Inspired by the Desert
Weaving is so many different things and the fact that the same equipment and yarn that a weaver uses to make fabric that drapes and moves can also be used to make a piece of stiff fabric that sits on a table feels magical to me. Almost as magical as the fact that the painted desert, warm and beautiful, in shades of reds, oranges, and pinks exists at the same time, in the same world, as the cold and snowy winter that I am seeing and feeling in New England right now.
Sometimes I get lost in how much access to color we have. As covid rages, as we watch so many things around us change in ways that can feel terrifying, I am filled with awe that I can see and feel so much beauty.
It’s hard to know what else to say. Last week I lost my stepfather. He was 93 and had lived a good and full life. I learned that I have gained a more comfortable relationship with death and loss. I realized that after taking care of my father as he died, I now have real and practical skills, I now have a better understanding of the process.
Last week I won the Windham County Business Plan Competition. It is exciting and prestigious and I hope to say more about it later. But right now, I just keep noticing how many people are no longer here to feel proud of me.
I am going to break this magical weave structure down into it’s components. I am going to write materials and make videos that will help demystify it. But none of that will take the magic of it away. How threads going in one direction, interlaced with threads going in another direction can interact in such amazing and different ways.
I hope you enjoy the project. And thanks for joining me on the adventure!
Some details about this project…
This month’s project works with Rep Weave. Rep Weave is actually a plain weave with a twist.
As you’re considering changes to your kit, here are some things that are helpful to know:
The warp is really dense and alternates (in places) between colors...every other thread one color, every other thread a different color.
It uses two wefts, one thick and one thin. These alternate.
Generally you do not see the weft, except at the selvedges. This pattern is for a loosely sett rep weave so the weft does peak out, but that is a very small part of the overall design. For this reason, the weft color is chosen to match the selvedge color.
For this pattern, the weft is Rouille and there are two tubes so you have enough for both warp and weft.
The resulting fabric does not have a lot of drape. By changing the weight of your thick weft thread, you can weave heavier or lighter fabrics. With a really heavy weft, it is a great structure for weaving rugs.
Making Your Own Heavy Weft
This kit is set up so that you will be making your own heavy weft.
Samples were woven with eight strands of 8/2 cotton combined, as the heavy weft. The kit comes with two tubes and you wind off a ball, then combine it with another wound off ball and so on.
If this sounds really unpleasant, I suggest you add on a tube of 16/8 cotton to your order in 1316 Rouile, which will be just the right thickness for the heavy weft.
As is, the kit provides enough yarn for eight yards of warp and weft.