The Project
Project Details
The project is gift bags. They are designed at 12" wide on the loom and 10-11" wide finished, but can easily be adjusted for narrower or wider.
It is possible, on the same warp, to also weave a double wide piece of fabric or a rep weave, examples are in the photo at the top of the page and in the reveal. The patterns will include basic information for this, but will not go into a lot of detail (for rep weave, this detail is available in project #5).
There are many possibilities for rifting. You can change out the colors, use ribbon, novelty yarn (pay attention to stretchiness), or handwoven bands for the ties, add beads, change the size, or just about anything else that you imagine. If you don't want to play in doubleweave, you can weave these as one long piece of fabric and sew up the sides.
Rigid Heddle
For double weave, I recommend using 8/4 cotton instead of 8/2 cotton. This option is available for an additional $8 in the subscription survey. If you do not fill out your survey, you will receive 8/2 cotton.
Rigid Heddle Options
Doubleweave using two 12-dent heddles, two pick-up sticks, and 8/4 cotton.
Doubleweave using one 12-dent heddle, one pick-up stick, two heddle bars, and 8/4 cotton.
One longer piece of fabric sewn at the sides using either 8/2 cotton doubled or 8/4 cotton.
A 3 yd warp will yield four bags and there is enough yarn to weave two warps that are 3 yds long.
Four-Shaft
This is woven as a tube in plainweave. Sett is 40 epi (20 for top, 20 for bottom). I recommend four per dent in a ten dent reed.
There is enough yarn in the kit to weave up to ten bags (7 yd warp). A 4.5 yd warp will yield 6 bags.
Eight Shaft
This is woven as a tube in a straight twill. Sett is 48 epi (24 for top and 24 for bottom). I recommend four per dent in a 12 dent reed. I did find the difference between beaming at 40 epi (four shaft version) and 48 epi to be significant.
There is enough yarn in the kit to weave eight bags on a 5.5 yd warp. A 4.5 yd warp will yield six bags.
To Sew or Not to Sew?
You have the option of securing the top and bottom in various different ways and not needing to sew.