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Feeling Stuck? 5 Quick 10-Minute Fixes to Break Through Your Weaving Plateau

by Kelly Leave a Comment

Have you ever sat down at your loom and just… stared at it?

You want to weave. You love weaving. But nothing’s sparking your creativity, and everything feels like too much effort.

You’re not alone. Every weaver hits a plateau now and then. Sometimes it’s not enough time or decision fatigue. Maybe it’s a busy time in your life and the creative energy is lacking. Or maybe you just feel a little bored with the whole thing!

The good news? You don’t need to overhaul your whole setup, buy new equipment or start a huge new project to get inspired again.

Here are five quick, low-pressure ideas that take just 10 minutes—but can completely shift your mindset and help you fall back in love with weaving.

1. Switch Up Your Yarn or Color Combo

Sometimes all it takes to reignite your excitement is a little color play. Spend 10 minutes digging through your stash and pull out 3–5 yarns you wouldn’t usually use together—bold contrasts, unexpected textures, or that one skein you’ve been “saving.”

Lay them out, snap a photo, or warp up a quick sample. A fresh palette can open up a whole new direction.

Tip: Look for color inspirations – they are everywhere! In nature, manmade objects, you will even see color when you close your eyes 😀 Try taking inspiration from the color wheel and explore some basic color theory.

2. Test a New Weave Structure (On a small scale)

Trying something new doesn’t have to mean committing to a large project. Choose a weave structure or technique you’ve been curious about—like waffle weave, finger controlled techniques, or krokbragd—and do a tiny sample on a new or leftover warp.

Ten minutes of experimentation can be just the spark you need.

Tip-  For small project ideas, check out this list.

3. Weave a Just-for-Fun Project

Give yourself permission to weave just because. A mini coaster, mug rug, or bookmark can be finished quickly and without pressure—and often leads to surprising bursts of creativity.

Don’t overthink it. Choose whatever yarns catch your eye, and just go.

Tip- If you’re time poor, check out the principles of the 10 Minute Rule and see if it’s something that could be beneficial in your life.

4. Refresh Your Creative Space

It may sound simple, but cleaning up your weaving space has a powerful mental effect. In just 10 minutes you can:

  • Clear away old yarn scraps and tools, sweep or vacuum the floor
  • Do a brief declutter or put things away to create a sense of space
  • Add a plant, vase of flowers, photo, or anything that makes you smile

Weaving is as much about mindset as it is about materials—and a tidy, inviting space can make all the difference. A cluttered room makes a cluttered mind!

5. Revisit a Favorite Pattern — But Change One Thing

Remember that pattern or project you loved making? Try it again—but switch up one element. Change the colors, yarn weight, or sett. Add stripes. Try a different finishing technique.

Familiar patterns offer a safe, low-stress way to explore something with a new twist.

Need inspiration? Browse my Pattern Store or check out some student work to see how they made the patterns their own.

The Stepping Up Scarf PDF Pattern for rigid heddle weavers

Feeling stuck doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong—it just means your creative brain needs a reset. These 10-minute changes aren’t just about weaving differently; they’re about rediscovering why you love weaving in the first place.

So pick one today. Set aside a little time. And let the joy come back in!

Which fix do you plan to implement in your weaving life? Let me know down in the comments 👇

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Filed Under: Floor Loom Weaving, Inspiration, Rigid heddle weaving, Rigid Heddle Weaving Patterns, Table loom weaving, Weaving Tagged With: 10 minute fixes, inspiration, weaving plateau, weaving project ideas

5 Beautiful Leno Weaving Project Ideas for the Rigid Heddle Loom

by Kelly 2 Comments

If you loved learning how to weave Leno lace on your rigid heddle loom in my previous article, you’re going to be excited about today’s post!

Leno is a beautiful, open-weave technique that adds texture and lightness to your projects. It’s a finger controlled technique that can easily be woven on a plain weave threading and with very minimal tools – all you need is your rigid heddle loom and a pick up stick!

In this post, I’ll share five gorgeous Leno weaving project ideas to inspire your Leno journey.

Let’s dive in!

1. Airy Leno Scarf

A lightweight, lacy scarf is a perfect way to showcase Leno weaving. Use a soft cotton, wool or silk for a breezy, elegant accessory. To add interest, you could use contrasting warp and weft colours. The Garden Path Scarf uses the Brook’s Bouquet weave structure, but is a lovely example of how special a lace weave scarf can look.

2. Leno Market Bag

A sturdy yet flexible string bag is a fantastic use of Leno lace! The open weave allows for some stretch, making it ideal for carrying groceries, beach essentials, books or even yarn. Use a strong cotton or linen yarn for durability. A tapestry cotton or seine twine is the kind of hard wearing yarn you need for a project like this 😉

Check out the digital download PDF pattern for The Farmer’s Market Bag for an easy to follow project.

3. Sheer Leno Curtains

Leno is a very popular structure for weaving airy, light-filtering curtains. Because you are already threaded for plain weave, a hem and top section for hanging are easy to include on each end of your Leno panel. Choose natural fibers like cotton or linen.

4. Table Runner with Leno accent

Although Leno is not really appropriate for a table runner due to its need for some sturdiness and the ability to sit flat on a table, it is very lovely when used as an accent. You could choose to weave a plain weave table runner with recurring repeats of Leno, strategically placed.

Or you could place your Leno in particularly places rather than doing a full row to create Leno sections or windows in your runner.

Coupled with an Italian Hemstich, your table runner would be a real show stopper!

5. Lightweight Leno Wrap or Shawl

A Leno-woven wrap or shawl is perfect for layering over outfits in warmer weather or draped with an evening dress on cooler nights. You could try a sheeny and soft yarn like tencel or bamboo for a luxurious drape. Using the same colour for both warp and weft would create a classy and bold statement piece. Introducing Mexican Lace (a type of Leno as demonstrated in this online class) would make a truly beautiful shawl.

There is a lovely shrug project in Jane Patrick’s The Weaver’s Idea Book on page 74.

More About Leno

Want to undertake one of these projects but you’re not sure if Leno is for you? Check out my free tutorial to get started weaving Leno on an open shed.

And if you’re interested in delving into some more finger controlled techniques like Mexican Lace, Brook’s Bouquet and Spanish Lace, you need the Lovely and Lacey Online Workshop. In this workshop we weave a sampler to practice the techniques, so there is no need to commit to a full sized project.

Leno weaving is a fantastic way to add texture, lightness, and a touch of elegance to your rigid heddle loom projects. Whether you’re weaving a breezy scarf, a sturdy market bag, or delicate curtains, this technique opens up so many creative possibilities and variations.

*This post contains some affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

I hope these project ideas inspire you to try Leno in new and exciting ways! Have you woven with Leno before? I’d love to hear about your favourite projects—share your thoughts in the comments below 👇

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Filed Under: Rigid heddle weaving, Rigid Heddle Weaving Patterns, Weaving Tagged With: finger contolled, lace weave, leno, rigid heddle weaving, rigid heddle weaving books, rigid heddle weaving patterns, rigid heddle weaving project ideas, weaving

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Rigid Heddle Weaving Techniques

by Kelly 2 Comments

The rigid heddle loom is often celebrated as a beginner-friendly weaving tool, but don’t let its simplicity fool you—it’s a versatile loom capable of producing intricate and advanced designs. In this article, we’ll dive into advanced rigid heddle weaving techniques that will elevate your weaving skills and inspire your next project.

Double Heddle Weaving

What It Is:

Double heddle weaving allows you to expand the capabilities of your rigid heddle loom, enabling you to weave with finer threads, create double-width fabrics, or experiment with more complex patterns.

How It Works:

  • Add a second heddle to your loom and thread your warp through both heddles. The exact threading will depend on what you want to do.
  • With two heddles, you can weave a fabric with a doubled sett. Or you can use the extra heddle for additional patterning possibilities. Or you can weave double width, even tubular! There are so many options!

Possible Applications:

  • Patterned scarves or shawls.
  • Double width blankets or throws.
  • Table linens with finer threads.

Tips for Success:

  • Practice warping with two heddles on a small project before tackling larger designs. Consider making just a sample to start with using inexpensive yarn.
  • Follow a quality class or PDF instructions to ensure correct threading and to give you a roadmap.

Resources:

Weaving with Two Heddles (online class)

Plaid Blanket Double Width Ebook

Diamond Stripe Towels PDF Pattern

Pickup Stick Patterns

What It Is:

Pickup sticks allow you to create intricate patterns like lace, floats, and supplemental weft designs by selectively raising warp threads.

How It Works:

  • Insert a pickup stick behind the heddle, with the heddle in the down position and lift specific threads to form a pattern.
  • Combine pickup patterns with plain weave for added texture.
  • As you become familiar with the pick up stick you may want to add more. You can then learn to use heddle rods to enable multiple pick up stick configurations.
  • You can also use a pick up stick with your heddle in neutral to pick up warp threads in front of the heddle for branoe/overshot style weaving.

Possible Applications:

  • Table runners with decorative borders.
  • Wall hangings featuring geometric designs.

Tips for Success:

  • Experiment with a sampler to understand how different pickup patterns work. There are so many different arrangements and patterns to explore. All you need is a plain weave sample and a pick up stick to get started.
  • Keep notes on the sequence of your designs and take photos for future projects.

Resources:

How to use Pick Up Sticks

Converting Pattern Drafts to the Rigid Heddle Loom online class

The Branoe Collection

Pick Up Perfection online class

Supplementary Weft and Warp Techniques

What It Is:

Supplementary techniques involve adding extra threads to the warp or weft to create designs that stand out against the background weave.

How It Works:

  • Use a shuttle or yarn butterfly to weave additional threads into specific sections of the fabric.
  • These threads can be in contrasting colors or textures for added dimension.
  • For the warp, you can plan the supplementary threads as part of the warping process, but they are frequently added after the loom is warped. They can be threaded where desired and weighted over the back of the loom, making them independent of the warp and easy to manipulate.

Possible Applications:

  • Embellished shawls or scarves.
  • Highlighting specific motifs in larger textiles.
  • Making unique designs.

Tips for Success:

  • Keep the supplementary threads loose enough to avoid puckering the fabric.
  • Experiment with different weights and types of yarns (ribbon can be beautiful!)
  • If you need to weight supplementary warps at the back of the loom, these “S” hooks are perfect.

Resources:

Supplementary Weft Tutorial

The Maria Scarf

Exploring Lace Weaves

What It Is:

Lace weaving techniques like leno or Brooks Bouquet create open, airy patterns that are perfect for lightweight, decorative fabrics.

How It Works:

  • Most lace techniques are finger controlled and worked on a plain weave background. Some also use a pick up stick.

Possible Applications:

  • Curtains, scarves, or table linens.
  • Projects that benefit from a delicate, decorative touch.
  • Lace weaves make wonderful scarves and shawls.

Tips for Success:

  • Many lace weaves have a large amount of draw in so be sure to factor that in before starting your project.
  • Lace can be slow to weave up, as much of the manipulation is manual. Don’t let that put you off though, the results are worth the effort!

Resources:

Lovely and Lacy online workshop

The Garden Path Scarf PDF pattern

The Farmer’s Market Bag PDF pattern

All about finger controlled techniques

More Than Two Heddles

What It Is:

Most rigid heddle looms have enough space to fit 3 heddles, enabling the weaver to weave 4 shaft patterns.

How It Works:

  • Use a double heddle block to hold the first 2 heddles. Use a single heddle block along with spring clamps to hold the 3rd heddle for threading. The 3rd heddle can then be suspended by the warp after tie on.

Tips for Success:

  • This is an advanced technique so be patient with your learning journey. Understand that the threading for the 3 heddles can be configured to your own preferences and according to the weaving draft – there is not just one way to go about it.
  • Sometimes a pick up stick will also need to be added to allow for a flow of the weaving.
  • Your 3 heddles must all be the same size (dent).

Resources:

Three Heddle Adventures online course

Weaving 3 & 4 Shaft Patterns on a Rigid Heddle Loom

Combining Techniques for Unique Results

Weaving becomes really exciting when you start to combine techniques you have learned.

  • Use color and weave to create pattern or highlight areas of your weaving
  • Pair lace weaves with supplementary weft for a blend of texture and openness.
  • Add a pickup stick to 3 heddles for even more patterning possibilities
  • Pair a twill pattern with clasped weft

With these advanced techniques, your rigid heddle loom can become a powerful tool for crafting really unique and exciting woven pieces. Whether you’re creating wider fabrics, experimenting with lace, using a 3 or 4 shaft draft, or exploring color and texture, the possibilities are endless. Push your creative boundaries and take your weaving to the next level!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

*This post contains affiliate links. For more information please see my disclosure policy.

Filed Under: Rigid heddle weaving, Rigid Heddle Weaving Patterns, Weaving Tagged With: advanced rigid heddle weaving, rigid heddle loom, rigid heddle weaving patterns

How to Use Pick-Up Sticks: Unlock New Possibilities on Your Rigid Heddle Loom

by Kelly Leave a Comment

Pick-up sticks are a game-changer for rigid heddle weaving. These simple tools expand your loom’s capabilities, allowing you to create intricate patterns beyond plain weave. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to elevate your skills, this guide will help you understand how to use pick-up sticks effectively.

What Are Pick-Up Sticks?

Pick-up sticks are flat, smooth lengths of wood designed to manipulate warp threads on your loom. They allow you to create patterns that mimic the capabilities of multi-shaft looms without adding complex equipment.

On a rigid heddle loom, the warp is divided into two “shafts”—slot threads and hole threads. By incorporating pick-up sticks, you can manipulate the slot threads to create additional “shafts,” opening up a world of pattern possibilities.

Why Use Pick-Up Sticks?

  1. Expand Your Weaving Capabilities:
    • One pick-up stick = 3 shafts.
    • Two pick-up sticks = 4 shafts.
    • Add more for even greater complexity!
  2. Create Beautiful Patterns:
    From simple designs to intricate motifs, pick-up sticks make it possible to weave beyond plain weave.
  3. Learn, Experiment and have Fun:
    They’re an excellent way to play, experiment, and grow as a weaver.

How to Use Pick-Up Sticks

Tools You’ll Need:

  • Pick-up sticks: Slightly longer than the width of your warp.
  • Rigid heddle loom: Set up for plain weave.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Start with the Heddle in the Down Position:
    • This raises the slot threads (shaft 2), making them easier to pick up.
    • The hole threads (shaft 1) remain fixed and cannot be manipulated.
  2. Pick Up Warp Threads:
    • Slide your pick-up stick under the threads you want to manipulate.
    • For basic patterns, follow a “1 up, 1 down” sequence (alternate threads over and under the stick).
  3. Position the Pick-Up Stick:
    • Push the stick to the back of your loom when not in use. It will rest flat between the warp threads without interfering with your weaving.
  4. Engage the Pick-Up Stick:
    • When ready to weave a pick-up pattern, bring the stick forward, turn it on its edge, and pass your shuttle through the shed.

Here is a simple weaving sequence as an example:

  1. Up (heddle up)
  2. Down (heddle down)
  3. Up, pick up stick (heddle up and slide pick up stick behind the heddle, leaving flat).

Tips for Beginners

  • Experiment Freely: Don’t worry about understanding all the technical details at first. Play with different sequences and see how the patterns emerge.
  • Follow Patterns: Written instructions like “1 up, 1 down” are straightforward and a great way to learn.
  • Start with Simple Projects: Try my Wash Your Hands Towel Set Project or Lux Hand Towels pattern for guided practice.

Explore More Pick-Up Stick Resources

  • Free Patterns: Sign up for my email list and receive the beginner-friendly Moroccan Dream Scarf pattern.
  • Video Tutorials: Watch my Pick-Up Stick Playlist on YouTube for step-by-step instructions.
  • Courses: Dive deeper with my Pick Up Perfection course, included free with an Online Weaving School membership or available as a single purchase class.

Why You’ll Love Pick-Up Stick Weaving

Pick-up sticks let you unlock the full potential of your rigid heddle loom. Whether you’re weaving a simple scarf or an intricate towel, these tools are a must-have for any weaver.

If this guide has been helpful or if you have questions, leave a comment below—I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information please view my disclosure policy.

Filed Under: Rigid heddle weaving, Rigid Heddle Weaving Patterns, Weaving Tagged With: how to use pick up sticks, pick up sticks, rigid heddle weaving

5 easy rigid heddle weaving projects for beginners

by Kelly Leave a Comment

Getting your very first rigid heddle loom is such an exciting experience! There are so many possibilities but at the same time, so much to learn.

It’s important to choose projects that are going to be suitable for your weaving level. Be realistic, we all start as absolute beginners and it makes sense to start with an easy project.

This will help you to start to get to know your loom without the stress and pressure of needing to weave at an advanced level.

Here is a list of 5 easy rigid heddle weaving projects for beginners to get you started.

  1. A SAMPLER

A sampler is not necessarily a finished, functional object but it will teach you so very much! Not only does it give you a chance to get familiar with your new loom, it also allows you to try out yarns, practice your weaving and get a better idea of what to expect.

Yes, you do need to use a bit of yarn to warp up a sampler, but I look at it the same way I would look at purchasing a weaving book or class. It’s an investment in my own weaving journey.

Very early on in my rigid heddle weaving journey, I warped a fairly long warp (for a sampler), grabbed my copy of Jane Patrick’s The Weaver’s Idea Book, flipped through until I found something I wanted to try and just went for it!

This was such a valuable project for me, just look at the variety of designs, yarns and colours I got to try! Many from the book, many were my own experiments. I still think of this project, all these years later, as one of the most fun I’ve undertaken.

A sampler can also become a useable item if you wish – a small purse, a mug rug, a notebook cover, there are lots of possibilities.

2. PLACEMATS

Placemats are such a perfect beginner’s project. They look great in plain weave and if you want to jazz them up you can always use a fun variegated yarn. Placemats are also a great opportunity to practice finishing techniques, whether that is by knotting, hemstitching or hand hemming and machine stitching.

In my beginner rigid heddle class we complete some simple but beautiful placemats. This is my most popular class as it shows you how to take a bare rigid heddle loom and complete a woven project. You are guided through, step by step on warping, threading, weaving and completing the project as well plenty of tips and encouragement along the way.

3. TOWELS

Towels can be a little like an overgrown placemat, and can be a simple project for newer rigid heddle weavers. I do have some advice though, as not all towels are created equal!

As a beginner, I do not recommend that you try to launch into your first towels with a thin and light yarn, like 8/2 cotton. It is better to get some experience and practice under your belt first, as generally a lighter yarn is more challenging to use with a rigid heddle loom.

However, weaving towels with a thicker cotton yarn can be a wonderful experience. Again, you can make it as simple as plain weave or you could incorporate either warp or weft stripes (or both!)

A thicker cotton will result in a light hand towels rather than a kitchen/dish towel.

My free project, the Wash Your Hands Towels pattern could be just what you’ve looking for. While some of the techniques may be considered a little more advance (like pick up sticks and colour placement) the weaver has the option of weaving both towels in plain weave if not ready for other techniques.

Some of the cottons that are suitable for this kind of towel would be:

Bendigo Woollen Mills 10ply cotton

I Love This Cotton

Sugar n Cream

Knit Picks Dishie

4. NOTEBOOK COVERS

Notebook covers in their most simple, low sew format are just a rectangle. The fun thing about a project like this is it can really be customised to reflect your own tastes. You can use a variety of yarns in plain weave and it just looks fantastic.

If you wove a sampler that was large enough, you could repurpose that as a notebook cover too!

If the thought of sewing with your hand woven fabric is a bit scary to you, rest assured that it can be a very simple process. If you have a needle and thread, that is enough!

Check out my free Notebook Covers project which guides you through the full process, from weaving the fabric to fitting and sewing it to an existing notebook, all the information is there for you.

5. FREESTYLE TAPESTRY

Oh boy, is this fun! The idea is similar to weaving a sampler, but this time you are weaving a weft faced item.

What on earth does that mean?

It just means that you’re going to use an additional beater (a household fork works just fine!) to beat your weft down to cover all the warp threads.

So, all the colour, texture and excitement happens in the weft threads.

What I really love about this kind of project is you need very little pre-planning and all the designing can be done on the loom, if you want to.

You get to use a variety of yarns from your stash and you have pretty free reign, as long as the weft packs down and stays down, you’re good to go!

Your design could be planned and pictorial or completely abstract and “made up on the spot”.

My free Freestyle Tapestry series was designed on the loom, just by building colour, bit by bit. My Van Gogh inspired tapestry was a little more planned but followed very similar principles.

I even have a Tapestry on a Rigid Heddle Loom online class that shows you basic tapestry techniques to get you started.

I hope you feel super inspired by these 5 easy rigid heddle weaving projects for beginners!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for further information.

Filed Under: Rigid heddle weaving, Rigid Heddle Weaving Patterns, Weaving Tagged With: rigid heddle loom, rigid heddle weaving, rigid heddle weaving patterns, rigid heddle weaving tutorial

How to weave krokbragd crosses

by Kelly Leave a Comment

Here we are with yet another krokbragd weaving tutorial! It is close to Easter and so the design I chose to weave is in honour of our Lord Jesus Christ ❤️

I won’t explain what krokbragd is, because I have done that already, many times! Instead, if you want to know more, check out some of these links below:

How to weave krokbragd…

Krokbragd 101 Online Course…

Krokbragd Youtube Playlist…

In this tutorial I am weaving krokbragd with two heddles, but you can absolutely use another setup such as a single heddle, pick up stick and heddle rod. Both of these methods are outlined in detail in my Krokbragd 101 course.

What you need for this tutorial

  • A rigid heddle loom (I’m using my Ashford Sampleit)
  • Two heddles of the same size
  • Additional beater, such as a tapestry beater or fork
  • Two shuttles (or use little yarn balls or butterflies if you prefer)
  • Two contrasting weft yarns

There are all kinds of tapestry or additional beaters, and yes, a household fork works just fine. An additional beater is really essential for krokbragd though, as it is a weft faced weave structure and a regular rigid heddle/reed is not sufficient to beat the weft right down.

I beat the weft down every 3 weft rows – it saves time and is just as effective. Use your heddle to “place” the weft but use the additional beater to pack it down.

We only need 2 weft colours for weaving, so choose one colour that you would like your crosses to be and the other as the background. Make sure your colours have enough contrast to ensure boldness of the design.

You can place your weft yarns on stick shuttles, roll little balls or use yarn butterflies – all these methods work just fine.

Here is how the weft looks after weaving 3 weft rows and prior to packing the weft down.

And here is how it looks once packed down. You want to aim to cover the warp completely.

Now, how to weave.

If using two heddles, your heddle positions will be:

  1. Heddles 1 & 2 up
  2. Heddle 1 down
  3. Heddle 2 down

The colour sequences will be as follows (check colour key for abbreviations):

Colour key: Yellow (Y), Navy (N)

  1. Y,N,N x 5
  2. Y,N,Y x 2
  3. Y,N,N x 2
  4. N,N,N x 3

Exactly how you use the design is up to you – You can weave bands of crosses or repeats of crosses or a row of crosses embedded in strategically, there are so many options!

If you would like to see this sequence in action, check out the following video on Youtube:

I hope you enjoy weaving this design, if you have any questions or comments please leave them down below ⬇️

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Filed Under: Krokbragd, Rigid heddle weaving, Rigid Heddle Weaving Patterns, Weaving Tagged With: easter, krokbragd, rigidheddleweaving, rigidheddleweavingtutorial

Krokbragd Reindeer Tutorial

by Kelly 2 Comments

It’s that wonderful time of year again, when thoughts start turning to festive project and gift ideas.

A number of years ago I released a How to weave Reindeer on a rigid heddle loom on Youtube and it has proved to be very popular! In that video we use pick up sticks in front of the heddle to achieve the shapes we need to build some little reindeer.

For my Christmas video this year, I decided to again weave reindeer but use a different weave structure for a different look. I already had my Sampleit loom warped for a krokbragd sampler so I set about designing some cute reindeer ensconced in a lovely Fair Isle inspired border.

This tutorial uses 4 colours for the weft – navy, white, red and beige. I used Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 4 play, which is a fingering weight wool. The warp should be a strong and thinner than the weft, I use a #12 seine twine.

Krokbragd-Reindeer-tutorial-PDFDownload

Be sure to watch the free Youtube tutorial so that you can follow the weaving sequence along with the printable PDF.

If you’re looking for further krokbragd learning resources, check these out:

Krokbragd 101 Online Course…

Krokbragd Youtube Playlist…

All About Krokbragd…

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Filed Under: Krokbragd, Rigid heddle weaving, Rigid Heddle Weaving Patterns, Weaving Tagged With: Celebrations, christmas, krokbragd, reindeer, rigidheddleweaving, tutorial

Simple and Complex Patterns on the rigid heddle loom

by Kelly 9 Comments

The rigid heddle loom is an incredibly versatile tool for weavers of all levels. While its construction is simple, it opens the door to endless weaving possibilities, from basic plain weave to intricate patterns that rival those created on multi-shaft looms.

In this guide, we’ll explore options for weaving simple and complex pattern on the rigid heddle loom. Whether you’re sticking with simple patterns or diving into more complex techniques, there’s a world of creative opportunities waiting for you.

Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom: Choose Your Own Adventure

Remember the “Choose your own adventure” books from the early 1980’s? Gosh, I loved those books as a kid! Being given the ability to choose to keep the story small and simple or keep the fun going by selecting a longer and more adventurous continuation.

You could start out as a student on a regular school day, going to classes and planning to meet friends later and end the day by having fought and defeated incredible beasts and monsters! So much fun 😊

The beauty of the humble rigid heddle loom is that you, as the weaver, can choose your own adventure!

You can start out with the very beautiful plain weave, at some point introduce a pick up stick or two and before you know it, you’re wrangling multiple heddles, sticks and rods!

Maybe you just enjoy the plain weave so much that you choose to stay in that groove.

Or maybe you find that you need more of a challenge, and so you start looking at multi shaft patterns and how you might adapt some of them to the 2 shaft rigid heddle loom.

Whichever ways suits you is the best way, remember, we all choose our own adventures.

Today we’re going to discuss simple and more complex patterns you can achieve weaving on a rigid heddle loom – what is involved in the set up for each and the considerations you need to make before embarking on different patterns. I have so many resources and tutorials to get you started on either the simple or more complex path, and I’ll be sharing these with you too.

We’ll begin with the most simple patterns and work our way up to the more complex.

Start Simple: Mastering Plain Weave

The most simple pattern you can weave on your rigid heddle loom is plain weave. This is what the rigid heddle loom was built for, and excels at. To weave plain weave, you need only 2 shafts. This is made possible on a RH loom with just one heddle because of the unique design of the reed or heddle.

When we thread a rigid heddle loom, we thread both the slots and the holes. Then, once we’ve tied the warp onto the loom, we create 2 different sheds or spaces in which our shuttle can pass through. It’s these sheds, or more specifically, what the warp threads are doing in those sheds, that determine the pattern.

Plain weave is achieved by placing the heddle in the “up” position, passing the shuttle through the shed, then beating the weft down into place (the heddle is also used as a beater). For the next shed, the heddle is placed in the “down” position, the shuttle is passed through and the weft beaten down. Then back to “up” again, and so on. Doing this gives you an over, under interlacement that is both lovely to look at and also a very stable fabric.

This fabric can be used for a huge array of purposes, from a scarf to kitchen towels, to fabric to sew clothing with.

Starting out on a rigid heddle loom can be a bit of a learning curve, but is made so much easier if someone with a wee bit of experience shows you how. In my From Woe to Go! online beginner’s course, I share everything you need to know to get up and weaving on your rigid heddle loom, plus I show you all the helpful things you didn’t know you needed to know!

Some weavers will find that they tire of only weaving plain weave, but there are techniques that can easily be introduced without the need to learn more specialist skills or purchase any extra equipment (let’s face it, that particular rabbit hole goes very deep!)

The first that comes to mind is the wonderful technique of colour and weave. In it’s most basic form, this is simply the introduction of colour, strategically placed in your warp and weft. You don’t need any additional tools, just a little bit of patience as the warping takes extra time. Boy, is it worth the effort when you get to the weaving though!

Log Cabin and Houndstooth are gorgeous examples of colour and weave. And yes, it’s still just plain weave!

Another option for taking your plain weave setup further is finger controlled (FC) techniques. These are just SO fun because again, you don’t need extra tools, just extra patience, you weave them on a plain weave set up, so you can introduce them to your plain weave warp at any time (use as a border feature within the plain weave piece, OR combine the plain weave and FC technique, OR weave the entire piece using the FC technique).

Some examples of finger controlled techniques include Brook’s Bouquet, Danish Medallions and Leno. I have a free tutorial for how to weave Leno here if you’re interested in checking that out.

Take It Up a Notch: Adding Pickup Sticks

Pick up sticks are a really natural progression from plain weave because, again, you can use pick up techniques on a plain weave warp. You do need extra tools this time, in the form of a pick up stick or two, but these are very affordable and some weavers will make their own from scrap wood or paint stirring sticks.

This humble length of timber can open up your design possibilities like you wouldn’t believe! And you don’t even need to understand what you’re doing to get started!

Basically, you use slot threads and a pick up stick to create extra sheds (spaces) through which your shuttle can pass. These spaces will be different to your regular plain weave sheds and will give you different weave interlacements. I know some weavers feel intimidated by the idea of using pick up sticks but really, it’s so simple and easy.

If you want to see how non scary it really is, check out my free tutorial here. I also have an online class, Pick Up Perfection.

As I pointed out before, you don’t need to understand exactly what is happening on the loom when you use pick up sticks, just follow the instructions you have to get the results. The understanding can come later, if you want it to, or if you’re happy to keep following directions, do that!

But if you are interested in understanding the why, I can give a simple explanation. You know that the rigid heddle loom has 2 shafts available (holes and slots). By using a pick up stick, you are creating an extra shaft (shed/space). The slot threads that are already threaded in your heddle are free to move up and down, the hole threads are not. So, we can make use of those slot threads by placing some of them onto a pick up stick. When operate the pick up stick, I’m giving the loom a chance to make new interlacements beyond plain weave. This creates pattern.

Think of it like this:

Hole threads – shaft 1 (shed 1)

Slot threads – shaft 2 (shed 2)

Pick up stick threads (shed 3)

Now you have turned your 2 shaft loom temporarily into a 3 shaft loom! What if you add another pick up stick? Hello 4 shafts! 😀

Advanced Techniques: Multiple Heddles and Multi-Shaft Patterns

Now we come to the more complex component of this post, weaving 3,4 or more shafts on a rigid heddle loom. Is it possible? Yes, of course! Just like in the previous section on pick up sticks, we just need to make more shafts (sheds).

Let’s look at the 2 main ways we can do this:

  • Heddle, rods and sticks

Besides the 2 shafts available with a single heddle (holes and slots), if you want extra shafts, you’re going to have to make them! A simple and economical way to do this is with pick up sticks. However, after inserting one pick up stick, you will often find that the sheds you have created will not allow the pick up sticks to slide past one another to open up the new sheds you need to create your pattern. How frustrating!

But not to fear, this is where the heddle rod steps in to save the day. A heddle rod is just another way of creating an extra shaft by placing the threads from a pick up stick onto a rod with string heddles. The only materials you need to do this is some wooden dowel and extra yarns suitable for making string heddles. I have a lot of resources for making heddle rods but I recommend you start here. It can be used in combination with a pick up stick, as it will allow the pick up stick to slide freely back and forth.

Here is just one example for how a 4 shaft pattern set up might look on your rigid heddle loom:

  • Shaft 1 – heddle holes
  • Shaft 2 – heddle slots
  • Shaft 3 – heddle rod
  • Shaft 4 – pick up stick

Let’s look at another method for weaving complex patterns:

  • Additional heddles

Most rigid heddle looms can accommodate three heddles (there won’t usually be space for more than that) and many 4 shaft patterns can be woven with just those three heddles. Some 4 shaft patterns need to include tabby (plain weave), such as overshot, and for these patterns it can be easier to use a combination of heddles and a pick up stick to make the lift combinations or weaving sequences more possible.

Purchasing extra heddles if obviously not the cheapest option and one of the rules to weaving this way is that ALL the heddles need to be the same dent. So, 3 x 10 dent heddles or 3 x 7.5 dent heddles, depending on your individual project.

Here is an example of how a 4 shaft pattern might be set up on the rigid heddle loom with 3 heddles (keep in mind that there are many ways to setup so this is just one example 😉):

  • Shaft 1 – heddle 1, holes
  • Shaft 2 – heddle 2, holes
  • Shaft 3 – heddle 3, holes
  • Shaft 4 – heddle 1,2 &3, slots

One of the challenges with rigid heddles is that they are, well… rigid! When you’re using them as multiple shafts, you as the weaver have to decide on warp thread placement. Rather than flexible heddles that are fixed to shafts (like on a table or floor loom) we have to make our threads fit within a fixed space. We also have to make sure that they don’t space too close together or too far apart. All these decisions will impact on the finished look of your pattern.

If you are interested in beginning to weave like this on your rigid heddle loom, I have made specific resources to help with that:

Converting Drafts to the rigid heddle loom, online course

Weaving 3 and 4 shaft patterns on a rigid heddle loom, ebook

Your next question may be, “well, how many shafts exactly can I weave on a rigid heddle loom?” I can’t give a definitive answer, but I’ve seen weavers set up for 8 shaft patterns. Have I done it? No.

I am spoiled with loom choices, so for anything over 4 shafts I always choose my table loom or one of my floor looms, after all, they are set up with 8-10 shafts already and are purpose built for that.

I keep saying that one day I will see how far I can challenge myself on the rigid heddle loom, but whether it’s moving up to 6, 8 or 10 shafts remains to be seen!

Choosing Your Weaving Adventure

Whether you stick with the simplicity of plain weave or dive into advanced techniques, the rigid heddle loom lets you weave your way. The best part? There’s no right or wrong path—just the joy of creating something beautiful with your own hands.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

*This post contains affiliate links. For more information please see my disclosure policy.

Filed Under: Rigid heddle weaving, Rigid Heddle Weaving Patterns, Weaving Tagged With: rigid heddle weaving, rigid heddle weaving patterns, weaving patterns

Supplementary Weft Tutorial

by Kelly 16 Comments

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.

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

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)
  • Threading/reed hook
  • 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.

Supplementary-weft-youtube-tutorialDownload

There are three ways to use this tutorial. You can either:

  1. Warp your loom and then follow my examples exactly according to the video and PDF.
  2. Warp your loom and follow some of my examples to gain confidence, then try some of your own designs.
  3. 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!

Filed Under: Free tutorial, Inspiration, Rigid heddle weaving, Rigid Heddle Weaving Patterns, Tutorials, Weaving Tagged With: rigid heddle weaving, supplementary weft, weaving tutorial

Diamond Stripe Towels Weave Along Gallery

by Kelly 2 Comments

Last year I ran a Weave Along based on my Diamond Stripe Towel pattern.

This rigid heddle pattern is a best seller in my Etsy shop (over 1000 copies sold at the time of writing this article!), but many weavers requested that I put together a class or weave along to compliment the PDF pattern.

The first Weave Along was such a huge success and I had so many students ask me to run it again this year. The second weave along ran throughout January 2022 and just like the first one in 2021, was a raging success.

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

Similar to the Wash Your Hands Towels Gallery, I wanted to be able to showcase some student’s beautiful work from the weave along.

The individual choices of colours and styles is so impressive and inspiring!

In this project we use two heddles to create the diamond pattern. It is a challenging technique, but so many participants completed their towels successfully.

Many participants told me that finishing the Diamond Stripe Towels and weaving with two heddles has opened up a whole new world of weaving for them. That is so exciting to hear!

In addition to the community interaction at the Online Weaving School, participants were also invited to join a private Facebook group to share and troubleshoot. This is a wonderful group with a true spirit of willingness to help.

In the first weave along and in the pattern, there was only the option to use 8/2 cotton for the towels. Following feedback from the first participants, I updated the information to include a supplement video section for those who wished to use 8/4 cotton instead. This has allowed weavers to use what is readily available to them, either from their stash or from local suppliers.

*Please note, these cottons are available in Australia from Thread Collective.

The 2022 Diamond Stripe Towel Weave Along is closed for enrolments, but here is the good news.

If you are a Gold Member of the Online Weaving School, this Weave Along is available to you at any time, following the purchase of the pattern.

And who knows? Maybe if I start to get requests, I will run this weave along again sometime in the future 😉

I hope you enjoyed viewing all of these beautiful towels.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Filed Under: Rigid heddle weaving, Rigid Heddle Weaving Patterns, Weave Along, Weaving Tagged With: diamond stripe towels, rigid heddle weaving

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