Back-Blogged

Colonial-Patterned Double Weave

Does this happen to you? A pressing goal in one area of life causes neglect in another? That is how blogging slipped to a lower priority. I may not be the first to think of it, but “Back-Blogged” is how I feel. The demands of gardening during an unusually early spring, the possibility of a cross-county move with necessary reduction of accumulated stuff, and a rug design request/challenge from our son and daughter-in-law have kept me hopping. Life is never boring.

Contemplating the move has been particularly worrisome but also exhilarating. I find myself looking around the studio at my “stash”. Space is at a premium and I have squirreled away far too much yarn and equipment for comfort. My studio is actually rather a small room, about 10’ x 12.5’. And you know how it is with available space – easily filled. I’m afraid there are tough decisions ahead for this weaver. On the positive side, the move may not happen right away. Panic has not vanished; it has simply been delayed.

Second group of Colonial-Patterned Double Weave coasters

In the mean time weaving continues. Here are a few snaps of my second Colonial-Patterned Double Weave exploration. With this warp my goals included:

1.     To weave slightly larger coasters

2.     To develop my own design using the “Colonial” technique

3.     To avoid “opposite colored” hems while maintaining tube structure

4.     To further explore color interlacements

5.     To improve my beat to weave “squared up” overshot patterning.

Left - Warp and Weft colors alike
Right - Brighter red used as weft, improved selvedge using floaters

Draft #64, “Queen Anne’s Lace” from Weaving Designs by Bertha Gray Hayes: Miniature Overshot Patterns inspired the threading draft from which I formulated three threadling variations. I added two repeats of straight twill at each selvedge and included floating selvedges. The resulting pieces are a bit on the large side for coasters. Other than that, they are a success. Using slightly brighter colored wefts produced interesting effects. 

Weaving this warp was lots of fun and bears further exploration. This structure would make wonderful placemats.

Warp On/Weave Off,
RepWeaver