Sample, Sample, Sample: Echo on 4 Shafts in 10/2 Cotton

The above sample is Echo on 4 shafts in 10/2 cotton, sett at 30 ends per inch. So much to say about the drafts I've been weaving up! If you're a handweaver -- and if you use weaving software -- you know all too well that there can be a world of difference between the drawdown on the screen and the actual handwoven fabric. Which is why we follow the mantra, "Sample, sample, sample."

I started this post with my favorite sample out of some 10 I have woven this month, all in preparation for my workshop this summer at Convergence in Reno. "One Warp, Many Structures" will explore extended parallel threadings and how they allow you to weave a wealth of structures, from Echo to Jin to Rep, Double Weave, and even Shadow Weave and collapse fabric, all on one warp. (Some structures require re-sleying for a denser sett, but all are on the same threading.)

The sample above began with a simple design line which I used as the basis for a twill threading -- which I then turned into a parallel threading with an interval of 2. Red and black warp ends were on an extended parallel threading (that is, every other thread, so that they weave in opposing sheds). I wove it with a 2-2 twill tieup using a 20/2 cotton weft in black.

No drawdowns to show because they are part of the workshop. (I don't want to give everything away beforehand.) But here are a few more samples to give you an idea of what we'll cover.

Another treading in Echo, same warp.

And here are the above two samples treadled as Jin, simply by adding tabby (shown in their respective order).

I really love knowing that this is done on 4 shafts. So many possibilities. The point of the workshop is to broaden your depth and breadth of understanding of how to maximize a warp threaded for Echo (or extended parallel threadings, choose your terminology, as Echo itself is a very big umbrella).

Here is the same structure as Double Weave, re-sleyed at 48 epi and woven on a networked treadling. Because it's a two-shuttle weave, the front and back are quite different.

Then there's Shadow Weave, (which I'm not showing because I haven't yet woven a sample). And finally Rep, which I don't find as appealing, but perhaps it's just because I needed to do a bigger sample:

I have another set of samples, these based on Blooming Leaf. Here's the first of the set:

I have many more samples to do -- at least one more on 4 shafts, 3 more on 8 shafts, and hopefully one or two on 12. Until next post, thanks for reading!