Weaving

Can you weave plain weave on krokbragd threading?

My answer to this question is: “Yes… but are you sure you want to?”

There are times when you’re weaving krokbragd and you want to have a little area of just plain colour, whether it’s to break up a busy design or as a border section.

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

My wallhanging piece pictured above has some larger bands of solid white at the top and the bottom to act as borders. The top section was also woven in order to fold over and form the sleeve for my quilt hanger.

You might naturally think that for weaving a solid band of colour, you would choose plain weave. If you have your rigid heddle loom set up with a single heddle, heddle rod and pick up stick, plain weave is easy.

Single heddle, heddle rod and pick up stick loom setup

All you have to do to achieve plain weave on this setup is:

Heddle up
Heddle down

However, plain weave is definitely not the best option (in my opinion) and I’m going to tell you why.

Plain weave is a balanced weave

By it’s very nature, the amount of warp showing compared to the amount of weft showing is equal, ie. balanced! Now, consider the very weft faced krokbragd you have been weaving all this time. The weft completely covers the warp so that all you see is the colours of the weft forming patterns. If you suddenly throw a band of plain weave in there, it’s not going to match up so well with the krokbragd.

Compare the band of green plain weave just woven with the rest of the krokbragd underneath. See the problem?

The warp is showing through, and considering we have spent the rest of the piece carefully beating down the weft to cover the warp, the plain weave now sticks out like a sore thumb! If the entire piece was plain weave, it would be desired that the warp is showing through at the same rate as the weft, but not for krokbragd.

Plain weave is a lighter weave structure

It’s not only the visual aspect of the plain weave that is different to the krokbragd either. Weft faced fabrics are generally quite stiff and dense. There is a great difference in texture between the two weave structures on this piece, with the plain weave section being thin and light.

Changing the weave structures changes your edges

This difference in weight of the woven piece affects the fabric in other ways too. Krokbragd has more draw in than plain weave, so suddenly my edges are no longer consistent and look slightly bulgy in the plain weave section.

So, how do we solve this problem?

Thankfully the answer is extremely simple. All you have to do is keep weaving krokbragd!

Just use the solid colour that you want for your band of colour and move through the 3 step krokbragd weaving sequence. Don’t change your colour until you have the desired amount of weaving.

You can now compare the two sections of weaving in green – the part where the warp is showing is the plain weave and the more uniform looking part on top is the krokbragd. Also, because the green krokbragd follows the previous weave structure, it looks much more uniform and “like it belongs” there.

If you want to learn more about weaving krokbragd on your rigid heddle loom, check out my Krokbragd 101 online course.

If you would like to view this blog post in video format, please view here:

I hope you enjoyed this article! Perhaps it gave you some new ideas for krokbragd design? Or perhaps it has inspired you to give krokbragd a try? Let me know in the comments section below!

P.S. Have you seen the share buttons at the top of this post? You can easily share this article to Pinterest, Facebook or via email with one click. The more shares, the more weavers I can help! Thank you!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

How to weave neat edges on the rigid heddle loom

by Kelly 8 Comments

Nearly a decade ago, I took a leap and uploaded my very first YouTube video: How to Weave Neat Edges on the Rigid Heddle Loom. Using my son’s old camcorder (surprisingly, the footage still holds up!), I shared a simple yet essential weaving tip. My son even stepped in as editor, complete with some charmingly cheesy background music! 😄

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

You could say that this is the video that started it all for me. And to be really dramatic, I could say that there would be no Online Weaving School without this first video. Because, regardless of my fears and zero expectations, people actually watched the video. Then they asked for more.

I never did write a blog post to compliment that video, and there are tips and tricks that I want to point out as important, especially for beginner weavers. So here we go, one blog post, coming up!

TIP ONE – TENSION!

I do go on about this a bit, but that is only because it is SO CRUCIAL!! If your warp is either too loose or too tight, you are going to meet with trouble when you start weaving. Let’s look at too loose first.

This is an example of too loose. If you push up underneath the warp or push down on top and it’s like your hands are on a trampoline that has lost it’s zing, you’re too loose. A too loose tension will result in too loose edges, and even if you employ the techniques I discuss in the video, it’s only going to help a certain amount. When your weft travels around the edge warp threads, it naturally wants to draw in that warp thread a little as it travels to the other side.

That is normal and natural as the weft takes it’s path back and forth across the warp. But, it should not be an excessive amount and it should be consistent. I’m going to talk about consistency more in a moment.

One way to know if your warp is way too loose, is your heddle won’t like to stay in position when you place it there. In the up position, it may fall, in the down position it may just hang there. Doesn’t that sound sad?

So, if your edges seem too loose, try advancing your warp a little.

Then there is the opposite problem, your tension is too tight.

An easy way to know if this is your problem is that you have to wrestle with the heddle to get it into the up position. Not good for your poor old warp which my repay you by snapping a thread. Not good for your loom either, which is only designed to hold a certain amount of tension before damage can occur.

When your tension is too tight, you will also get problems at the edges. They may start to curl upwards as you weave the weft and the warp tries to deal with all that tension. This will also cause the dreaded “smile” from your weaving. It sounds like a good thing to have your weaving smile, but trust me, it ain’t smiling because it’s happy! It will be hard to beat, so your fell line could end up uneven. I can always tell a “too tight” warp because the weft at the edges looks unsettled and unhappy. Not consistent and cruisy.

In between “too tight” and “too loose” tension is “inconsistent tension”. I feel that this is even worse than the previous two, because at least they can be remedied easily by adjusting warp tension.

Inconsistent warp tension usually occurs in the warping process. Perhaps you have warped independently, you’ve grabbed the warp with one hand to roll it on, but you haven’t paid enough attention to the middle part of the warp. It then rolls on looser than the rest. What you finish up with when you start warping is a loose middle and too tight edges. Aaaagh! Not fun. At all. And, once again, a sure recipe for whacky edges.

If you have ongoing warp tension issues and find that frustrating, I highly recommend a beginner’s class like my Woe to Go – Beginner Rigid Heddle Weaving.

TIP TWO – WINDING OF YOUR STICK SHUTTLE

The way in which you wind yarn onto your stick shuttle will affect your edges. I like to use a figure 8 to wind my shuttle yarn, as it creates a flow, meaning the yarn feeds off the shuttle without snagging or pulling unnecessarily. This, in turn, means a smoother weave and no sudden catching or pulling in of the edge threads due to yarn getting stuck on the shuttle.

If you need to see the figure 8 method of loading your stick shuttle, you can watch here:

TIP 3 – ANGLE THE WEFT

When you take your weft picks through, you want to ensure that you angle it before beating. If you’re a beginner, a 45 degree angle is good, and for more experienced weavers, around 25 – 30 degrees is fine. Doing this helps with your edges because it gives the weft room to settle into place, rather than being dragged into a tight spot that feels un-natural. And now I’m talking as though the yarn has feelings, but that is what happens to you if you work with it for long enough 😆

TIP 4 – PINCHING TECHNIQUE

I think that maybe, out of all the things I’ve shared with others about weaving, this one may have been the most helpful to the greatest number of people. It really does make that much difference.

Let’s go over the steps to my pinching technique:

I’ve taken the weft through, I’m angling it, and then I’m bringing my pointer finger into the shed to feel the weft as it travels around the edge of the warp thread.

Then, I’m placing my thumb on top so that the weft yarn, along with the warp thread are wedged or “pinched”. This gives me a really good tactile sense of how the weft is behaving at the edge warp. Perhaps it needs tightening up, or perhaps it needs loosening. I place some tension on the weft yarn with the opposite hand to help it settle in.

The last step of the process is to give that weft tail that is sitting up on the right hand side a little tug to help it settle into place before the next pick.

If you practice this technique for a while, you will learn what the yarn is telling you (oops, there I go again!) and how you should proceed.

If you enjoyed this tutorial, you may want to check out the huge variety of classes I have on offer in my Online Weaving School. There are many rigid heddle classes, from beginner to advanced. If you purchase a membership, you also gain access to the private member’s group – a fantastic community of like minded weavers and support team. I hope to see you there!

I have a bunch of other posts and videos on weaving neat edges, as it’s a problem that pops up so often. Isn’t it good to know that there is something you can do about it?

Help! My edges are wonky!

Troubleshooting loose slot threads

Going around the edges

Try this trick for neater edges

Lifeline selvedge technique

Yet another neat edges tutorial

Thank you for visiting, and be sure to leave me a comment down below.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Krokbragd 101 Online Course

by Kelly 13 Comments

It’s been in my mind for a long time to make a complete “from start to finish” style rigid heddle krokbragd class to add to my Online Weaving School.

My krokbragd videos on Youtube are some of my most popular videos, but many of you have asked me for more. Considering krokbragd is one of my favourite weave structures, I am more than happy to oblige!

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

My aim for this course is to introduce newer weavers to this fabulous weave structure, but also to help more seasoned weavers learn and enjoy weaving krokbragd. I provide two different loom set ups to accommodate for personal preferences, for the equipment you may have on hand and as an additional learning experience.

The first section is a sampler woven with a single heddle, a pick up stick and a heddle rod. This is how you will see me weaving krokbragd in my Youtube videos.

The second section is the exact same sampler, but woven using two heddles of the same size.

The student can choose to either weave the sampler twice, practicing both methods of setting up the loom, or weaving the sampler once, choosing the set up method they prefer.

Whichever set up method you choose, step by step instructions are provided.

In the sampler we learn to weave some really fun and beautiful designs, including:

Columns
Squares
Stripes
Flowers
Flame point, and even
Traffic lights!

You then have the space and freedom to practice these designs on the same warp or to try some of your own designs!

In this course we will be looking at common krokbragd issues like beating tension, appropriate yarns, colour and neat selvedges.

There will be additional visual threading diagrams as well as the video demonstrations.

The course culminates in a final project which will be a beautiful, one of a kind wall hanging. I have always wanted to weave a krokbragd wall hanging as an artistic feature for my home and I can’t wait to share this project with all of you!

Krokbragd is so fun, relaxing and rewarding, I just know you are going to LOVE this course!

Gold members of the Online Weaving School have early access to the course as it is being made and uploaded. If you are a Gold member, go to your curriculum list and look for “Krokbragd 101” under “K”. Alternatively, click here for the direct link.

This course will become available to other members upon the release date. It will also be available for single, non member purchase.

This class is now open and can be purchased here.

If you are interested in krokbragd and want to know more prior to the course opening, I have a lot of free resources for you! Start with this post for more information.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Learn about Copyright

by Kelly 13 Comments

Copyright is a big issue in the online craft/creative world. It is often unclear to consumers what their responsibilities are.

The popularity of the internet has made it even more difficult for creators to protect their original work. Often, there is an assumption that because it’s on the internet, it can be used however you wish.

This is far from the truth, and you can find yourself in some pretty hot water if don’t do your research and infringe on copyright. I think a lot of people misuse original material unwittingly, they don’t intend any offence but rather just don’t understand the implications.

There are a lot of grey areas but today I’m going to take you through the basics of copyright – what it is, what your responsibilities are and good copyright etiquette.

What is copyright?

The dictionary definition of copyright is:

“The exclusive and assignable legal right, given to the originator for a fixed number of years, to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material.”

Let’s break that down into layman’s terms to determine how it affects us as creatives.

Basically, as a creator of original artistic material, (in my case, online classes, original pattern designs, blog articles) I have the right to legally dictate how those materials are used.

At a consumer level, copyright is about you or me, as the consumer or purchaser of original products, must abide by the wishes of the creator as to how the products are used.

Let me give you a crystal clear example, using my own work:

When you purchase a pattern from my Etsy shop, you will see a © symbol on the front page. This is like a little declaration of mine, to say that this is my original work.

On the last page of my pattern, there may be terms of use included. This may look something like:

“You are permitted to sell your items made using this pattern, providing you credit Kelly Casanova as the designer. This pattern may not be copied or reproduced in any way”.

This kind of language helps me to legally protect my original design work from theft and misuse.

So, now let’s cover what your responsibilities as the consumer are, specifically in weaving:

In regards to weaving someone else’s design, you cannot take it for granted that you have permission from the designer to use the design however you wish.

All designers are different, and just because I allow the sale of items made by following one of my patterns, it won’t be the same for all designers, and that is the exclusive right of the designer to make those decisions.

Like my own designs, often designers will actually say within the pattern something like:

“Personal use only. You may not resell this pattern or design in any way”. That would be pretty clear that you cannot use that design to sell.

Or you may see something like- “Licensing available for limited number of items you may sell from this pattern. Please contact the designer for further information”.

This would indicate that yes, you may sell some items from the design you purchased, but to do so you must additionally purchase a licence from the designer and agree to their conditions.

If you’re in doubt, or if there is no real information included with the pattern, always contact the designer, never just assume that you can sell the piece or you may land yourself in hot water.

What about using an idea from a book?

It is fine to learn a technique from a book or a class and then use that it one of your own projects to sell. It is not OK to copy a project from a book and sell the item as your own. The rights for the project belong to the book author. Again, you can try contacting the author if you need clarification.

An example of using a technique would be that you watch my Youtube video on clasped weft. It is not a project video, just the technique. You then decide that you are going to make a clasped weft scarf to sell. You choose the yarns, colours etc and make it how you want to. You then don’t need to credit anyone except yourself as the maker because you have used a technique that you’ve learned.

In weaving, we learn techniques, use very old weaving drafts and ideas and then we go and put our own spin on it. There are many techniques that I use that I figured out for myself – does that mean they have not already been done? Not likely!

You can’t copyright or trademark a weaving technique unless you can prove you came up with it yourself and it hasn’t been done before. That would be very rare these days.

But projects, finished items are another thing – you can’t just go out and copy designer’s projects to sell unless you meet all the conditions already mentioned.

Bear in mind also, that if you receive permission for one project, that is not a blanket statement – you also need permission for any other designs from that designer.

One thing that I expressly want to point out because it is so important, is that when you purchase from a designer or creator, you are supporting them financially. You are paying for a product, and that provides income and possibly wages for more than one person.

To copy somebody else’s original work and sell it as your own is stealing. To reproduce a pattern and use it for your own gain without permission is stealing. To “find” a design on the internet and use it for your own financial gain, without permission, is stealing.

I think you catch my drift. If you do not follow copyright requirements, you are taking income from someone who has put in the hard work and time to produce it. You are taking income from that designer’s family.

Not only that, if you infringe on a designer’s rights, they are entitled to instigate legal action against you. And no one wants that!

I could talk about this all day, it’s such a broad issue and to some questions there are not clear answers. That is where it is so important to refer to the individual to be sure.

My best advice is to be cautious, respectful and do your research. If you have anything to add to the conversation, I would love to hear from you in the comments below.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Kelly

How to read a rigid heddle weaving draft

by Kelly 26 Comments

Most of the time when you are weaving on a rigid heddle loom and following instructions, there will be written notes for how to weave a pattern.

For example, in any of my rigid heddle classes you will see threading instructions, telling you which holes and slots to thread, including colour order wherever it’s applicable. You will see any extra instructions for using pick up sticks if they are being used. All these things will be shown and often written in a file with step by step text instructions.

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

But, what about weaving drafts? Weaving drafts are not something that a rigid heddle weaver needs to know, because, as I mentioned above, most weaving patterns or classes for rigid heddle will have written instructions and won’t even mention a weaving draft.

However, learning to read a basic weaving draft can be really useful for two main reasons:

It helps you to gain an understanding of how your rigid heddle loom actually operates. You will discover this in a moment as we go through how to read a plain weave draft and how it translates to your RH loom.

2. Many rigid heddle weavers choose to venture into multi shaft weaving – either by adapting their rigid heddle loom or by purchasing a table or floor loom. Knowing how to read a draft is invaluable to the weaver who aims to weave with more than two shafts at some stage.

Today, we’re going to look at a simple plain weave, two shaft weaving draft. I chose to help you learn about a two shaft draft because I want you to focus first on learning the basic layout of a non complicated weaving draft, and also because a rigid heddle loom is a two shaft loom.

You can see that I opted for bright and contrasting colours so that you can distinctly see the pattern. Personally, I would probably not choose these colours for a project, but some of you may love them! 😬

This is the most typical layout for a weaving draft, but if it is an older draft you are looking at, the information may be in different places, for example, the line of numbers I have at the top may be at the bottom instead.

Alright, let’s get into the nitty gritty by learning the different parts of the draft and what they mean, starting at the top.

The top section circled in red is the threading. For plain weave on a rigid heddle loom we use two shafts and these are represented by the numbers 1 and 2 that repeat across. The threading section is a horizontal bar on the draft, but indicates the vertical purple warp threads. You can think of these numbers as being like the vertical threads of your warp.

You can think of the holes on your heddle as shaft 1 (number 1 in the threading section) and the slots on your heddle as shaft 2 (number 2 in the threading section).

To find the start of the threading section, we read from right to left, beginning in the first box in the right hand corner, which is a number 1.

Also note the colour that appears above the number 1, which in this case is purple.

This tells me that my first thread for my warp is a purple thread that will be threaded in a hole. The second will be in a slot. Then a hole, then a slot, and so on.

This would be an easy warp as there are no warp colour changes.

Next I want to discuss the tie up box.

When using a multi shaft loom, you need to know which shafts need to be tied up to which treadles, this is where the tie up box in the top right corner of the draft comes in.

The circles you can see in the box match up with either number one or two on the threading section, indicating which shafts are to be used. The circle usually means that the tie up is for a rising shed loom. An “X” will often mean the tie up is for a sinking shed loom.

See how the first circle in the tie up box lines up with the shaft 1 threads in the threading section?

And circle 2 from the treadling box lines up with shaft 2 threads in the threading section.

How is this relevant to the rigid heddle weaver, considering we don’t have to tie up treadles?

It simply shows us which shafts need to be engaged in order to weave the pattern. If we thread our shaft 1 in the heddle holes and shaft 2 in the heddle slots, as described earlier, we don’t need to do anything else (like tie up treadles) in order to start weaving those shafts. The warping and threading of the heddle is all the preparation we need.

The long, vertical box to the right of the draft is the treadling section. The box is vertical, but indicates the horizontal part of your weaving, which is the weft. My weft is yellow, and this is indicated by the yellow box next to each number.

Again, as rigid heddle weavers, we don’t “treadle” but we do manipulate our heddle in order to open shafts, and this box gives us the correct order we need to use to weave the pattern.

On the rigid heddle, we operate the heddle for plain weave by either lifting it into the up position or placing it in the down position.

When you lift your heddle up, have a look at what is happening with the threads. All the hole threads are lifted up, and the slot threads stay down. The space in between the two layers of threads is our shed.

Now, when you place your heddle down, the opposite occurs – all the slot threads pop up and the hole threads stay down. This creates a second, different shed. In that case:

Heddle up = Shaft 1 engaged

Heddle down = Shaft 2 engaged

So, we understand that the heddle just goes up and down and that makes our 2 shafts. But let’s look more closely at the draft to ensure that we can visually follow the changing of shafts.

We start reading the treadling (or order of shafts) in the first box that appears under the tie up box. The treadling sequence will not always be indicated by numbers, there may be a filled box, a diagonal slash or similar.

Also, some drafts will use numbers to indicate how many times you are going to weave a certain pick. But, because we are just alternating between shafts 1 and 2, I have used the numbers 1 and 2 underneath the circles.

For this draft, the first number is on the left, underneath the circle that indicates shaft 1. For the RH weaver, shaft 1 means hole threads, which means heddle up.

When you have woven your shaft 1 pick you will then change to the next shed by following along to the next number in the next line down. It is a number 2 and so for the RH weaver, that means the down shed.

After weaving this shed, you then follow to the next row down, which is a shaft 1. And so on.

The last part of the weaving draft is the drawdown.

The drawdown is essentially a diagram of the fabric you will weave. It provides you with a visual representation of what your pattern might look like.

Naturally, elements such as your sett and chosen yarns can vary the look of the cloth greatly, so your finished piece will not necessarily look just like the drawdown. It shows the interlacement of your thread colours.

With our plain weave, checkerboard pattern you can easily see that the alternating colours in each row of purple, yellow, purple, yellow represent our warp and weft colours, and also our shafts one and two.

If you would like to use this draft, as well as the fabric view, to print out, I have made a printable PDF for you, which you can download below:

Plain-weave-draft Download

If you would also like to see this post in video format, please visit my Youtube channel:

If you are interested in knowing more about reading weaving drafts, I have two members only classes at my Online Weaving School.

Introduction to reading weaving drafts

Reading a 2 shaft plaid draft for rigid heddle weavers

I hope this was helpful to you. Questions and comments are welcome, I love to hear from you!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Clasped Weft Weaving Step by Step Tutorial

by Kelly 19 Comments

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.

*This post contains affiliate links. for more information, see my disclosure policy.

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 round ball or a cone, 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 you get to the left, take your stick shuttle underneath the contrast yarn. An easy way to do this is to pick up the contrast yarn as the stick shuttle exits the shed and place it on top of the shuttle.

On the right hand side (where your shuttle entered), tidy up and prepare your weft yarn at the selvedge 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.

Clasped Weft with 2 colours

Clasped Weft with 3 colours

Clasped Weft with 4 colours

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!

How to sit correctly at a rigid heddle loom

by Kelly 16 Comments

In my last post, I spoke about my back pain journey and gave all my best hints to help you avoid experiencing pain while weaving on your floor loom.

That post was very popular and many of you asked if I could do something similar for weaving on your rigid heddle loom. A floor loom and a rigid heddle loom are quite different when it comes to seating, and while a lot of the same principles I talked about in my last article regarding posture still apply, I think it’s worth going over the options.

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

I’d like to point out that, even though some of these are not my personal preference, that doesn’t mean that they’re not right for you. And, if you are using a seating arrangement currently that works really well and allows you to weave pain free – don’t change it!

Regular chair-

Some weavers use a regular, straight backed dining chair to weave. This is what I started off with when I began my rigid heddle journey, but it did not suit me at all. I did find it better if I bolstered my lower back by wedging a cushion between my back and the chair when weaving, but it was still not comfortable for me.

Weaving bench–

I would not use a weaving bench or piano stool with my rigid heddle. The length of the stool does not allow me to get right in close to the loom, and there is no back support.

Office chair–

This is what I use and I’m going to go over in more depth why I think it is the best option in a moment.

With a stand-

I do recommend weaving with a stand for loom sizes 24″ and above. This is because the larger/wider the loom, the more difficult it is to prop against a table to weave, and the longer your reach distance will be. A longer reach distance means more stress on your body.

Without a stand-

I don’t use a stand for my Sampleit 10″ loom because it’s so small, light and portable that I can weave on it just about anywhere, it makes a great lap loom. You don’t have to have a stand for your rigid heddle, but I do think it’s really worthwhile investment. If you have or are looking at purchasing a really large loom, such as a 32 or 48″, I would definitely be wanting a stand.

I want to talk now a little more about my office chair and why I think it’s the perfect solution. I was lucky enough to get my chair for free when my husband’s workplace was closing an office and it was barely used!

Height adjustable
Contoured
Back rest adjustable
Tiltable

All of this means that I can sit right in close to my loom and adjust the chair to be as comfortable as I could possibly want to be. My back, shoulders and neck are not stressed because my body is so well positioned.

Because my chair is on wheels, it’s really quick to make minor adjustments to get closer to or further from the loom.

My feet are either flat on the floor or positioned on top of the stand’s stabilising bar, meaning the loom is very stable.

Now, just because we have a super duper chair with nice back support doesn’t mean we can get lazy about posture. Yes, it’s still possible to slouch, bend or tilt your body in ways that will wear on your back over time.

So don’t forget those good posture points – a straight back, level shoulders, elbows resting comfortably on the front beam.

Regular breaks are important, to give your body an opportunity to move about in a different way after being in one position for a while. If you want to read more about posture, breaks and stretching, I recommend you read over this post.

And to see my seating position in action, I’ve made a video for you. The video shows both how I sit with my loom on a stand and how I sit when not using a stand. You can click below to check that out:

I hope this post was helpful to you and gets you thinking about ways you can maximise your weaving time by minimising back, neck and shoulder pain.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Avoiding back pain at the floor loom

by Kelly 24 Comments

This is an issue close to my heart, as I have a lower back injury. Over my years of weaving, I’ve had to find the best ways to avoid pain while being able to indulge in as much weaving as possible.

The more time you spend thinking about and implementing comfortable weaving, the more time you will be able to spend actually doing it into the future.

Firstly I’m going to talk about seating.

There are a few important factors here. Generally, a regular chair cannot be used for weaving on a floor loom, so we have to look at the best suitable alternatives.

So, what are these alternatives?

Most floor loom manufacturers also make weaving benches that can be purchased separately but are made specifically for your loom. Benches can be very pricey.

I’ve seen some weavers seated on exercise balls for threading the loom, which allows you to get very close to the shafts – I don’t intend to try this myself, but it’s another option.

I have been fortunate to find the perfect seating option for me. I use an adjustable, padded piano bench. Let me tell you why I love this option:

It’s height adjustable.

An adjustable bench is important because it allows you to adjust your seated height to suit the loom. Your posture at the loom is crucial to your long term back health. Your elbows should be able to rest on the front cloth beam without you having to raise them up. Your hips should be higher up than your legs (like they are when you’re driving a car) because otherwise you’re going to have to exert more pressure when treadling and then – hello back pain!

2. It has ample seating space.

When I was looking at buying a weaving bench, all I could think when I saw commercial weaving benches is “they obviously weren’t built for weavers with generous lower proportions!” The piano bench accommodates my… ahem… ample behind (🙈) very well because it is wide enough, but not so wide as to be a difficulty.

3. It’s padded.

I can’t imagine sitting on a non padded bench, ouch. If you can get something with padding built in, that is better because you don’t have to contend with it slipping around.

4. It has 4 legs.

This is really useful for the threading stage, as I can angle the bench so that two legs sit inside the front of the loom, allowing me to be closer to the shafts and therefore putting less strain on my back.

If you purchase an adjustable piano bench, try to spend a bit more to get good quality. I did not do this, and am constantly having to tighten bolts because the bench is not as stable as I would like. Eventually I’ll invest in a good one!

Also, don’t get the cheap, fold out piano bench. I do have one of these for my kids to use at the piano, and it’s surprising strong, but you want a bench with four legs, as I already mentioned.

Now let’s discuss some other tips and strategies for keeping your back pain free at the loom.

If you already have pain:

Firstly, if your lower back is on fire REST IT! I can’t stress this enough. Do not sit at that loom again until your back has settled down, you will only make it worse. I know it’s hard to take a break but it really is necessary.

Take anti inflammatories if needed, use ice or heat – whatever works for you to get your back moving towards normal again. If you’re using medications due to a flair up, do it sensibly and in consultation with a medical professional.
If your flare up does not settle down, you may need to see someone who can help you. This may be a chriopractor, a physical therapist, a masseuse – there are options to try and you don’t have to suffer alone!

As you weave:
Try to move a little or shift your weight from side to side as you weave rather than keeping your body really rigid – follow the shuttle with your body, especially if it’s a wide warp.
Throw and catch your shuttle in a way that is not causing you to raise your arms unnecessarily or at weird angles.
Get in close to the loom. The closer you are, the nearer your reach. You can also naturally brace yourself against the breast beam to beat.

Treadle positioning:

A couple of years ago we bought a new (secondhand) van following an accident where our existing van was written off. The new van was the same company and make as the last one, but was a slightly updated model.

As soon as I began driving the new van, I noticed a difference in the height of the accelerator. The new accelerator was so much higher than the old one! I had to lift my foot higher to depress the pedal. And, guess what? Yep, the hip pain started up and is still a problem. I try to limit my driving, but when I do drive I use cruise control as much as possible so that I’m not having to lift my right foot so much.

My point? The higher you have to lift your feet to operate your treadles, the more stress you will place on your legs and ultimately, your back. If your treadles are very low to the floor (as they are for my floor loom) you will not have that stress on your body.

You may find that older looms not only have treadles sitting high, you also have to depress them quite firmly. If you do have an older loom, I recommend looking at any modifications you can do to get those treadles lower to the floor.

Take regular breaks.

It’s tempting to stay in the weaving groove and forget about time, but breaks are necessary. Get up, walk, stretch. Don’t sit at the loom for so long at one time that you feel sore and stiff when you get up. Anticipate the stiffness (even set a timer if you need it) and be kind to your body by resting it.

Batching tasks:

This goes hand in hand with the last point on taking breaks. Plan out your project so that you can batch tasks.

For example, if you’re threading for a full width project, unless you are Speedy Gonzales, you have to expect that the threading will take several hours. Plan to do a certain amount at one time or on one day. Make an agreement with yourself like: “Today I will aim to thread half of this project, taking regular breaks. If I start to experience pain, I will stop or only do a quarter of the threading”. You’re still making progress, but you’re not overdoing it.

Another example: “I will aim to make my warp today, dress my loom tomorrow, do half of the threading the next day and the second half the following day etc”. Break the tasks down to keep them achievable. You may end up doing more than you planned because you are pain free, but the point is to have a plan in place.

Accept bodily limitations:

This is a hard one! I’m sure we all wish that we were completely fit, healthy and pain free. But we need to be realistic and accept that we are not perfect. Accept the physical limitations you may have and don’t push yourself beyond them. Work with what you can do and make that your focus.

Sit up straight!

Did you ever here those words from your mother at the dining table? Well, she was right! 😆 You want to sit naturally, not rigidly at the loom, but you also want to keep your back nice and straight. If you find yourself slumping often, go back and check the seating points I discussed. It may be that your bench is not at a correct height.

Overall loom posture is really important. Remember – elbows on the breast beam, hips higher than knees, back straight!

I hope this post has been helpful to you. I have made a companion video so you can see just how I sit at my loom. You can view that here:

If you want to get started in floor loom weaving, my Introduction to Floor Loom Weaving course is perfect. It takes you through step by step processes to give you the confidence to get weaving!

Want to know more about my floor loom? Check out my review by clicking here.

Let’s keep the conversation going! Do you have any helpful tips to add? Any questions? I would love to hear from you in the comments.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

What do I need to get started in rigid heddle weaving?

by Kelly 9 Comments

I’m going to make a bold statement. 2020 is the year of the weaver!

Yes, this year has been very difficult, very strange, and frequently lacking in positivity. But as I’m the kind of person who likes to look for the good things in the face of adversity, I think in many ways it has been a really wonderful year, full of opportunity and promise!

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

I don’t have any exact figures, but I know that weaving, and rigid heddle weaving in particular has seen a massive popularity surge this year.

It totally makes sense. Most of us have been through some sort of lockdown (some of us multiple lockdowns!) and have found ourselves shut in our homes with a lot of extra time on our hands.

I’m so happy to see that so many people have used this unprecedented time to start something new or to dive in to something they always wanted to do.

Perhaps we can use this as life inspiration for going forward. So many of us are waiting for just the right time to do what we truly love. The fact is, for some, that right time may never come. If we have learned anything this year, I think maybe it should be – DON’T WAIT! START NOW!

So, if you are one of the many who have started weaving this year or are waiting on your new loom to arrive, welcome! It’s so good to have you on the journey.

I thought that it might be useful today, to look at the bare basics you need to get started in rigid heddle weaving. I’ll break down and explain each item you will need to get up and running.

A rigid heddle loom

That’s a can of worms right there! There are a lot of choices and in the interests of not keeping you here for the next 3 days, I’m going to keep this section brief and refer you to further learning resources if you need them.

I do want to say, you do not need the biggest, most expensive loom if you’re just starting out. If you’ve never used a rigid heddle loom and are not sure what to expect, start out small. A Sampleit (I have one of these!) or Cricket is a perfect size for practicing weaving, and you might be surprised at the range of items you can weave, even on a small loom.

If you have already tried out a loom and have goals for the types of items you want to weave, you may want to go with something larger. As a general guide, a 24″ loom is great for scarves, towels, table runners and bags. A 32″ and larger is great for large shawls, baby blankets and yardage fabric.

For a larger loom you will also want to consider purchasing a stand for ease of use.

If you want to know more about various looms available, how to choose a loom that will suit you and what you can achieve with a rigid heddle loom, go here.

2. A heddle/reed

You will receive a heddle/reed with your rigid heddle loom. It will either be a 7.5 or 8 dent, depending on the brand. This is a great size to start out with and you don’t need to purchase any other sizes initially unless you are really keen to work with some lighter (fingering weight, 8/2 weight) yarns.

If you do want to grab an extra heddle, I recommend a 10 dent – it’s a great all rounder.

3. A stick shuttle

You should also receive a stick shuttle appropriate to the size of your loom when you purchase. This is what you wind your weft yarn on to in order to weave.

If you want to weave with more than one weft colour (say if you’re weaving stripes) you will want more than one stick shuttle. They are quite affordable, and some weavers even make their own.

If you need to know how to wind a stick shuttle, check out this video:

4. A threading/reed hook

You may or may not receive a threading and reed hook with your loom, but you will definitely need them! They can be purchased as a separate threading hook or reed hook, but I love to use my double ended heddle hook.

These are two tools in one, they are cheap, I like that they lie flat and don’t roll off surfaces and I find the flexibility of the plastic great when threading. I have also found that metal hooks tend to split my yarn when I’m using a thicker yarn, whereas the plastic is a little kinder.

If you need tips on how to thread your rigid heddle loom, check out this video:

5. Separators

You will need something to separate your warp with when rolling it on to the loom. This is crucial for good tension. You have a few options for separators.

Cardboard stick separators
Corrugated cardboard
Roll of thick paper (this is my favourite)
Drawer liner

6. Warping peg

Most weavers start out warping their looms directly, using a warping peg. This is a really fast and easy way to warp and also means you don’t have the added expense of a warping board, frame or mill. A warping peg and clamp may come with your loom, as well as an extra clamp for fixing your loom to a table.

7. Inch ruler

This is used to determine the correct sett of your yarn. This is particularly important when you’re starting out and getting to know how different yarns behave in different projects.

You could also use a wraps per inch tool or yarn gauge or a sett checker.

If you need to know how to determine sett for your yarn, have a look at this video:

8. Scissors

A nice, sharp pair of scissors will save you a lot of headaches. I have a large pair of dressmaking shears for cutting off the warp and cutting my handwoven fabric and a smaller, embroidery sized pair I keep close to the loom for snipping weft threads. Some weavers like to use thread snips as their smaller pair.

9. Tape measure

You will need a tape measure to measure out your warp length and to measure your weaving as you advance your warp. I am frequently seen with a tape measure hanging around my neck, I use them so often!

They are very affordable, so I like to have a few that I can leave in different places and always have one near at hand.

10. Yarn

We’re not going to be able to achieve much with our looms and equipment unless we have the yarn to play with! Many of you will have come to weaving from knitting and crochet and will already have a healthy stash to delve into. Knitting yarns are great for beginning weaving.

For those of you with no stash, don’t worry, just start out simple. Don’t go out and buy all the yarns – plan your project and just get the yarn you need to begin with. Or weave a sampler with small amounts of yarn.

But wait, you say! I have no idea where to start with yarn. You’re not alone in that, but relax, I have created resources to help you with that:

Choosing and using yarns in weaving

3 Yarns beginners should avoid

Which weight of yarn should I choose?

If some of the terminology I’ve used in this article is confusing to you, why not head over and check out my Weaving Glossary? I suggest you bookmark it so that you can refer back to it as much as needed.

Once you have all the tools you need to begin, then it gets really exciting! If you are ready to dive in and get weaving, I recommend you check out my Online Weaving School. You will find classes for all levels, including free and paid classes.

If you are an absolute beginner, you definitely need to enrol in my best selling From Woe to Go! Beginner Rigid Heddle Weaving course.

If it’s a free project you’re looking to start out with (or for a second or third project perhaps), have a look at my list of free tutorials here. In particular, I want to recommend a project that has been massively popular this year, the Wash Your Hand Towels.

I hope this article has been useful to you, if you have any questions or comments, leave them down below!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Troubleshooting loose slot threads

by Kelly 31 Comments

Loose slot threads when weaving on a rigid heddle loom are very common. The fact is that a rigid heddle loom just does not hold the same amount of tension as a floor or table loom.

This means that the rigid heddle weaver can run into a bit of bother when warping up with fine, rigid weaving yarns. An 8/2 cotton is a floor loom weaver’s dream but can be quite a challenge on the rigid heddle.

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

Knitting yarns or slightly thicker weaving yarns with some elasticity work beautifully on a rigid heddle loom, as they don’t need a lot of tension and are very forgiving.

How do I know if my tension is good enough?

This can be a personal preference, but there are certainly a few guidelines for knowing whether your tension is suitable or not:

Too loose

Your warp threads bunch in between weft picks (rows)

You have floats or skipped warp threads often

Your stick shuttle keeps snagging on warp threads as you enter the sheds

Your heddle doesn’t click easily into the up or down shed

Too tight

You struggle to get your heddle/s into the up position

You have warp threads breaking

You feel a lot of resistance when trying to beat

Does this mean that rigid heddle weavers should not weave with weaving yarns? Not at all! There are too many wonderful weaving yarns in a massive variety of colours out there to try! With the right approach and strategies, all yarns can be used successfully.

Getting the warp right

The warping the loom stage is the most crucial time to get that tension as good as you can. Not as tight as you can, necessarily, but even, consistent and firm. When I have a good warping experience, I just know that the project is going to go smoothly.

There are a few key strategies for getting good tension during the warping process. I talk about it in this webinar but I also want to mention some of them here:

Have someone help you. Your helper can hold on to the end of the warp, providing great tension, while you focus on standing behind the loom and winding on.
Pack the back beam as you roll on. You can use cardboard or wooden sticks/ separators, a roll of thick paper, a blind or a drawer liner. My personal favourite here is the roll of paper which you can cut to size if needed. 125 gsm is a good weight.

For a wider warp, use more than one warping peg. This helps distribute the threads over the width of the loom in a more practical way and is more economical, as threads don’t have to travel as far to loop around just one peg.
Take your time. Extra time spent in warping is well worth the investment. Remember – good warp = happy weaving experience 😄
Pay particular attention to the middle of the warp while rolling on, particularly if warping independently. The middle is the most likely place to lose tension and get saggy threads.

2. Consider a shorter warp

A rigid heddle loom can take quite a lot of length in a warp, but I haven’t found a long warp to be best practice. If I have the opportunity, I will break a warp into smaller increments where possible.

This doesn’t bother me, because the rigid heddle is so quick to warp for more simple projects, so it doesn’t take much extra time. I find that the longer my warp on the rigid heddle, the harder it is to keep a good tension for the duration of the warp.

3. The tie on

The tying on step is also important for your overall tension. Whether you tie directly on to the apron rod (as I do 99% of the time) or lash on, this step is another opportunity to “get it right” before beginning weaving.

Once again, I don’t aim for really tight tension when tying on, but I do aim for the best consistency I can manage. This means going over the tied on threads once, twice, thrice if needed so that they all feel about the same.

I gauge this tension by bouncing my hand across the warp (like a trampoline!) Any bunch of threads that feel much looser than others will get a re-tighten.

4. Know your yarns

There are certain threads that are harder to tension due to their inelastic structure. I already mentioned 8/2 cotton, but many plant based or cellulose fibres (cotton, linen, hemp, etc) are quite rigid and easier to weave with a higher level of tension. Animal fibres or protein fibres (wool, alpaca, etc) generally have a little more stretch.

The amount of twist, number of ply and thickness or weight can also effect how rigid a yarn is. It helps to know your yarns – to sample yarns you’r unsure of and accustom yourself to all their particulars.

If you need a little more guidance with yarns, I have some resources that will help:

Choosing and using yarns in weaving

What is a superwash wool yarn?

3 yarns beginner weavers should never use!

5. Stuff it!

Packing, stuffing and wedging your back and front beams will always help with tension. If, despite your best efforts, your warp is just not tensioned well enough then start packing! You can use stiff paper, cardboard, sticks (either separators or pick up sticks) or whatever else you can come up with that works, to wedge under or between your warp at the beams.

When advancing your warp, start packing the front beam. This will prevent the knots from the apron rod from sticking into your weaving as it rolls around them beam (which can damage or distort your weaving and mess with your tension) and provide overall better tension each time you advance.

You can insert a pick up stick or something similar into a shed that is giving you particular trouble (usually the down shed) and slide it to the back beam. Push it right back so that it becomes wedged between the thread layers and tightens that shed for you.

You can also wedge something directly under the warp at the back beam to increase overall tension. To see this in action, watch this video, which also includes additional tips for working with fine threads:

6. One sided looseness

Perhaps your loose tension problem is at the selvedge? To be more specific, one selvedge is fine while the other is loose? You end up with neat edges on one side and not so great edges on the opposite side.

If you want generally to improve the neatness of your edges, check out this post for more resources.

One thing you can try in this instance is to begin and finish threading in a hole. When we thread for plain weave, we usually thread one thread in a hole, one in a slot, and so on. Most of the time we are threading an even number of threads.

But for this technique, we thread an uneven number of ends on purpose, so that the last thread gets threaded through a hole. The reasoning behind this technique is twofold. Firstly, the threads are threaded in holes, which hold better tension than the slots. Secondly, the outermost threads will be under the same or similar tension (both being in holes) so the results of your woven edges should be more similar looking.

If that sounds confusing, check out this video where I show you how to thread both selvedge threads in holes and you will see how simple it is:

7. Warping in down shed

As a disclaimer, I have not tried this technique, I have only heard about it. The idea is that it’s the down (slot) sheds that have looser tension, so warping your loom with the heddle in the down shed potentially tightens the slot thread tension. If you decide to give this a go, I would be interested to know how it turns out for you!

I hope this article was useful to you. As always, questions and comments are welcome, please leave them down below! ⤵

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!