12-shaft Jin currently on the loom,
woven on an Echo threading. 20/2 handpainted silk warp
(really two handpainted warps) and 60/2 silk weft,
advancing point twill threading and treadling.
(really two handpainted warps) and 60/2 silk weft,
advancing point twill threading and treadling.
The drawdown for the above pattern (the treadling has a long repeat)
Echo enjoys so much popularity these days, thanks to Marian Stubenitsky's wonderful book, Weaving with Echo and Iris.
Above and beyond this groundbreaking book, however, is the beauty and potential of Echo techniques themselves. Because you're weaving on an extended parallel threading, the possibilities are pretty much endless. You can change the treadling and tie-up in myriad ways that will alter the pattern and still weave Echo. Or you can add plain weave to the treadling and weave Jin -- which again can be woven in a variety of patterns. Or you can weave Double Weave. Or Shadow Weave. Or Rep. And you can change to a networked treadling. And on and on.
Looking ahead to Convergence in Reno next summer: I am scheduled to teach a 3-day workshop on "One Warp, Many Structures: An Exploration of Extended Parallel Threading." (For more information, please take a look at the course description here.) Weavers will come to the workshop with their looms threaded in a two-color warp in an extended parallel threading, with enough weft to weave a range of structures using different tie-ups and treadlings. If there's time, we may even cut off and re-sley to weave double weave and shadow weave. As I've experienced myself with the 12-shaft structure above, it's a process of endless discovery.
Preparing for the workshop, I've been playing with drafts for 4-shaft and 8-shaft looms. Below are some of the designs I'm working on to date. Woven samples will come later.
A 4-shaft advancing twill on an Echo threading,
advancing point-twill treadling
An 8-shaft networked design on an Echo threading
A traditional point-twill design known as the Earl on 8 using an Echo threading
4-shaft Cat Tracks and Snail Trails (also known as Wandering Vine),
woven as Jin on an Echo threading
woven as Jin on an Echo threading
Comments, questions, ideas welcome! Much work to be done and lots of discoveries in the making. Thanks for reading!
3 comments:
Love these, especially the 12 shaft and 8 shaft, may well have to try the 8 shaft on a painted warp. The 8 shaft one has a slightly crackley look about it I think.
You do work hard, Denise. These drafts are all lovely, and will look stunning no matter what colors the weavers choose.
Gill, you go, girl! Please do try weaving it up and show me your gorgeous results. And Peg, thanks! You know why we work at our craft: It is a labor of love. (Well, sometimes, but not always -- like this weekend, when I couldn't wind a warp for the life of me and kept getting tangled up in 20/2 cotton, which I don't recommend....)
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