Kerstin Froberg  kindly sent me a link for weaving this shawl. I had never heard of this kind of shawl but it is woven with a twist included. Instructions are given for weaving it on an improvised loom which has been clamped to a table rather than used as a backstrap loom.

                                           

Here is the link.............www.piening.nl/

MANY THANKS TO KERSTIN.

Laverne

Comments

Caroline (not verified)

Great challenge! This is the only workable version of a woven mobius I have seen online.

This is one thing that definitely cannot be woven on a regular loom, not even a rigid heddle!

Loominaria (not verified)

What fascinates me most about the knitted, crocheted, and now woven Möbius bands is that so many people are fascinated by the Möbius bands. My preference for symmetry and simplicity leads me to prefer a plain circular band with 2 twists in opposite directions. But my preference for flexible utility leads me to prefer a chunk of woven rectangle so I can put the ends of the scarf in different configurations, depending on where I'm cold.

Well, OK, the Wiki article was somewhat fascinating. '...a strip with three half-twists, when divided lengthwise, becomes a strip tied in a trefoil knot.'

Kurt

Caroline (not verified)

I have to stick my hand up to being one of those fascinated by the Mobius strip, and I have knitted several shawls, as well as baskets and have also used them for bag straps. As bag straps they sit quite nicely, and so do the shawls, despite the half twist. I also find the mobius strip ideal for making wrist distaffs for spinning, because of the way they sit on the arm they are less likely to slip down and off the hand as you move it around.

But then I also live in Australia.....................

TinaHilton (not verified)

 Man, you guys are just bound and determined to get me to weave off of my floor looms, aren't you.  This looks really neat! But what do you do when you have enough woven  so that the twisted warp yarns want to come up?  Do you just twist the woven part that's underneath so that the warp threads are now straight?  Or does it miraculously do that on its own?  I've gone over the instructions several times, but I just don't see any obvious explanation of it.

Caroline (not verified)

THATs why the mobius gets me going! Doing a strip then putting in a half twist just does not cut it for me, hehe!

You would be making a circular warp so its possible to keep the part of the warp you are working on straight even though you are moving it on every now and then.  I'm not sure if you would eventually be working from the back of the warp rather from the front and what would happen to the heddles, but I intend to find out once I've got over a craft fair I'm spinning for.

When you knit a true mobius, you always have a right side facing you and it takes 2 circuits to get back to your starting point; its the same if you crochet a mobius, so weaving will be quite challenging mentally, although any stripes you put in will be totally symmetrical.  I have a few problems actually visualizing how it all goes together, even with the photos.

Kurt Pippin (not verified)

It says:

"The next photo clearly shows the twist in the warp. While weaving this twist always stays underneath."

As you advance the warp, the woven fabric will move into the twist that's kept in place on the bottom side of the continuous panel. You won't have to do anything. The loom bars keep the top side as a flat panel and the bottom side with the half twist. Just keep enough tension as you advance the warp so that the half-twist doesn't roll over the near loom bar to the top side.

It may be one of those things you just have to do on faith until you see it working.

Yes, Tina, you must do this. Resistance is futile. Join the Stick Side. You can freely return to your floor looms after you do this one thing. If you still want to return then. Mwahh-hah-hah-hah-hah!

Pip

TinaHilton (not verified)

Well, I will be spending 3 months in warm Florida this winter in my motorhome.  That's three months without my big floor looms!  I intended to spend a lot of time spinning, knitting, needle felting, and weaving on my small frame looms but now plan to add a backstrap loom to the list.  And I showed this project to my husband, who won't admit to being a weaver but does a very good job with inkle and card weaving.  He's very intrigued by backstrap weaving now too. 

bolivian warmi

I agree Pip. I was studying those photos today.I can't quite get my head around what happens when you get to the end and reach the twist and I think that you just have to set it up and do it and all will be revealed. Who is going to be the first to try this?

Kurt Pippin (not verified)

That's just it, you never reach the twist. It stays on the bottom at a fixed point while the warp and fabric rotate through that fixed point. The woven fabric rolls around the near loom bar to the bottom side, and when the woven fabric reaches the point of twisting, it moves into and becomes the twist.  Advance the warp some more, and the beginning of the woven fabric passes the twist point and moves onward toward the far loom bar. The fell is a somewhat fixed point on the top side, while the twist remains a somewhat fixed point on the bottom side.

Pity I can imagine it so clearly but have no interest in making one.

Pip

bolivian warmi

OK-you have convinced me that this is not some kind of joke and that it is in fact do-able, that is, some crucial piece of information hasn't been omitted. Maybe Caroline, Tina and I can have a go.I have been wanting to do more balanced weaves.