It’s been awhile! Both for this blog and for Card Weaving which started my weaving adventure so many years ago. Now that I’m teaching Back Strap Weaving I’m doing more personal weaving. Over the past month, new fibers have gone into my pieces.
My daughter requested a double faced weave out of silk. The silk she sent was knitting silk and not fine at all and for me the colors were quite drab. She likes subtle, so who am I to judge? She wanted vines, so I remembered a beautiful pattern created by J L MacLaren that I found on Pinterest.
For a double faced weave, every row is repeated twice, so I regraphed the pattern into something easy to work with. The cards are threaded with two light threads in AB and two dark threads in CD, or visa versa. Keeping track of the repeats is easy. I start with the shuttle thread on the right side, and I divide the cards into two groups as I turn the cards the first time. The cards going forward move away from me into one group and the cards moving backwards turn back toward me into the second group. Use your hands inside the shed to be sure all threads have settled where they are supposed to be. I do this by inserting my index and middle finger into the space between the two groups and spread the shed wide. Then double check the working shed in the front to be sure all the ups are up and downs are down. Beat, then pass the shuttle.
Once the first row is done, the cards are all ready for row two. Turn the group away from you forward and the group directly in front of you backwards; again insert fingers between the two groups to widen the shed, check the working shed and get your hand or a beater in there to beat. Then pass the shuttle. When both rows are done, gently bring both groups back together. I use a 6” ruler on my pattern and after bringing all cards back into one group, the ruler gets moved up one row and weaving continues. If you’re not sure you have done both rows, check where your shuttle thread is. If it’s on the left, you combined the groups too soon! The shuttle has to be back on the right where you started. You would think this would be easy, but sometimes concentration takes a little nap or side trip and when you come back…..it can be a nightmare!
One of the most important things is to keep the cards in a group, and of course have even tension on the cards. Especially when turning your back on them! I’ve used rubber bands or yarn to tie them together in the past. Now I’m using knit stitch holders. They are wonderful! I call them keepers and when they are in place I have no worries when setting the weaving aside, or when pulling in the woven band so I can reach the fell (edge of the weaving).
I learned from Laverne Waddington that using a very heavy iron on damp silk brings out its beauty. If you don’t know about Laverne, check out her FB page: Backstrap Weaving, her blog and her wonderful Books! Her work is extraordinary!
Card Weaving Setup is different from other types of weaving, and I think I’ve finally come up with a good method!
I use bar clamps to hold my warp as I measure out the fibers. I also use a wonderful little stick with holes to keep my yarn from tangling while warping. I’ve added two boards with skewers to keep the weaving orderly. The last two items - those skewer boards - really did the trick. I thread two holes at a time. So, pattern in hand, a place keeper for the pattern, baskets/boxes/bowls on the floor to place each cone into and then feed them up through the divider holes in the little warping board (totally different from the usual warping board) it goes something like this:
Put the Bar Clamps the distance apart you want your warp to be - bar end up.
Place one card in front of you.
Look at the pattern. What colors do you need for holes A and B?
If they are the same, take that color and drag it behind the first clamp, down and around the second clamp and back to the first one. I hold both ends beyond the clamp about 1.5” and snip the long end. Then take the two ends and thread them into A and B on the card.
Let’s say the next two colors are different. Pick them up and place an overhand knot close to the ends. Pull them both down and over clamp 2. Return back to clamp 1 and hold both yarns beyond the clamp by 1.5” and clip them both off.
Thread them. Be sure of the direction. Are they S threaded, coming up from the back, or Z threaded, going down through the holes from the front? Be sure all four threads are threaded the same way!
Now tie a slip knot with the open ends to keep them orderly.
Next place hole D over the skewer that’s waiting in one of the boards. It should be @1’ from clamp 1 and between both clamps.
Now go to clamp two. Take the threads off and at their apex (where the turn takes place) tie an overhand knot to secure the four threads together. A tail should be barely there!
Now divide the threads in half and slide them over the second skewer post. The yarn should lay straight between the skewer posts.
Continue in this manner until all cards have been threaded.
If it’s a short stack, tie a scrap yarn through the opening where the skewer is. Tie it tight! And make a good loop where you can suspend it from your stationary mounting point.
If it’s a big stack, slide a dowel in there and tie scrap between the ends of the dowel so the warp ends are secure. Then put it between two clamps as the secure end. If you’re not going to weave it right away, go with option one, then finger crochet the whole thing down to the cards and include the final loop in one of the stitch holders that are keeping the cards in order.
Tie up to the front rod (the one that the back strap holds) with weavers knots. Start from the center with @8 yarns. Bring them all over the top of the front bar. Then divide them in half. The half on the right continues around the bar and to the outside of the group. The half on the left continues around the bar and comes up on the outside of the group on the left. Now do single overhand tie and finish with a slip knot. Chances are you will have to retie these threads to achieve even tension, so never tie a permanent knot in them!
Beginning Weaving by placing a thin strip of cardboard, a popsicle stick or even a skewer (if the weave is going to be very narrow) in the first shed. We’ll call these spreaders. Turn the cards. Place another spreader in the next shed. Continue until 3-4 spreaders have been placed. I usually use three to four spreaders to help get the width established and get the threads orderly so everything doesn’t bunch up.
Once done, throw the shuttle through the next shed, turn the cards.
Clear the shed; beat; bring the tail back through the shed and pass the shuttle.
Turn the cards, beat and continue weaving for a couple more rows to establish the band.
Ready to begin pattern.
Start with AD on top. check to see if dark or light comes up when turning forward. This will tell you which way to turn cards to begin following the pattern.
