Welcome back to the Hippie Galaxy! This is our second stop on the mile-long Bobbel Boxx journey.
Click HERE for the first blog post on this topic.
I am sure that everyone has been asking the question, “Does my wrap that I am weaving on my loom really have to be a straight-edged rectangle?” Even if you have not been asking that question, bet you are thinking about it now! We can take that straight edge and give it an angle. So, instead of a squared off rectangle (parallelogram) you will be pushing those short sides forward into a parallelogram with angled ends. Parallelogram definition: a four-sided plane rectilinear figure with opposite sides parallel. Definition from the online Oxford Languages site. This angle can be a sharp point, a gradual point, a stair step angle, etc., etc., etc. What you are weaving is 2 triangles with a rectangle in the middle.
Here are the specifications for this Hippie Wrap:
Warp and Weft are Lola yarn
Warp is 90” long and width is 15” on a 10 dent heddle
To use all the colors in the warp I divided the number of ends by the number of colors. That means, for this width (150 ends) you come up with an odd number, so you can choose to do 16 with a few less ends of the last color. Or you can add a few extra slots to several of the colors as you warp. This is just a suggestion, based on using the colors as evenly as possible. This gives us the full range of colors available for all the wraps you are weaving. Remember, if you have a wider loom you will want to measure and center your warp in the heddle. After you have direct warped your loom, once again do NOT cut the loops at the warping peg. Just tie the warp and slip off the peg and wind on to your loom. When you are ready to thread the holes, cut one loop at a time keeping the threads separate in your hand so you have a clean warp. This is due to the fact that the yarn is not plied but you 4 separate threads acting as one yarn. This is amazing as you can see below, but you need to be a little more careful as you are threading the holes to keep the correct 4 threads together. This applies to all yarn that is not plied, such as Concentric Cotton, and Concentric Alpaca.
This wrap is a plain weave, but not so plain when you have the colors you are working with in this yarn.
When you have wound on, threaded the holes and are ready to tie on to the front apron bar, make sure when you are tying on you are using enough length so it can be used as fringe. If you use an alternate way of tying on, make sure you plan for the fringe.
Next, we need to wind our shuttle. I used only one shuttle in the project. After sitting and staring at the warp on the loom, I realized I need a plan to continue to use the colors as evenly as possible. So, counting my shuttle wraps was the answer. It may seem tedious, but it really does go fast once you get in the groove. After securing the first color to the shuttle, begin winding onto the shuttle counting every time you make one full rotation around the shuttle. For this color plan I counted to 20 and cut my yarn. This shuttle is loaded and ready to weave.
Now we need to spread our warp to get ready to weave, in the picture I used double waste yarn picks to get the warp where I needed it to be so the weaving could begin. This also stabilized the warp to start the angled weaving section.
Now, here we go! I promised stair steps, and as you can see in the picture, I used the color stripes to set the width of each step. Starting my weft yarn on the right the first pick is only about 14 ends wide (your shuttle will come up out of your warp), gently beat, change sheds and send your shuttle back to the right side, gently beat and change sheds. Repeat this process with the same number of warp threads, until you have 4 rows ending again at the right side of the warp. Continue weaving each section, weaving a longer and longer row until you reach the other edge and can begin weaving full rows.
When you are weaving this angle, you will need to make sure that you are weaving a straight line perpendicular to the edge of your warp with each pick. A ruler or piece of cardboard will help you, or you can just eyeball it as you beat the weft. A soft beat is important, at this time it is very easy to change the angle of your pick. Weaving 4 rows per section will give you the stair steps, if you weave only 2 rows per section you will have a gradual angle.
The following example woven with Concentric Cotton has smoother angle and has only 2 passes with the shuttle per section. To create a sharper angle weave fewer warp ends with each pass, a softer angle weave more warp ends with each pass until you reach the other side.
Once you have completed the angled section, measure the length from the beginning of the weft to the first complete row and record this on your project page. This will help you create a matching angle once you get to the other end of your project. Of course, both ends of your scarf really don’t have to be the same.
As you continue weaving you will soon run out of weft yarn on your shuttle. Pick your next color, on my scarf I used the colors in order (they are numbered on the ball band). With this length of warp you will not have enough room to use all the colors evenly. My color bands are smaller at the end, or you can leave out a color or two if you don’t have the room. But when you begin weaving your angle try and make sure you have enough weft yarn to complete it. Load your shuttle the same way you did the first color and continue weaving until you can see the end of your warp.
When you are coming to the end of your warp, make sure you have enough room to complete your angle and fringe.
When you are ready to create the final angle of your parallelogram, you will need to shorten your weft picks starting from the left edge of your warp. When you began your scarf, you were adding warp ends. When you are beginning your final angle, you will be reducing the number of warp ends you weave until you have finished your last section.
To set up for the fringe I do a simple overhand knot with approximately 4 ends per knot, depending on how many ends you have in each section this will vary.
Once I have twisted the fringe and woven in all the ends, I put the scarf in a lingerie bag and put it in the washer with my regular laundry in cold water wash. I remove the scarf from the bag and put it in the dryer for just a few minutes and then hang to finish drying.
Wear your amazing work of art and enjoy……..and yes, there is still yarn left to continue the journey.
Stay tuned for Not Quite Mondrian, coming soon.
Weave on…and on…..and on………..
Weave on,
Cynthia
About the Author:
My life in fiber arts has been a journey leading me through the forests of thread and yarn and across the plains of fabric to finally find my home in the magic of the loom. Being immersed in the crafts of sewing, knitting, crocheting, dyeing, and many things in between, has enabled me to understand many ways of approaching techniques and design in weaving and in teaching.