I'm making a 6' by 6' blanket using the pattern Lee's Surrender from A Handweaver's Pattern Book.  What is the best way to scale this draft up to the required size? I suppose you could repeat the table in the middle a lot, but that might look sort of boring.  Would it be better to alternate the table with the blooming leaf?

Comments

Sat, 06/15/2013 - 03:37

Bonnie Inouye (not verified)

Lee's Surrender is one of the most popular weaving patterns in North America. You might do some Internet searching to see how others have dealt with the arrangement of the motifs. I think the repeated table is a common solution. I suggest using weaving software so you can test drafts on the screen, zoom out, look at the back, etc. Even a free demo version would help you to see what the whole blanket will look like.

Bonnie

Mon, 06/17/2013 - 01:35

Dena (not verified)

I had some great fun a while ago with a xerox machine, trying to figure out the best way to scale up Lee's Surrender (I am a luddite when it comes to weaving software).  I think the intention of it is for the middle squares to be the repeat.  I also tried (on the xerox machine) laying the whole pattern next to each other and also repeating the corner flowers, but I didn't like the way it looked.
Mon, 06/17/2013 - 13:30

Sara von Tresckow

If using "Handweaver's Pattern Book" to scale Lee's Surrender, the obvious point for widening the center is the "center block" of only 30 threads - it exists in the center of the draft - you can see how it makes additional repeats of the small squares in the center. Looking at the border, there are also blocks right and left of the blooming leaft that can be repeated more than once. The actual leaf pattern would be more difficult to repeat, though the whole border could be done twice on each side if the center becomes too wide otherwise.

To use software to mock up your pattern, you'd probably need to use a profile draft to reduce 6 feet to the size of your screen. 

Mon, 06/17/2013 - 14:37

ReedGuy

I can see what Sara is suggesting. I remember just doing a single block of an old colonial overshot draft a little bit ago, and I couldn't zoom out enough to get it all on screen and be able to read the draft. Yeah I could see the whole fabric, but the black squares in the draft were too tiny for me to follow. :D  I was printing off pages and marking off where to thread and treadle between the pages. This was due of over lap in the draft on the pages. A draft practically, turned into a book. :) I have two drafting software demos and a freebie, tiny is still tiny.

Mon, 06/17/2013 - 15:21

midwifehc

On the topic of Lee's surrender, I am going to make a table runner and have The Handweaver's Pattern Book. Is there some way to determine the amount of wool I would need for the pattern based on the dimensions I plan to make it? I plan to use 10/2 cotton for the tabby and 2 ply wool for the pattern.
Mon, 06/17/2013 - 15:29

Sara von Tresckow

Picks per inch times width times length - plus 10-15% for takeup and just having enough.

Tue, 06/18/2013 - 15:17

Dena (not verified)

I just pulled Lee's Surrender off my loom.  10/2 cotton warp sett at 24epi.  For pattern weft, I used Harrisville Shetland (1800 ypp).  It wove up at around 15 ppi for the pattern (ok, it doesn't square perfectly, but it does look lovely!)
Tue, 06/18/2013 - 21:04

midwifehc

Thanks Sara and Dena, that's very helpful.

Tue, 06/18/2013 - 23:12

mneligh

I added a repeat or two of the center block motif when I did it.  I can send you a MS Word version of my draft, unfortunately in my "threading callout" notation that I use for threading (yes, I check off each thread).  Instead of me explaining my draft format here, PM me if you're interested.