Explorations with a rigid heddle: double hole rigid heddle weaving

   Using rigid heddles with two rows of holes. 

When I started to learn to weave narrow bands with a rigid heddle,  came across a very useful article.

https://fiberarts.org/design/articles/rigidheddle2.php

This article was the first I had seen which discussed the use of rigid heddles which had been designed with a specific purpose.  It was not easy to find such heddles in the UK.  My first idea was to take a standard rigid heddle and drill a second row of holes.

For the pattern described on the information sheet, the heddle with two rows of holes was threaded in a very particular way. 

There is an error in the threading on the download. This chart gives the correct threading should you wish to use it.

The unusual feature of this way of weaving is that one centre row of holes is not used. Only the row of holes above them are threaded and these are the pattern threads. I decided to start small for this exploration and used only five white pattern threads and 16 green threads for the background and border.

Warp: double knit cotton in green and white. 

Weft: double knit cotton in green.

Here  you can seen the woven band. It is warp-faced so that the weft is hidden by the warp threads.  The white pattern threads in the holes form part of the warp layer so here is only one green warp end between each white pattern end. 

I tried several different ways of picking out the pattern. 

Keeping all five pattern threads on the top leaves a solid line of white across the band. 

Each pattern repeat is four picks in length.  For the final pick all pattern threads are on the bottom layer of the warp so that the green warp ends are on the surface. 

Here are some pattern variations.

The simple alternating stripe. 

Raising the heddle - all the threads in the holes are on the top of the warp so that there is a white stripe across the centre of the band.

Lowering the heddle - all the threads in the holes that is the five white threads and the border green threads are on the bottom layer. There is a green stripe across the centre of the band. 

Here is a sample. 

To start, raise the heddle and keep all the pattern threads on top.

Then lower the heddle and keep all the pattern threads underneath.

Now you can continue with a pattern. These variations involve picking up a number of white ends when they are in the lower layer of the warp. 

Here is the weave chart.  The left column indicates the picks. R means raise the heddle and L means lower the heddle. 

Each pattern repeat is four picks. For pick 8 when the heddle is lowered two pattern threads on the right side  should be picked up. For pick 12, two pattern threads on the left side should be picked up.

Here is another variation.

A further variation.

Here is another variation. 

The reverse side of the woven band.

This was an interesting start to exploring this type of heddle. The weave structure is unusual. In the excellent book 'Weaving Bands' by Liv Trozig and Astrid Axelsson (1974) it is described as 'the pattern threads form part of the ground when they do not form the pattern.'   It was this book which I used to teach myself patterned band weaving so I have a real fondness for it. They use a standard heddle for this weave structure,  but the second row of holes makes picking out the pattern easier. 

Heddles with two rows of holes - using both rows.

In subsequent years I bought heddles with a second layer of holes. Adding in a row of pattern threads in the second row of holes forms a different weave structure.  For warp faced bands, the pattern threads in the second (upper)row of holes are described as a supplementary warp. These float over or under the warp faced plain weave formed by the ground threads. The ground threads  are in the spaces and holes across the centre of the heddle. In this weave structure there is one ground thread between the pattern threads.

Usually, the pattern threads are picked up in groups rather than singly. 

Two standard heddles with second row of holes

In the Sami weaving tradition, some pattern bands were woven using the pattern threads over the heddle. 

Sami weaving with pattern threads over the heddle.

 These were not under tension and could be selected by pulling the pattern threads down by the use of a string heddle. It is not an easy technique to learn. 

This method is beautifully illustrated in the book Oahpa cuoldit by Liv Nilsen and Jane Juuso (2018) pub: Isak Saba guovddas.

One weaver designed her own version, the Beavi heddle, and Stoorstalka produced it for her.  Here is her video of the heddle in use. 

Sami Double Hole Rigid Heddle Weaving

https://youtu.be/f1c3lzq3o2k?si=ny80aHtwtIHZcIKR

This heddle has two rows of holes but neither are in the centre of the heddle. This enables the threads to be picked up or dropped more easily.

The Beavi heddle with two offset rows.

Stoorstalka also designed a special heddle for this type of weaving.  with a Sámi  weaving tutor. This is the Sigga heddle. 

Three Sigga heddles from Stoorstalka.

The Sigga heddle has a separate layer of shorter slots for the pattern threads. In Sámi  weaving the pattern threads are slightly thicker than the background threads. The weave structure for the ground threads is warp faced plain weave.  There are two ground warps in between each pattern warp. I made two YouTube videos to illustrate this. 

Weaving Sámi bands with one group of pattern threads 2015

Using the Sigga heddle to weave Sámi bands with two groups of pattern threads

Here is one of the Sámi  bands that I wove with this heddle. 

Using the Sigga heddle

Weaving a belt at home in 2022

Bryggen heddle

Some older heddles also have additional rows of holes such as the heddle from Bergen in Norway.

I decided to demonstrate this with the heddle designed by Robin Goatley based on the Bryggen heddle. This heddle has the second and third row of holes at the top and bottom edge of the heddle.

I started by just using the centre holes and slots. 

Here is the threading diagram.

E means that the hole or slot is empty.

The band  when woven just using the centre row of holes and slots appears like this. The band has a red centre stripe alternating with a blue stripe. The woven band is on the same front and reverse. 

Woven band is the same on front and reverse

Using two rows of holes.

Bryggen heddle

 

I started simply by just using the top row of holes in addition to the centre holes. Here just two rows of holes are threaded. The top row is the pattern thread.  The centre row and the slots from the ground warp. This means that the ground warp weaves as a warp-faced plain weave with the pattern threads floating over it. The pattern threads are a supplementary warp. 

This heddle has three rows of 13 holes. For this pattern I am only using the top and centre row. The five pattern threads are white. the centre of the warp-faced plain weave band has five red threads. When the second row of holes is added, the white pattern threads float over the top surface of the band.  Simple patterns can be made. 

Here is the threading diagram

Front of band showing white pattern threads.

The reverse of the band does not show any white threads but the picks alternate red and blue in the centre. The band is thicker than the previous band because of the extra layer of white pattern threads.

Bird Heddle from Sweden

I made another warp for the lovely Bird heddle. This heddle has holes and slots for 53 warp ends with a row of 13 additional holes 

Bird heddle handle underneath

Here is the threading chart.

For this heddle the two birds are on top and this is the handle.  This means that in use the two birds will be underneath and the red pattern threads are in the row underneath the central row of holes. 

Raising the heddle leaves the red threads in the centre of the shed. Putting the weft through underneath this row of red and between the two rows of blue warp ends means that only the blue warp threads will appear on  the underneath of the band. 

raising the heddle

Lowering the heddle puts the row of red threads below the bottom layer of warp. Taking the weft in the shed between the two blue warps, leaves all the red threads showing on the underneath of the band. 

Lowering the heddle

By varying the number of pattern threads to appear on the  underside of the band, patterns can be made.ere is a close up of the woven band showing both sides.

Close up of woven band

Like the first band, the pattern here repeats over four picks. Experiment with the pattern to produce variations. 

Next month I will examine weaving with three rows of holes.  Wish me luck!

Happy weaving exploration.

Susan J Foulkes November 2024