What is a supplementary weft?
It is simply a weft that is introduced to your weaving, in addition to your regular weft yarn, usually on a plain weave background.
This supplementary weft is often known as a “pattern weft”, which makes sense because it often creates a pattern (think overshot).
A supplementary weft will usually be thicker yarn than the plain weave or tabby yarn, which is normally the same thickness as the warp yarn.
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This technique is a great way to use a handspun or novelty yarn to really highlight the beauty of the yarn and is also an excellent way to use up leftovers.
A pick up stick is usually used with a supplementary weft – this helps to make a pattern through the use of weft floats.
Using supplementary wefts is a really versatile way to showcase pretty yarn and weave a truly unique piece. I love to design on the loom, trying out different pick ups and different yarns, it’s so much fun and it suits my creative preferences to not have to plan ahead too much.
To weave a sample like I have in the tutorial, you will need the following materials:
- A rigid heddle loom (I used my Sampleit loom)
- A 7.5 dent heddle (of course, you can adapt this by using a different sized heddle with a different yarn weight)
- A stick shuttle or several (use one that is the right size for your loom)
- A pick up stick (again, use the size that is suitable for your loom or the width of warp you have on)
- Something to separate your warp (cardboard stick separators, thick craft paper on a roll etc)
- Scissors
Yarn Requirements:
I’m not giving exact yarn amounts, obviously you need more yarn for your warp and tabby (plain weave) than you do for the supplementary weft, but just experiment with what you have.
For my warp I used Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 8ply (this is a dk weight wool) in Navy. I used this same yarn for the majority of my tabby.
For supplementary wefts I used Noro, handspun and some of my hand dyed wool and cotton – most of these were around a dk to aran weight.
Sampler size suggestion:
When I warp for a sampler like this one, I like to warp around 8-10 inches in width and at least 30″ in length (total length of warp). For my 7.5 dent heddle this was 47 ends.
Weaving and Pick Up Sequences:
You will find all the information you need to follow the video sampler in this downloadable, printable PDF.
There are three ways to use this tutorial. You can either:
- Warp your loom and then follow my examples exactly according to the video and PDF.
- Warp your loom and follow some of my examples to gain confidence, then try some of your own designs.
- Use my designs as inspiration but go your own way by using the techniques and ideas to create your own unique fabric.
Whatever you decide to do with this tutorial, don’t forget to relax and have fun – that’s what it’s all about!
The 45 minute video tutorial is available here-
As always, comments and questions are very welcome in the section below.
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
Hi Kelly, thanks so much for this video. I always love watching your videos. I have a question that I’ve wondered about for a while. When you cut off the green yarn and tucked the end into the left-hand side and then you added the blue yarn, also on the left side and tucked that end into the left. Do you find that this gets too heavy on the side you end one yarn and then add another yarn? I’ve been ending on one side and starting another yarn on the other side but it does mess up which direction is up and which is down like you do. Also, do you have a preference in tucking in the end underneath or on top of your working project? Thanks again for all your invaluable experience and knowledge. And Merry Christmas and let’s hope a wonderful new year.
Hi Carolyn,
Yes, tail build up on one side is possible which is why I would usually try to distribute the tails over both edges so that it evens out. It’s not really a problem for thin yarns but thicker yarns do build up for sure.
I do have a preference for tucking under the warp but really it doesn’t make a difference, I just have this weird thing where I HATE seeing tail ends on top of my work š
What a fun tutorial to watch! Thank you for sharing your technical knowledge and your creative process š
Thanks Liz! š„°
I learned a great deal from this video! Thank you for sharing this tutorial.
You’re welcome Debra!
Great video… I was just getting ready to donate all my small balls of yarn and after watching this decided to keep them.. I have a full bag to play with now. I had recently gotten an 8 shaft table loom and have been learning on it… This makes me want to warp my RH today and start playing!!!
Thanks Kelly
Great to hear, thanks Evlin!
Thank you Kelly for this great tutorial. It is exactly what I need. I now have several vision issue simultaneously that blur my vision with one also having a floater and fluid on the retina, so I see wavy lines and a foggy blurry vision from that eye, and just blurry from the other eye. I have tried to work with the table and floor looms I have, but all the vertical lines of the warp, the reed, and the heddles give me a big headache, not to mention frustration dressing the looms and making corrections to threading errors (lots of those)ā¦ so my thought is I will now concentrate on using my RH looms with just a single heddle/reed. Your tutorial today was perfect – it shows what creative and fun things can be done with supplemental wefts and larger yarns instead of the threads for tea towels (my current project, which is taking forever). So thank you Kelly, I know I can continue weaving!
I’m sorry to hear about your eye troubles LaDonn, that must be very frustrating. I’m glad that the rigid heddle loom is still an option for you though, that is wonderful ā¤ļø
Hello i am just ordering now an ashford rigid heddle loom 24″. i am once i have it going to sign up for the 1 year membership. in ordering i am going to order 8/2 bressard cotton so i can make tea towels to start. the loom comes with a 7.5 dpi reed. will this work? or do i need to get a higher number reed? i want to make sure i order the correct reed. i live in a remote spot in canada and it isn’t easy to get things so i need to make sure the order is complete and not have to order once if find out i don’t have what i need. thank you so much for your help. i am trying to find where i can get this info but cant find.
Hi Maryanne,
Yes, generally a closer sett heddle would be better for 8/2 cotton, 10 dent is good, 12.5 dent is my favourite – then I double the 8/2 as warping it single is too loose a sett.
Hope that helps!
Thanks for posting! You’re such an inspiration to try new and different things on rigid heddle, floor, and table looms! I’m so glad that I found your site and follow it! Now, I’m off to find some wool to play with so I can try out the sampler!!!
Wonderful! š