Workshop Week Two: Recording Patterns

In the first week of the workshop, I gave you a small exercise to do.  Here are three bands with the complete analysis.  

Band 1: Sami band 

I am using a commercial band lock 

Close up of band

Total number of warp ends is 59

Warp:  4 ply sock yarn  yellow, red, white and blue

Weft:  4 ply sock yellow

The width is approximately .

Warp Chart

                                                                                                                      

Note that the warp chart only gives half the warp. The M indicates the centre. 

Threading and Drawdown

You can see from the drawdown that one white stripe on the left has 5 warp ends but  all of the other white stripes have four warp ends.  This may be an error in the original pattern or this may be a way of ensuring that the warp ends at the edges of the band  are threaded through a hole.  Threads through a hole are less likely to abrade.  

Band 2.   Japan: another Sanada-Himo band

Warp Chart

Total number of warp ends is 44.

The weft is white cottolin. 

Width approximately  12 mm. 

Threading Chart

Band 3.    Estonia

Total number of warp ends is 16

Warp:  4 ply sock yarn dk yellow, pale yellow and brown

Weft:  4 ply sock yarn brown

The width is approximately .

Drawdown and Threading Chart

Designing using a weave chart.

I made this heddle from coffee stirrers. 

This is a pattern for a band from Sweden in black, white and red. 

I use the PCW weave programme to check my threading and store the patterns.  I always weave a band to ensure that the pattern is correct. 

                            Warp chart

Red          2              1       9       1             2
Black            2                                     2
White                 1        1       1       1

There are 23 warp ends in total.

Loom Weaving Pattern Editor.

However there are other ways of planning a pattern and recording your design.  Here is the same pattern entered onto a very easy to use programme. 

Band Weaving Pattern Editor  

http://www.raktres.net/seizenn/loom_weaving_editor.html 

Warp chart

Red          2              1       9       1        2
Black            2                                2
White                 1        1       1

Threading charts

Here are the two charts from the Loom Weaving Pattern Editor.

Loom Weaving pattern Editor: the threading 

Loom Weaving Pattern Editor: the band

The two rows on these charts represent the threading . One row is heddled/ long slot/shaft 1.

The second row is unheddled/hole/shaft 2.
You can use these charts for the inkle loom, a two shaft loom or a standard heddle.

PCW Weave Program drawdown.

PCW weave program

This is the top of the drawdown using the PCW weave program. Again it shows the order for threading the warp ends on a rigid heddle or an inkle loom.



I hope that you have enjoyed these band patterns and I do hope you will try the Loom Weaving pattern editor.



Susan J Foulkes May 2020