The second "big" question that weavers seem to love to ponder: are you drawn more to weaving (your own or other people's) with a lot of random textural/color variation or because of a strong pattern? This "division" is probably more common among multi-harness weavers than rigid-heddlers...but if your weaver's heart beats faster in the presence of color-and-weave patterns like log cabin, plaids, and stripes than it does random color effects and yarns that are hairy, shiny, or loopy, then you could probably consider yourself a "pattern" weaver.

I find that I like my rigid heddle weaving best when it is all about fun color and texture combinations; I save my pattern explorations for my floor looms. How about you?

Cindy in NH

Comments

Wed, 12/23/2009 - 19:38

claudia (not verified)

Another good one Cindy.  I save my pattern explorations for the floor loom because I don't enjoy fussing with the pick up stick on the RH loom. I love seeing how different yarns look when woven on the RH in plain weave and I tend to think in PW terms for the RH loom. The switch back and forth from RH to floor loom is not that easy. I haven't been on my Baby Wolf for about 6 weeks and had to make a couple things for a client this weekend. It took a bit of practice and adjusting to get used to being at the floor loom (and in the basement).

Claudia

Tue, 01/05/2010 - 18:08

jenadina (not verified)

I love texture. Waffle weave calls my name. I don't, however, have a floor loom. I've got 3 10-dent heddles, though, and am just waiting for a chance to try waffle weave on my RH loom. I do also really enjoy color effects, though. Anything but plain weave in a single plain color!

Tue, 01/05/2010 - 20:12

claudia (not verified)

So, are you going gor it?  Waffle weave on a RH should only take two heddles, not three. It's a twill pattern and easily done on four shafts.  It's a point twill threading that is treadled as it is threaded. Here is the draft:

Are you familiar with reading drafts? I haven't tried translating a 4 shaft draft to a rh. That would be a good thread.

Claudia

Tue, 01/05/2010 - 20:37

jenadina (not verified)

hmm...if I can get away with 2 heddles, I've got 12-dent available, as well, and I have a yarn I think would be alright at 12 epi. I don't know how to translate this draft to 2 rigid heddles.  Would I need a pickup stick, though? I have a shed stick I could use as a pickup stick, but only 1, and can't think of anything else I have that could be used to replace one if I needed more.

I was thinking 3 heddles with no pickup sticks, a la Rev. David McKinney.

I can read the draft, but I only know how to translate 4 shaft drafts to 3 rigid heddles, not to 2 with (or without) a pickup stick. Likewise, I can put a 3 shaft draft onto 2 rigid heddles.

With 3 heddles, this draft would be threaded like this: thread 1 through hole 1 and slots 2,3; thread 2 through slot 1, hole 2, and slot 3; thread 3 through slots 1,2, hole 3; thread 4 through slots 1,2,3; thread 5 through slots 1,2, hole 3; thread 6 through slot 1, hole 2, slot 3; thread 7 through hole 1 and slots 2,3.

 

 

Tue, 01/05/2010 - 20:44

claudia (not verified)

I am totally uncertain how to attack it. I posted a new thread here and we'll see if anyone else can help out. That's why I love Weavolution, so many weavers around who know so much more than I do. I'm still learning lots about the rh loom.

Claudia

Tue, 01/05/2010 - 22:02

greenfroggie (not verified)

I adore both. I love the ease of a plain weave with fun yarns. It is simple and soothing. Sometimes I feel the need to focus more on a pttern to test my skills. I actually really love the slate blue towels that I wove, each one utilizing a different pattern, because I could focus ont he beauty of the pattern as opposed to getting caught up in the colors.