Beginning Back-strap weaving #2,
A 17 thread band with a central flower
What you will learn
Using multiple colors
String heddle
How to read a warping pattern/plan
How to shorten the working length as you weave so you can reach the edge (Fell) of your weaving
Locking the shuttle thread into your weaving, both beginning and ending
Weaving plain un-fringed edges.
Tools and materials
Smooth worsted weight fiber (cotton is great)
Set of chop sticks, or 2 pencils for lease sticks
These will keep your cross intact until the shed stick
and heddle Rod are in place and secured
2 rubber bands, to secure the ends of the Lease sticks (2 pencils or chop sticks)
2- @12”-14” dowels (wooden spoon handles?)
One for the tension rod
(Which will be secured to your belt by 2 - 6” loops on your belt)
The second, to shorten the warp
(to roll up woven band so you can reach your woven edge)
3 pencils
Short one for string heddle (in front of the cross);
Short one for the shed stick (behind the cross)
Long one for the warp rod (back end of the weaving
(so it can be lashed to a stationary object))
Cardboard shuttle
Beater or fingers and shuttle may be used
(6” ruler, smooth popsicle stick or tongue depressor)
Ruler/tape measure
Scissors
Winding the warp:
For a delicate headband:
Place the C-clamps tail end up, 50” apart.
Or use chair legs of an upside down chair or table
(legs must be perpendicular to the floor)
Use the same procedure from the last band.
Always form a cross in the middle of the threads as you wind them on.
Remember to always go around your warping post from the same direction.
Come around the front , go around the back.
(The video shows how to use a warping board.)
Here is the warping plan:
Remember, when weaving one thread is down, while the next is up.
That is the key to reading this chart.
Start on the left.
The first thread is a background thread. (Bottom line.)
tie on the background color to your peg.
Read kitty-corner up. The second thread is a back ground.
Kitty-corner down: the third thread is a background thread
Kitty-corner up: the fourth thread is a background thread.
Kitty-corner down: the fifth thread is a flower color. Leave about an 1 1/2 extra at the peg. Cut the background color, tie on the flower color. Warp to next peg
So wind 2 full circuits of background thread. This gives you 4 warp threads of background color.
Kitty-corner up: the fifth thread is a flower thread.
Weaving traditional backstrap using string heddles, the best way to do your color changes is:
to cut and tie on the next color each time there is a change.
Leave about 1 1/2” extra when making the cut.
Then use an overhand knot to tie on the next color. (The cuts always happen at the post (c-clamp, or leg of chair...)
Be sure to maintain the cross as you continue cutting and tying on different colors.
Tie a knot (tie to the last knot made)
Put the chop sticks through the cross (one on each side)
Secure the ends with rubber bands.
(This secures the cross)
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Secure each end of your warp by tying a thread through the loop formed at the turn
I use a half bow that will come out easily when I want it to.
When the cross and ends are secure:
Take the warp (all the threads you wound) off the pegs, clamp, chair legs....
Put the pencil through and lash to a stationary object.
A ladder back chair is ideal! A bed frame also works well.
Your warp should be at an angle. Either up or down.
Try both and see what’s more comfortable for you.
Since this warp is very narrow, You may just put this end back around one c clamp and use that as your holder while you weave. As explained below. An extra stron loop thread may or may not be needed.
Tension the threads:
On top of a table,
at the end with the overhand knot, pull a strong string through the center of all the threads (the loop created by the threads doing a turn around.)
make a loop in that string and loop it back around the c-clamp or door knob
(For very tiny warps, just leave the one end on the c-clamp)
Then tension, gently pull the threads At the opposite end (the other end ) so the tension is even on all of them
tie another overhand knot on the open end.
Normally I Slide a 12-14” dowel through this end and center it.
You will be connecting this end to your belt.
The dowel is necessary to shorten the warp to bring the fell line (the working edge of your weaving) closer to you. A second dowel the same size will be needed when bring the fell line closer.
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Prepare your string heddles. 7 needed.
If in good shape, use the 5 from the first project and make 2 more.
(Tie a strong, lightweight, non-nylon string around the width of your phone for each heddle) (nylon will not hold a knot)
Make 2 - @6” loops from heavier cording.
Put these onto your belt, one on each side of the buckle
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Setup for string heddles - Heddle rod or stick
Insert dowels in both openings on either side of the cross: easiest done on a table top - (I have a small table I can slide under my weaving when I need it.)
Tie a string from end to end on the dowel closer to the back. This is the shed stick. A short smooth pencil works fine. Secure a thread over the warp with rubber bands, or use half hitches to keep it in place.
This ensures it can’t come out.
Spread the warp out on the front rod keeping all threads in order.
(Once the heddle rod is set up and secured, this rod will be removed.)
Prepare the string heddles. You will need 8.
Wrap a piece of strong fiber around a book or something your phone and tie a knot.
All loops should be the same size.
Now take one string heddle (that’s the loop you just created)
Slide it under the first warp thread and pull the ends of the heddle up forming a cradle for the warp thread.
Then slide it onto a short dowel or pencil.
Do this with the rest of the heddles, one at a time, taking each warp thread on top of the dowel in order.
Once all the heddles are on the heddle rod - your dowel or pencil - secure them there with tape or a strong cord tied around one side, over the top and secured on the other side.
Your heddle rod is ready and you can take the long dowel below it out as it is no longer needed.
Connect the 12-14” dowel at the bottom of the weaving to your belt with the loops. Shoestrings work well for these loops.
Be sure your warp isn’t twisted, and that the heddle rod is on top Of the warp and the shed stick is in-between the warp.
Prepare your shuttle.
Push the shed stick away from the heddle rod.
Lean forward, pull up on the heddle rod.
This will open the shed.
Pass the shuttle through leaving a short tail.
Pull it down to where you want your weaving to begin.
Bring the shed stick to the heddle rod.
Lean forward.
Pull up on the heddle rod
As long as your heddles are long enough, the second shed will open.
Pass the shuttle through AND the tail of the weft from the last row.
Change sheds.
Push the shed stick away from the heddle rod
Lean forward
Pull up on the heddle rod
Beat the weaving, pass the shuttle
Catch the loop formed when the shuttle passes through the shed with your pinky
Gently pull this loop and the shuttle thread toward your body. (This controls the width of your weaving)
Pinch the weaving at the fell line (edge of the weave) with the thumb and index or middle finger
Gently pull the rest of the shuttle thread through while letting go of the loop.
If this doesn’t make sense, watch the video. DPC Fiber Arts, Beginning Backstrap Weaving #2
Once you have this technique down, you can do wider pieces. The skies the limit. Go to town.
The next post will be about using a rigid heddle with the backstrap. I use it when doing pick-up patterns.
Weaving without Cut Ends
This is accomplished in a couple different ways and setup needs to be done under tension
You don’t want your fiber getting tangled; so connect to your back-strap.
Method one
First place the warp on a thin metal rod, like a coat hanger or bicycle spoke.
The metal wire is tied to a dowel at center, thirds and at the ends. When weaving is completed, the wire can simply be pulled out and maybe a fiber run through the opening, but wet finishing will usually make the little space disappear.
Method two
Another way - again under tension) is to put the warp on a dowel, spread it out evenly.
Tie the First dowel to a second dowel at the ends. Make this an easily removable knot.
Tie a strong fiber To the End of second Dowel;
then run the fiber through the middle of the warp created by the first dowel, securing it firmly at the other end. Only tie to dowel #2
Spread the warp in even sections
Lash the thread going through the center of the warp to the dowel. Get it even and tight.
This completed, untie dowel 1 from dowel 2 and remove dowel 1.
Finally spread the warp evenly.
Do this to both ends.
So now you have the basics of Rigid heddle weaving with a rigid heddle.
You can take this project and make it wider by adding plain rows between two edgings of the pattern, or repeat the pattern A few times across the warp. You can also invert the flower design every other repeat.
Try varying the color of the flower in the repeats. So many possibilities!
With the knowledge you have now, the size of your rigid heddle is the only limitation, or
If you work with a string heddle, then the length of your dowels and the spread of your arms is your width limit.
Calculating your warp and weft is all covered in the first backstrap post.
Stay tuned! Hope this was helpful.
Here are some more ideas for you!
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