Just when you think you’ve tried everything in weaving, you come across something different, like Clasped Weft.
Clasped weft can be a great “next step” for newer weavers with a few plain weave projects completed and who are ready for something a bit more adventurous.
The cool thing about weaving clasped weft is that, similar to Colour and Weave, most of the work is in using colours to make your weaving look fancy, when in actual fact it is quite simple.
The clasped weft technique uses 2, 3 or 4 interlocking weft colours. Using 2 colours to begin with is the easiest and least complicated approach. If you have done any tapestry, you may already be familiar with the interlocking technique.
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We mainly use a plain weave structure (though clasped weft can actually be used in other structures, such as twill). It is a perfect technique for a rigid heddle loom, because, although it’s simple, it looks special and has big impact.
Before we go through the tutorial steps, let’s look at some (rather poorly drawn, sorry about that!) diagrams to get a clearer idea of how this works. The drawings are over simplified, as I haven’t drawn in the warp and weft interlacement, but I have drawn in the edge warp threads:
Clasped weft with 2 weft colours.
Clasped weft with 3 colours.
Clasped weft with 4 colours.
Now let’s go through the tutorial steps so that you can get clear on how clasped weft is actually woven. Today, we are just focusing on working the two weft colour technique, as I believe this is the best place to begin if you’re not familiar with clasped weft or haven’t attempted it before.
Begin with two contrasting weft yarns of the same weight. I have used one with a dark navy colour and another that is variegated with bright colours.
See the tips section below for more on why variegated works perfectly.
My warp and weft yarns were all light worsted/dk/ Australian 8 ply weight. Wool, acrylic or cotton are all fine.
One weft yarn is loaded onto a stick shuttle, in my case this was the dark navy. The other colour is left in a ball or on the cone. My variegated colour was in a skein and so I wound it into a yarn cake with my ball winder.
A yarn cake (also known as a centre pull ball) is particularly good to work with for clasped weft, because it sits nice and flat on the floor and won’t roll away. The yarn also feeds off the yarn cake seamlessly, which makes the whole process that little bit easier. If you have a ball, you may want to sit it in a box or basket on the floor to contain it.
Place the ball of yarn on the floor at your left. It doesn’t matter if you place it on the right or left, but for the purpose of this tutorial it’s on the left.
Because the ball (let’s call it the contrast yarn) is on the left, we enter the shed with the stick shuttle on the right. Again, it doesn’t matter whether you are in the up or down shed, but I am beginning in the down shed.
Take your stick shuttle across from the right hand side to the left as though you’re going to weave a regular plain weave pick.
When your shuttle reaches the left hand side, pick up the contrast yarn and place it over the top of the stick shuttle.
Take the shuttle the rest of the way through the shed at the left – as you would for your normal plain weave pick.
On the right hand side (where your shuttle entered), tidy up and prepare your weft yarn as though you’re going to beat the pick in. If you’re not familiar with how to do this, watch my free video on How to Weave Neat Edges. DON’T BEAT.
Take the shuttle straight back into the same shed. Don’t change sheds, and don’t beat! Take the shuttle through, back to the right where you first entered the shed.
As you return the shuttle to the right, you will find that the navy yarn is linked or clasped with the contrast yarn. This means that the contrast yarn is pulled into the shed. Now you get to decide how far you will pull the contrast yarn into the shed. A little? A lot? Your choice, depending on the effect you want to achieve.
Hold both yarns under tension on either side to manipulate where you want the two yarns to go.
When you’re happy with the yarn positioning, beat the picks into place. You will notice that both yarns are now doubled in the shed.
Change to the next shed (in my case I had been working in the down shed, so I go on to change to the up shed).
Continue weaving in the exact same manner in the new shed and repeat until you’ve finished weaving.
Isn’t your head just swimming with all the possibilities of this wonderful technique?
Clasped weft can be extremely planned or extremely random. It looks wonderful both ways and is just so much fun to weave.
Here are a few recommendations for best results:
1. Use contrasting weft colours.
Light and dark will make the weaving pop.
2. Use the same weight yarn for both warp and weft.
You will get better results and avoid the not so pretty lumps and bumps that can occur at interlocking points.
3. Variegated yarn is perfect for this.
For the 2 colour clasped weft technique, a variegated yarn with a contrasting yarn looks really cool! (See photos below and above).
4. Using the same colour as the warp for one of your weft colours works great.
Too much colour can confuse the contrast of the clasped weft lines. In the tutorial, I used the same navy yarn for warp and weft no.1. I then used a contrast yarn for weft no.2.
If you like the look of clasped weft as much as I do, I have some great news for you! I have 3 free Youtube video tutorials that will teach you each of these techniques. Start with video 1 so that you can practice the technique, before moving on to the others.
I mentioned that the clasped weft technique can also be used for other weave structures. This can create really interesting and impressive special effects. One of my Etsy patterns, The Cityscape Scarf is a perfect example of a clasped weft combined with a twill.
Try it out and let me know what you think. Leave me a comment here or under any of the Youtube videos, I love to hear from you!
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
I just used 3 color clasp weft! It is fun and much easier than it looks!
Thank you so much!!
I’m glad you had fun with it Dorothy 😀
Hi Kelly, the video is great. Thank you. One question. I am not catching my floating selvages and can’t figure out why. Any thoughts? Thanks, Nan
Nan, you don’t generally use floating selvedges for clasped weft when it’s plain weave, they’re not needed and would only get in the way.
When I use clasped weft with a different weave structure I may use a floating selvedge on one side and that doesn’t affect the clasped weft.
Should I double my warp yarn when using a clasped weft? It seems to me that the weft would be more dominant, or cause it to look uneven…..
The weft is naturally doubled as you work the technique 😊
When using the clasp weft pattern, how do you do the hem stitch at the beginning and the bad of the project?
Just as you normally would for any straightforward project. If you need help getting started with hemstitching, this will help:
http://kellycasanovaweavinglessons.com/2020/09/all-about-hemstitching.html
Thank you for putting the explanation and the 3 videos all in one place! Your videos are the best I’ve seen on how to do clasped weft.
Thanks Debby, it’s a very popular weave among new and seasoned weavers alike, so it makes sense to make it all easier to access 😊
Hi Kathi, thank you for your kind words! I have been asked by others about clasped warp and it is something I plan to make a class on at some point.
That would be great! I also would love a clasped warp lesson. I can only find one YouTube video on it, so I know it is needed. Thanks for all the great lessons!
I don’t have a video on clasped warp but I do have a pattern -http://www.etsy.com/au/listing/708333098/galaxy-scarf-pdf-pattern-for-rigid?ref=shop_home_feat_2
I just love your blog posts and videos! Such a talent! I am loving the clasped weft! I live in a remote area and try to learn as much as I can based upon your posts. I just recently saw what is called a clasped warp. Is this something that you have done? If so, can you share instructions on how this is accomplished?
Thanks Kelly, I have been busy using this to make mug rugs by beating it tight.. they look great. Will put up a pic when off the loom. 🙂
Thank you Angela 🙂
Thank you Nita, it's a blessing to be able to share what I love!
Excellent instructional viseos Kelly. Thank you
I think you must be one of the most generous weaving professionals in the world! Thank you so much for your generosity and teaching.
That sounds great Marjan, I'm glad this has been of benefit to you!
Thanks for reading Betsy, I appreciate it 🙂
The 2 colour clasped weft I have learned from you already. These 2 new video's are great as well. I am certainly going to use these techniques and thinking about 3 pillowcovers: one in 2 colours, one in 3 and one in 4 colours. Thank you again for your clear educations and inspiration!
Greetings out of Holland.🌷
Thank you Kelly. You are always so generous. I purchased a scarf pattern from you a few months ago . I need to get it going, Christmas sneaks up fast!