OK, we're starting something new. Laura Fry and Syne Mitchell have agreed to let us use the pattern written by Laura and published in Weavezine on 10/30/09 called "Down the Garden Path with Rosepth". 

To respect the copyright, we can only publish the link, http://weavezine.com/content/down-garden-path-rosepath and the draft for the threading,

In this article, Laura shows how to use this threading to create Rosepath borders on plain weave towels.  Follow all three patterns to create lavendar, tulips daisies and butterflies. Or, choose just one.

You don't need to be limited to making a towel, use the draft and the motifs for a border on a table runner, napkins or even a scarf.

That's part of the WAL fun. We choose the basics and you are free to create.

I have been asked to specify exactly where to begin. l usually start by reading the pattern through and then I go to the Weaving calculator in the Resources section on Weavolution and I calculate the size of my article. Now I need to decide what to make. Hmmm. 

Tell me what you plan to do with this WAL.

Claudia

Comments

Caroline (not verified)

Thank you for this Claudia!

I am debating whether to start afresh with an empty loom, or try my hand at tying a warp  onto an existing warp - I have this particular threading already on one of my looms and its been going nowhere for over a year. And no, that was not why I suggested this, hehe! That warp is not suitable for this project, ;-(, and was not too successful anyway, though I did have in mind I might be able to tie on another warp and avoid having to rethread the heddles. I will need to rethread the reed anyway, as I want to use much finer thread.

IF I try tying on a new warp, what are the pitfalls to watch out for? Or am I better off leaving it for this time and starting afresh? and trying the warp business when its not so hot (into the 2nd 40C+ day over here) and I can take my time?

claudia (not verified)

I have only tied one warp onto another once and it worked out well. I know one problem can be getting the knots through the heddles. Some believe it is not a time saver. If you have to resley the reed why not do it from the front and sley the reed and then tie onto the existing warp in front of the heddles and save the threading.

Claudia

Caroline (not verified)

Mmmmm! I hadn't thought of doing it that way. Thanks for the suggestion! Now for a spot of stash-busting!

jennybellairs

If the threading is simple, and not prone to errors, I would rethread.  I recently tied on a new warp to a complicated threading by using the weaver's knot.  An overhand knot may be quicker, but if you are worrying about the knot size, the weaver's knot is smaller.  To see my easy pictorial directions of the weaver's knot, visit my blog:

http://jennybellairs.blogspot.com

I posted it January 7, 2010 because someone on WeaveTech had mentioned tying her warp (bamboo) on with square knots, and they came undone when she pulled them through.  The weaver's knot and the overhand knot won't, so don't use them if you think you will have to untie them.

Caroline (not verified)

Jenny, thank you for that link! That makes the weaver's knot soooooo easy - I think I am knot-challenged, so your clear photos are a real help!

I originally planned a Rosepath project like this back in 1991, and warped my loom up, and then we moved. I had even drafted out various motifs. That poor loom got dragged from pillar to post; the warp remained unwoven because the loom was in storage or I was too sick to weave it, until I parted with the loom in 2005, thinking I would never get to weave again. I even ditched the warp, and I only recently found my draft of one of the motifs I was going to use.

Now I have the chance to work on something very similar, and this time I intend to get it finished. I think I should re-warp, to make sure I get it right. This has been nearly 20 years in the planning, a few extra hours in doing the warp properly is neither here nor there.

claudia (not verified)

OK, I decided I want to use this opportunity to make placemats. We have been using these horrible straw things that I won't even photograph.  I calculated the width and length and put those numbers in the Weaving Calculator here and based on the information I entered, am winding a warp 178 ends and 4 yards long. I am almost finished with the bread cloths on my Baby wolf so I'm going to use that loom for this project.

I am going to print the rosepath threading and see if I can figure out how to weave one of the designs from Laura's pattern. I would like to have the butterflies go up the edges of the placemat and the daisies along the top and bottom or just the bottom. This is my challenge, how to have the motifs in the places I want them. So, I am sampling once I have the warp on the loom.

Claudia

KSfiber (not verified)

I've tied onto the existing warp twice.  The first time I did it I used square knots, with the same result jennybellaire's friend had.  Lots of the knots came untied.

The 2nd time I did it I used overhand knots.  The was more sucessful.  None of the knots came untied, but I did have to ease them through the reed & heddles in small sections.  I would do it again if I wanted the same threading. 

I changed the border on the 2nd one so I pulled the whole thing forward so the beater & the warp I wasn't changing were against the breast beam.  Then I tied slip knots in large groups of the warp to keep it from slipping back.

I put lease sticks in the warp in the plain weave sheds so I could rethread the borders.  Actually, that was the first thing I did.

It saved me a lot of time & I knew I wouldn't have any threading errors in the center part.  This was on a small jack loom.  I'm not sure it would have worked as well on my large countermarche loom because the beater would be in the way.  I would have probably had to resley the whole thing when I rethreaded the border.  It would have still been faster though, because I would have had the threading.

There are some people who think tying onto a dummy warp all the time is better because you can weave more to the end of the warp.  The knots can be closer to the heddles & still get a good shed than the dowel can.

 

bolivian warmi

Hello. Looking on with interest as usual and I have a couple of questions.

Is there any special way to turn the colored supplementary wefts at the edges? When I use supp. wefts in warp faced weaves I find that it is a lot  prettier to turn the wefts a couple of warps in from the edge rather than at the edge itself but, as this is a balanced weave, I was wondering if there are any tips for turning the wefts.

Laura mentions using 8/2 thread in her article. Can anyone tell me what the wpi would be for this thread? I have 8/2 crochet cotton here but I have a feeling it is not the same.

I must confess that although I have studied the charts and pictures in the article, I have only skimmed the text so far and the answers to these questions could well be there so just tell me to go back and read the article if need be!!

Laverne

Caroline (not verified)

I think the 8/2 crochet cotton is the same, according to the Interweave chart I have, only it does not give WPI, just how much you should get per lb and kg, grrr. Its the same chart as they put in Spin-Off and Handwoven, so perhaps Spin-Off gives the WPI.

I'm busy trying to work out if I have enough warp thread for this at the moment, otherwise I have to go to a 20/2 yarn, which is much finer than I want to go - I DO need to be able to see the stuff! Otherwise I am going to have to buy some in from Petlins, which will take up to next week before it arrives.

Its just hit 38C here this morning ( its 9.30 am) so its not good thinking weather, or warping weather for that matter!

claudia (not verified)

Caroline, while you are hot, we are freezing. In Maryland at 7 pm it's down to 25F and I am freeeezing.

But, I believe I have an answer for Laverne. 8/2 cotton has the following characteristics taken from the Halcyon Yarn site:

8/2 crochet cotton is not the same thing, it's close but not identical. I do believe you could get similar results from it if that's what is available to you and I wouldn't hesitate to give it a try.

Claudia

bolivian warmi

Thanks Claudia. So it wraps 30 to the inch. My thread wraps more like 35 so it's in the area.

Another question-you know I backstrap and so know nothing about reeds and such. Laura says she used a 10 dent reed-does this number translate to rigid heddles? Would a 10dpi rigid heddle spread the warps the same as a 10 dent reed? I am lost in terminology.

Laverne

claudia (not verified)

Yup, you got it.  A 10 dent rigid heddle and 10 dent reed are the same thing. Please note, Laura sleys the reed 2 threads per dent so the sett is 20 epi. You could do the same thing with the rh loom, 2 threads in each slot and each hole, that means 20 epi.

Hope that helps,
Claudia

bolivian warmi

Ah! Thank you for telling me that-there was the confusion with the 8/2 thread and the 10 dent reed. I suppose she mentions that in the article and I skimmed over it. Shall go back now for a more thorough read.

I already made two towels doubling my 8/2 in the 10 dpi RH so I know it works beautifully :-)

Laverne

claudia (not verified)

Are those the red and white checked ones in your projects? They are lovely. Then, your sett for that project was 20 epi (end per inch).  I would love to see more details on that project, especially how you created the selvedges, they are great.

Claudia

bolivian warmi

Yes, the red towel and there was a green and lilac one as well.

I am a bit nutty when it come to edges, Claudia and it helps that I am so used to slooow weaving techniques.

After I have passed the weft through I push it into place at the edge with a pointed stick holding the last warp tight and taut so It can't get bent out of shape and making sure that there is no excess weft loop hanging out. I push it into place with the stick for about 2 cm and  when I am perfectly happy with it  I then grab the edge with the weft so that it can't move and bubble the rest of the weft and beat with the rh. Time consuming yes, but I am edge obsessed!

That's why I am asking about turning the colored weft at the edge.

Laverne

Jerri S

Hi all, I'm in. In my ongoing stash busting endeavor, I will be using eitehr 10/2 or 12/2 cotton for the warp.  Right now, breadcloths come to mind.  Jerri

bolivian warmi

Hi and welcome! I have warped up and have woven the beginning. I am going to use embroidery floss for my patterns like Laura did but am stalled as,although I have a lot of bits and pieces of color, I don't have a single green. So, it's on hold until I can get to the store and buy some.

What are you going to use for the pattern weft?

Laverne

dognapper2 (not verified)

Help!
When you extend the Garden-Path draft (above) across the loom do you want (need?) to continue so there is a last thread on Shaft 1 on the left?
 
My symmetrical brain is trying to finish with a 4,3,2,1  4  1,2,3,4 - like the on the other edge. Is the 1 on the left structural? :)
 
Laurie

bolivian warmi

I am weaving this on my backstrap loom and just wanted to show off my first row of garden!

This is going to be a table runner for my mum and it will have this at either end and a wider band of several patterns in the middle.

Laverne

Laurie........I'm sorry but I don't quite understand your question but I am sure someone will be along soon to answer.   

claudia (not verified)

Hi Laurie,

The last thread does not have to be on shaft 1. That said, be sure your pattern is set up so you don't end in the middle of one of the floats. It will appear as though it was cut off in the middle of the pattern if you aren't careful. Make sure you end on one of the threads that holds the pattern down, a tie-down thread.

Does that help? I am brushing up on Rosepath in my Marguerite Davison book. If you have that one, take a look at it and you may find answers to your question about how to work with the pattern repeat. I found it helpful.

Claudia

laurafry

Hi Laverne,

 

2/8 cotton has 3360 yards per pound.  Don't know how the crochet cotton compares.

 

I don't worry too much about turning at the selvedge, just wrap the shuttles around each other.  The plain weave pick will trap the pattern pick at the selvedge.

Some people like to use a floating selvedge for overshot, but I've never found that I needed it if I just consistently wrap the two wefts around each other.

Cheers,

Laura

laurafry

No, you don't need the final thread on shaft one if you dont' want it.

Cheers,

Laura

laurafry

Hi Laverne,

 

This looks great!  :)

Cheers,

Laura

bolivian warmi

Thanks Laura.

I decided in the end not to have the motifs going all the way to the edge. So I stopped after a complete motif a few warps in from the edge which means that the pattern weft turns underneath rather than at the edge. The only problem is with the tulip motif which has three weft shots  in a row in the same plain weave shed. That wasn't working out on the bit of plain weave that I have at the edge and so I am just not doing the tulip. 

Laverne

 

 

 

laurafry

Oh, I see - you're doing an inlay only partially the way across.  That does make a difference.  :)

Cheers,

Laura

claudia (not verified)

Just discovered the threading on my loom from the bread cloths I just finiished is rosepath. I am good to go. I am starting with a little sampler. Now to find the embroidery floss.  And the threadling on Weavezine.

Pictures to follow soon.

Claudia

bolivian warmi

I have finished my table runner. I think my mum would like to have this for the top of her dresser.

Weaving the last row of flowers.

I used the rigid heddle on my backstrap loom for spacing and set up two string heddles in front of it and two behind it  . With only two in front I was able to use the RH as a beater. I decided not to weave the motifs all the way to the edge.

Here it is off the loom and washed. This was a fun project!

Laverne

claudia (not verified)

Laverne,

You did a lovely job. I am sure your Mum will be very pleased to show this off.

You are an inspiration. I am trying to get the daisies or the butterflies to run up and down the sides of the placemats I have just put on the loom. Not sure I can get it to work out. I am going to work on it in my weaving software first and see if I can make it happen.

Claudia

bolivian warmi

Running up and down the sides...........that should look great! I found that where I left that little bit of plain weave on the sides ' (between the motif and the edge), I had to weave a few fill in rows for the sides to ''catch up ''with the motifs. I hope this makes sense. You  might need to do this too.

Laverne

dognapper2 (not verified)

My contrasting Flower color was NOT.
 

(Darker yellow on sides actually shows up a little better in the picture than I thought.

I was pretty disapointed with my 1st couple of tries Didn't take a picture - they're hiding inside rolled up beam.)

So I tried a sample band in all green.
Sugar & Cream/AKA - really long dish towel?
 

Laurie in Maine
Unrepentant Dabbler ;)

 

bolivian warmi

Yellow is funny, isn't it.  I  used  a really nice yellow along with a medium blue recently in a placemat and it just ended up looking white-I was really disappointed.

The rosepath pattern looks great. So you are using Sugar and Cream -what are you using for the colored patterns?

Laverne

zinniz (not verified)

It could be a real challenge to get the pattern on the sides with plain weave in the center.  You could use 8 shafts and thread the side borders on shafts 5-8 with the center on shafts 1-4.  That way you can have a tieup where the center section weaves plain weave while the borders weave pattern. However, you then have to figure out how to deal with your pattern weft.  You wouldn't want it to go clear across the plain weave section so you'd be working more of an inlay with two pattern shuttles (one at each edge).  Rethinking that though--since it's more of a manual inlay process, you could leave everything on 4 harnesses, treadle the pattern shed and add the pattern weft just in the border area, then switch to the plain weave shed which would carry across the piece.  The tough thing there is that I would worry the extra weft in the edges would cause additional takeup and therefore tension problems.

Let us know what you come up with!  I like challenges like this.

laurafry

You could always make a roller towel.  :)

Cheers,

Laura

laurafry

If you don't have 8 shafts to do as zinniz suggests, you can do as Laverne did and inlay the pattern only in the area you wanted it.

The only 'problem' I can see is that the warp will take up more in the dedicated inlay areas and you might start having tension problems.

Cheers,

Laura

claudia (not verified)

Hey Laura,

I am not familiar with a "roller" towel. What does one use it for?

Claudia

Caroline (not verified)

Roller towels are a continuous circle of fabric that hangs over a rail and can be pulled around to find the dry bit.

Does that make sense? ( I need my morning caffeine!)

laurafry

that's exactly right.  ;)

Cheers,

Laura

who understands about insufficient caffiene

claudia (not verified)

Well, it's time for bed here but I had to see what a roller towel is  : )

I haven't seen one in a very long time.  That has to be one very long towel.

Claudia, goodnight.

Caroline (not verified)

Hehe, we still have them in some of the older cloak-room facilities, and the kids love them!

Caroline (not verified)

I have to ask:

Is anyone attempting this on a rigid heddle loom?

After chatting to Laverne, I opened my big mouth and said theoretically it should be quite easy........

Long story short, I am in the process of sorting the 4 sheds out to put continuous string heddles onto my Knitters Loom.

Which was not what I had planned!

More as I progress, or don't progress as the case may be!

bolivian warmi

Caroline, you will find that two of the sheds carry threads that are going through the holes in your rigid heddle-they'll be sheds 2 and 4 or 1 and 3. Set them up in front of the RH and the other two sheds carry the threads that are going through the slots. Set them up behind the RH. I was still able to use the RH as a beater even with those two string heddles in front of it. I  set up my heddles on thin wire so the heddle sticks were not bulky and the heddles just slid along the warp as I used the RH to beat. They will slow you down though.

 

 

   

Caroline (not verified)

i'm not using the RH as its 7.5 dpi and I'm sleying at 20 epi. I did a direct warp without the heddle, then put a cross in afterwards. I used the cross to find the 4 sheds, starting from the fourth and working back. With this particular pattern its quite easy, because lifting 1 + 3 then 2 + 4 makes plain weave. It would be far more complicated with an irregular tie up.

I am taking it very slow and steady - I'm on the last shed (#1) and  have found a couple of crossed warps to sort, then I shall make the continuous heddles. I shall be experimenting with beading thread for this.

bolivian warmi

Are you going to put sticks in to help space the warps?

I used the RH as spacer and beater. I started off using 1 + 3 and 2+4 for the plain weave but found it was just easier and faster to use the RH.

Caroline (not verified)

I'm leaving the lease sticks at the back of the loom to help tension the warp and keep it spaced as it comes off the back beam. I'm also going to use 2 different coloured threads for the heddles to try and help distinguish the different sheds. I may need to make a stretcher to keep the width consistent, I'll see how I go.

Did you see the post on the Navajo group about being able to knit the continuous heddles to get them correctly spaced? not that I'm going to try it, but it's interesting. I wonder what difference it actually makes?

I'm off to bed, I shall be doing the heddles tomorrow after doing 1 final check that everything is right - fingers crossed!

bolivian warmi

I just put multiple hitches between heddles to space them. I  I used 3 hitches between some of the heddles for the rosepath.

claudia (not verified)

I am trying to follow all this but getting a bit confused. Can you provide us with pictures or a diagram?  You are great at diagrams, Caroline.

Thanks,

Claudia

laurafry

Hi Laverne,

Just to make sure I'm understanding - you set up 4 heddle bars for the twill sheds, and are using the RH for plain weave?  Cool!

Cheers,

Laura

bolivian warmi

Yes, Laura.

Although that wasn't my original intention. I originally wanted to just have the rigid heddle up the back of the backstrap loom to space the warps and that's all but then I decided I wanted to use it as a beater as well so it ended up between the two sets of heddle bars. And then I thought well, I may as well use it for the plain weave a long as it is here-easier than constanty lifting two heddle bars.

Here it is on my backstrap loom. I coud beat with the rigid heddle as the 2 heddles in front just slid down the warp. I was using wire for the heddle bars so they didn't get in the way-dowels may have been awkward.. It slows things down but, you know, everything I do on my backstrap loom is slow!

Laverne

laurafry

slow perhaps, but small, portable, versatile.....  :D

Cheers,

Laura

Jerri S

Here is my sample. I am using 12/2 unmercerized cotton; used embroidery floss, 6 strands for the lower motifs. I also tried using 3 strands of floss. I thought I like that better, but looking at the pic, the 6 strands might work better. And yes, threading error has been corrected. :)  So far, so fun. Now on to the project, breadcloths.   Jerri

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