the picture below. They blend together compared to the ones in the lower half of the diamond.

I’m curious to explore this more and try to figure out what was happening structurally. Have you ever woven this technique before? Did you experience the same problem?

Today’s design was from Inkle by Evelyn Neher, page 41. Interestingly, it was the only one of it’s type.

Warp, weave, be happy! ~ Jennifer