I have decided to try and step out of my comfort zone and weave designs that I have never tried before. But I think my ideas may be bigger than my capability.

For my next project I wanted to weave circles - not big solid circles, but more refined circles (maybe doughnuts is a more exact description). 

I have a 16 shaft Toika loom, but the only pattern/draft I found requires 40 shafts ... and as much as I would like to bring another loom into the house - the husband would have an absolute fit.

Can anyone advise whether circles/doughnuts are able to be woven on a 16 shaft loom?

Thanks for reading

Happy Weaving

Belinda

Comments

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 03:28

trkeyfrm

sorry, couldn't help it.... my wife wanted a loom.... i built one.. then hijacked "her" new hobby..now i'm weaving and building looms... and she wants to know how much of the living room and dining room is going to be taken up by my new obsession.   heehee

i'm the devil on your shoulder.... get a new loom.

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 05:19

sally orgren

Search "circles" here at Weavolution. Or explore tied weaves. I wove small circles with 4 shaft overshot. Great challenge and you have plenty of shafts!
Thu, 07/11/2013 - 08:35

hopeful weaver

Hi trkeyfrm,

LOL  - I have seriously contemplated taking Leonard at his word - he threatens that if another loom comes into the house then he will leave.  Hummm - in my eyes if one husband leaves .... that just makes room for MORE looms, yarns, threads, shuttles, etc etc *0*

Love having you "looming" on my shoulder. I REALLY need you to "bond" with Leonard, he has zero loom understanding :0)

 

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 08:40

hopeful weaver

Hi Sally,

As a beginner, the thought of tied weaves scares the socks off of me (I know, I need to put on my big girl weaver pants).  But the overshot might be the go. Thank you for the heads up - I shall now go google overshot.

Dang - that shows just how much of a beginner weaver I am :0(

Thank you so much

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 12:18

Kade1301

also allows to weave circles with only 4 shafts - or even smoother circles with more shafts. There was a special issue of Handwoven on the subject (though I don't remember whether the circles were in that or in my friend's workshop notes).

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 14:45

sally orgren

Ooo! Shadow weave is a good suggestion, and the Powell book has great drawdowns to show how. 8 shafts is a reasonable starting place.

I *just* took my first tied weaves workshop with Su Butler at MAFA, so I have only been christened in the technique of tied unit weaves for three weeks. I too, was intimidated at first, but she made it easy to understand. She is very good (i.e. patient) at repetition, so it sticks. (And it is a GREAT way to go for free-form design!)

Consider summer and winter as a way to design curves with a tied weave... Reserve shafts 1 & 2 for your "tie downs", the rest can be your "pattern shafts". So your first block (A) would be 1,3,2,3 (3 being your pattern shaft). For your 16 shaft loom, you would have 14 different blocks to work with.

Next, take a piece of graph paper, draw a half circle, using 14 different blocks to achieve the roundness you desire. Next, just mirror it for the other half of the circle, in both threading and treadling. Do you get the idea?

Bonnie Inouye also teaches how to draft and weave curves. (Someone else to explore in the future.) Here is an example of the types of cloth you can learn to weave in her "Advance" workshop. (I wove these 12 shaft samples and created this cover for my guild sample book. The green sample is doughnut-y in some of the circular shapes. All those samples off of the same warp!)

Here is the pattern from the Bertha Grey Hayes book on miniature overshot, that makes perfect little doughnuts and barbells. 

The Estes miniature overshot series of monographs (Handweaving.net) also has some patterns with circles and squares. (Try looking up "quilt squares". I may have entered my draft here at Weavo, under drafts. Trust me, although it is called quilt "squares", the circles will jump out at you! ;-)

Plunge in, have fun with this! And post your explorations, even if just sample bits. I think we all seek ways to break the grid.

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 14:56

crosstownshuttler (not verified)

Bonnie Inouye wrote two articles for Weavezine on weaving curves. Here's the link for the one that includes overshot.

Have fun!

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 19:54

sally orgren

OK, Here's "A Summer and Winter Doughnut" on just 9 shafts for you. (Hot off the rollers and recently bathed in the waterfall of glaze if you are a Krispy Kreme fan!)

On the top three treadling rows, you can see the plain weave treadling (1+2, the tie downs) alternating against the pattern shafts, or "everything else" (shafts 3-9).

Once you plan out your threading blocks from the circle on your graph paper, plan your treadling. (This would be just one way of doing it. Lots of choices — up to YOU! ;-)

Start by alternating the tie downs (1, then 2) leaving a treadling row empty between them. In the empty rows, I alternated the ground pics (1+2) or (3-9). Then, I went back in on the tie down rows, and added the pattern to both the tie down on shaft 1, and then to the tie down on shaft 2. (4 pics complete the sequence for that treadling block.)

When you actually weave it, you might want to do more than one treadling repeat of a pattern row to get a smoother curve. (Same with the threading).

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to try a little of my newly acquired knowledge and sharing it!

P.S. This draft done quickly, there may be an error or two upon closer inspection. I hope this just gives you an idea of how to plan your own circles!

Fri, 07/12/2013 - 00:24

hopeful weaver

Sally,

Oh my goodness - this is a really quick response because I was supposed to be out of the door 10 minutes ago, but weaving comes before shopping any day of the week. I just HAD to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the wonderful information, I need time to digest it (and some Krispy Kremes - which you can only get at the international air port now - so sad) but will get back to you tonight.

Everyone on this list is so nice - but I am totally blown away by this recent post.

Hugs

Belinda

Fri, 07/12/2013 - 08:23

hopeful weaver

Hi,

Thank you so much for pointing me toward the Handwovens - I will spend some time with them looking for shadow weave.

Great advice,

thank you, Belinda

 

Fri, 07/12/2013 - 08:30

hopeful weaver

Sally your photographs, instructions and draft have me very inspired. What a beautiful selection ;0)

Plus, I now have the ability to weave doughnuts AND keep the husband. He will be sad when he knows he has to stay !!!

Again, thank you so much for your time and generosity of information

Belinda

Fri, 07/12/2013 - 08:33

hopeful weaver

To all who have shared ideas, pointed me to reference material or provided information, thank you very much.

Your help, advice and generosity of spirit is overwhelming and very much appreciated.

Thank you all