Bag of Dreams
Project #13
In this project, we use doubleweave to create fun and fabulous bags. Doubleweave is a process where the weaver creates two separate layers of cloth, one on top of the other. These layers can be separate so that two pieces of fabric are woven at once (using two shuttles), connected at one selvedge to weave a double wide piece of fabric, or connected at both selvedges to weave a tube.
Because two layers are being woven, the sett is doubled, half for the top, half for the bottom. On a shaft loom, half of the shafts are used for each layer. This means that on four shafts, one is limited to plain weave, and on eight shafts the limitation is a four shaft structure. On a rigid heddle loom, two heddles and pick up sticks are used, or a single heddle with a pick up stick and heddle bars.
In this project, you can weave bags and double width fabric on the same warp. Because the sett is doubled, it is easy to add some rep weave to the mix.
The Colors
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.
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.
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.
What will you put in your bags?
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