Rigid Heddle – Summer and Winter

I’m in a study group now with the Rocky Mountain Weavers Guild and we’re studying tied weaves. I’ve embarked on my first profile drafts and designs in summer and winter. Part of that is a 12-shaft project I’m weaving at the WHAC on a table loom (it required 20 treadles – so table loom it is).

But I’m also exploring the differences of threading and texture by using up a cottolin warp I had lying about on my Rigid Heddle. Yes, you can do summer and winter on a RH if you have a two-heddle system (found it in a blog post online and modifying their instructions to my pattern). Since using both heddles was a goal of mine this year for the RH – it was the perfect time to embark on a summer and winter project.

The loom is warped and ready to start:

Both heddles warped and ready to go!

My other summer and winter project is the classic way – a warp and matching tabby pick of linen, and then a pattern weft of Zephyr wool (pics to come next week). I’m doing that one on a Leclerc Voyageur loom. But this one on the RH I did a double warp (originally this was to be waffle weave towels) and I’m going to do a single tabby pick and a double pattern pick and see how it goes. Not typically recommended, but this is play time.

Also I’m trying different colors in the warp and then doing a cross pattern. My profile draft is binary code! Why not? It’s two digits and convertible to a profile draft. So I’m doing the word “Colorado” in binary converted to a two block pattern draft.

Colorado in Binary Profile Draft!

 

The pick up will be a bit odd, but the effect should be interesting. I’m going to alternate the colors as well in the weft / pattern and tabby and see what I like. I’ll try the yellow and yellow throughout, then the yellow (tabby) and green (pattern) and then the green (tabby) and yellow (pattern. And just play play play.

Pics coming shortly as I’m hoping to get weaving on this today and bring it to the study group on Thursday for discussion.

This entry was posted in Profile Drafts, Rigid Heddle, Summer and Winter and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

One Response to Rigid Heddle – Summer and Winter

  1. Pingback: Rigid Heddle – Summer and Winter – Part II » W.L. Doornik Designs

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