My Design Process for Large Drafts

At the beginning of the year, I was working through a set of designs for a sample band and I thought you might like to see the way I use Tablet Weaving Draft Designer during my design process. For large drafts like this one I work a bit differently to the way I do for smaller drafts, as I find that otherwise I get lost in them (thanks, dyslexia!). To reduce the amount of visual noise, I focus on the pattern of backward turns against forward turns rather than the colour and direction of the threads. For smaller drafts like the ones in my two books Warp-Twined Angles and Vacant-Hole Pinwheels, I turn the backward turn saturation to zero and work with the flow of the threads in the boxes instead. 

I wove these drafts as 2x2 diagonals, but I designed them in 1x3 diagonals, as the turning sequence will be the same and it results in a pencil sketch that's easier for me to read.

Step 1

Draw out the motif. I use metric graph paper as my standard "thinking paper" as I can fit quite a few designs on the same sheet.

Step 2

Draw 4x4 zigzags around the motif and draw in all the vertical and horizontal mirror lines. 

Step 3

Shade in all the areas that contain left leaning lines (these will be the backward turns in the final draft).

Step 4

Draw a simplified schematic of the shaded motif, where each square in the schematic is equivalent to a 4x4 square in the motif. Add vertical and horizontal mirror lines down the middle of the schematic.

Step 5

Turn off the threads in the display section of the control panel of TDD and set the rulers to the same position as the mirror lines in the schematic. Open the previous draft from the batch and alter the dark and light squares to match the new schematic. I also reduce the visual scale until I can see the whole draft on my screen at once. The 4x4 squares at each corner of the draft will produce the filler between the motifs.

Step 6

Turn the threads back on, the rulers off, and the backward turn saturation down to zero and check that the motif looks the same as the pencil sketch motif.

Step 7

The final draft with both the threads and backward turn shading in place, ready to weave. I do this straight from TDD without printing anything out, as I can use the horizontal ruler tool to help me keep my place.

Step 8

Weave the draft! 

For this band I used yellow onion dyed yarn and purple/almost black logwood dyed yarn from the stash I've been dyeing for over the last few years. I'm hoping to play with some indigo this summer to get purples from my red brazilwood yarn and greens from my yellow weld and onion skin yarns.

Exciting Book News!

Since the beginning of March, I've been working on a new project or maybe I should say that I've been working on an old project? 

At the back of my first book, Tablet Weaving in Theory and Practice: Warp-Twined Angles, I wrote that when I designed the drafts for the book, there were more that didn't make it in, as there wasn't enough warp to weave all of them. I hadn't originally intended to turn them into a book (I designed them as a way to keep myself from going stir-crazy when I couldn't weave for a month due to an elbow injury), so I wasn't planning for it when I wove them. I wrote that I hoped to revisit them at some point in the future and maybe add some more drafts to the list.

This spring, I picked the project back up, initially intending to add a few extra drafts and update the photography, layouts, samples and explanations to create a revised edition of Warp-Twined Angles. Well, one thing lead to another and the number of drafts grew to over 100 in total; enough for a second volume in its own right. I had a lot of fun coming back to this project and I really enjoyed weaving something so completely different to the double-face drafts I spent much of 2019 and 2020 working on for my book Double-Face Inscriptions.

The new Warp-Twined Angles will be in three different editions:

Volume One, which will have the 42 drafts from the first edition

Volume Two, which will have the additional 65 new drafts (with notes on the historical examples that some of them are based on)

A Combined Edition with the full 107 drafts together.

They will be in hardback, softback, ebook, and pdf and will be available to buy in June (if everything goes to plan) from Blurb.com.

Petre

This draft is based on a German brick-stitch pattern from the Hildesheim Cope (accession number: 17-1873), specifically the section that deals with the martyring of Saint Peter (spelled "Petre" in Latin). I've been fascinated by the Cope since I first saw it in the summer of 2016, on display in Medieval and Renaissance Room 9 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It's a large embroidered semi-circular vestment, dated to the 12th century, adorned by a number of tablet woven brocaded bands. I discuss the motifs of these bands in more detail in my book Tablet Weaving in Theory and Practice: Vacant-Hole Pinwheels.

I decided to design this draft as vacant-hole (one or more holes of the tablets are left intentionally empty), but to set up the tablet threading so that all the tablets would turn together in the same direction to make a quick and simple weave. This makes it an excellent first band if you've never tried the technique before. 

When I was weaving the sample, I flipped the threading direction of the selvedge tablets (tablets 1, 2, 3, 36, 37 and 38) so that I could turn them together with the pattern tablets. When you flip a tablet, then turn it in the opposite direction, its threads will continue to twine in the same way as before. A Z-threaded turned backwards will produce the same result as an S-threaded tablet turned forwards.

If you take a break during weaving this draft, be sure to secure the tablets with an elastic band or by tying a cord around them (or what ever method you prefer) as they may re-orient themselves so that the vacant-hole is either at the top or bottom of the pack.

The vacant holes of the tablets are represented by empty squares in the draft below and by the word "Empty" in the text version of the draft. The sample was woven using a white weft, flecks of which can be seen on the surface of the band, where they would normally have been covered if the vacant holes of the tablets were filled. If you'd prefer, the draft's turning sequence will be the same if the vacant holes of the tablets are filled. If you do this, I suggest picking a thread that is the same as your background colour and using a weft that's the same colour as the lines for your motifs.

You can download the TDD file for this draft by clicking here.

The text version of this draft is as follows:

• Threading:

1. S threaded tablet
   1. White (#ffffff)
   2. White (#ffffff)
   3. White (#ffffff)
   4. White (#ffffff)
2. Z threaded tablet
   1. Red (#ff0000)
   2. Red (#ff0000)
   3. Red (#ff0000)
   4. Red (#ff0000)
3. S threaded tablet
   1. White (#ffffff)
   2. White (#ffffff)
   3. White (#ffffff)
   4. White (#ffffff)
4. Z threaded tablet
   1. Red (#ff0000)
   2. White (#ffffff)
   3. Empty
   4. White (#ffffff)
5. Z threaded tablet
   1. White (#ffffff)
   2. Red (#ff0000)
   3. White (#ffffff)
   4. Empty
6. Z threaded tablet
   1. Empty
   2. White (#ffffff)
   3. Red (#ff0000)
   4. White (#ffffff)
7. Z threaded tablet
   1. White (#ffffff)
   2. Empty
   3. White (#ffffff)
   4. Red (#ff0000)
8. S threaded tablet
   1. White (#ffffff)
   2. Empty
   3. White (#ffffff)
   4. Red (#ff0000)
9. S threaded tablet
   1. Empty
   2. White (#ffffff)
   3. Red (#ff0000)
   4. White (#ffffff)
10. S threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Red (#ff0000)
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Empty
11. S threaded tablet
    1. Red (#ff0000)
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Empty
    4. White (#ffffff)
12. Z threaded tablet
    1. Red (#ff0000)
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Empty
    4. White (#ffffff)
13. Z threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Red (#ff0000)
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Empty
14. Z threaded tablet
    1. Empty
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Red (#ff0000)
    4. White (#ffffff)
15. Z threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Empty
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Red (#ff0000)
16. S threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Empty
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Red (#ff0000)
17. S threaded tablet
    1. Empty
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Red (#ff0000)
    4. White (#ffffff)
18. S threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Red (#ff0000)
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Empty
19. S threaded tablet
    1. Red (#ff0000)
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Empty
    4. White (#ffffff)
20. S threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Empty
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Red (#ff0000)
21. S threaded tablet
    1. Empty
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Red (#ff0000)
    4. White (#ffffff)
22. S threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Red (#ff0000)
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Empty
23. S threaded tablet
    1. Red (#ff0000)
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Empty
    4. White (#ffffff)
24. Z threaded tablet
    1. Red (#ff0000)
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Empty
    4. White (#ffffff)
25. Z threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Red (#ff0000)
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Empty
26. Z threaded tablet
    1. Empty
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Red (#ff0000)
    4. White (#ffffff)
27. Z threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Empty
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Red (#ff0000)
28. S threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Empty
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Red (#ff0000)
29. S threaded tablet
    1. Empty
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Red (#ff0000)
    4. White (#ffffff)
30. S threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Red (#ff0000)
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Empty
31. S threaded tablet
    1. Red (#ff0000)
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Empty
    4. White (#ffffff)
32. Z threaded tablet
    1. Red (#ff0000)
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Empty
    4. White (#ffffff)
33. Z threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Red (#ff0000)
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Empty
34. Z threaded tablet
    1. Empty
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. Red (#ff0000)
    4. White (#ffffff)
35. Z threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. Empty
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. Red (#ff0000)
36. S threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. White (#ffffff)
37. Z threaded tablet
    1. Red (#ff0000)
    2. Red (#ff0000)
    3. Red (#ff0000)
    4. Red (#ff0000)
38. S threaded tablet
    1. White (#ffffff)
    2. White (#ffffff)
    3. White (#ffffff)
    4. White (#ffffff)

• Turning:

1. 38F
2. 38F
3. 38F
4. 38F
5. 3F 32B 3F
6. 3F 32B 3F
7. 3F 32B 3F
8. 3F 32B 3F
9. 38F
10. 38F
11. 38F
12. 38F
13. 3F 32B 3F
14. 3F 32B 3F
15. 3F 32B 3F
16. 3F 32B 3F
17. 3F 32B 3F
18. 3F 32B 3F
19. 3F 32B 3F
20. 3F 32B 3F
21. 38F
22. 38F
23. 38F
24. 38F
25. 3F 32B 3F
26. 3F 32B 3F
27. 3F 32B 3F
28. 3F 32B 3F
29. 38F
30. 38F
31. 38F
32. 38F

As with all of the free patterns on this site, you are welcome to weave them, sell bands woven using them, and use them to teach other weavers, just as long as you state where you found them.

Threading Errors Video

 

In this video, I talk about some of things that can go wrong with tablet weaving and the threading errors that cause them.

Knitting Patterns

As part of tidying up my account ahead of Ravelry becoming even less accessible, I'm moving the small collection of knitting patterns that I designed to here.

Aesculus Shawl 

A knitted heart-shaped shawl with lace motifs based on the horse chestnut tree.

Pattern download

Charts download

Hugs by Post Shawl

A simple textured knitted heart-shaped shawl.

Pattern download

Lace Draw-String Bag

An easy knitted lace pouch.

Pattern download

Needle Roll

A quick to knit holder for your knitting needles.

Pattern download

Yarns I Like for Tablet Weaving

Recently, I wrote about and made a video about the criteria I use when I'm selecting yarn for tablet weaving. In this post, I thought I'd tell you about some of the yarn that I like using myself. I'm not sponsored by any of the companies I mention and everything I say here is my personal opinion.

When I weave rigid heddle and tablet woven bands for the sale box I take to events with me (in non-plague years!), I mostly use Drops Karisma DK. It's 100% wool, 100m/50g and comes in a good range of colours. It's also pretty economical, especially if you buy it during one of the Drops discount events that happen several times a year.

I like to use King Cole Merino Blend 4-ply when I'm weaving trim. It's 100% superwash wool (meaning that it's machine washable)and 180m/50g. It's the yarn I used when I wove the samples for Noughts and Crosses and Tic Tac Toe and makes a lovely trim, as it makes bands that weave up fairly fast, but are less bulky when stitched to a garment than DK.

For the samples I make for my books, I like World of Wool Weaving Yarns, although at the time of writing, it has been discontinued. It's 100% wool and 8000m/1000g and came in black, white and orange. To extend the range of colours, I've been using the white yarn for natural dyeing. For one of the samples for my book Tablet Weaving in Theory and Practice: Double-Face Inscriptions, I used Brazilwood dye and an alum mordant from George Weil to get the lovely red colour that I needed.

Lastly, Piper's Silks. For very special bands, I use their 80/3 spun silk, which is 75m per spool. It's beautifully smooth and because of its tight twist, it stands up to tablet weaving really well. It's pretty fine, so when I use it to make a belt, I laminate together several layers of buckram, then sandwich that between the band and cotton twill tape and stitch them together. This yarn comes in a great range of vibrant colours and the woman who runs the company is an absolute pleasure to work with.

Choosing Yarn for Tablet Weaving

I've made a new video and added it to the beginning of the tutorial page here. It's all about the things I consider when choosing yarn for a new band.

Correcting Errors Video!

I found that I really enjoyed making a video about using TDD last week, so I thought I'd make another! This time it's about the technique I use for stripping out weft when I want to reweave a large section of a band. I've added it to the top of the page I've made for it here on my blog, too.

I have several more videos I'm planning to make and I hope to sort out a set up at some point so that you can actually see me weave. There's a semi-continuous warping technique that I've been wanting to share with you for a long time.

Correcting Errors

If you are unhappy with your band or you want to correct a mistake, you can turn the tablets in the opposite direction to the way you turned them during weaving to unweave your work, taking the weft out of the shed as you go. If you need to go back more than a few picks, you might want to consider stripping out the weft to make this process easier.

In this example, I was testing out some of the letter drafts that would one day be part of my book Tablet Weaving in Theory and Practice: Double-Face Inscriptions. I decided that my majuscule (capital) X looked far too much like someone with antennae running for a bus. Rather than continuing, I stripped out the weft so that I could re-use that section of warp and try out another version of the letter instead.

Pull the warp threads apart to the side, towards the selvedges to expose the weft.

Snip it with a pair of scissors (being very careful not to nick any warps!) to a point a few picks above where you want to restart your band.

Pull out each piece of weft with your fingers or a pair of tweezers.

Turn the tablets until the twist is gone between them and the final piece of weft in the shed just above where you plan to restart.

Unweave the final few picks by turning the tablets in the opposite direction to the way you turned them when you wove that section. Carefully remove the weft from the shed each time it is exposed and the shed is open. This will give you a short section of weft attached to the band.

Join a new weft by placing it into the shed with a short tail sticking out of the band, then turn the tablets according to your draft and place the old weft tail through the shed alongside the new weft to lock it in place. Weave with the new weft and the old weft tail in the shed together for a pick or two, then continue on with only the new weft. Trim away the tails of the new and old wefts to neaten up the band.

Tablet Weaving Draft Designer Updates

 We've been wearing our bug squishing boots again! 

This weekend we've:

• Fixed an error that caused the horizontal ruler to sit behind the threading diagram, rather than on top of it
• Sorted a few spelling errors
• Updated the copyright notice to read 2015-2021
• Changed the instructions link to point to a new version
• Fixed a bug causing canvas size change problems when the rulers would be off the edge of a new draft

There's also now a video on YouTube about using TDD.