The second challenge of the Summer and Winter study was to look at eight-shaft Summer and Winter weave on a one-colour warp.  On eight shafts, six blocks are available.  I chose 8/2 tencel in the colour olive green for warp.  I followed Mary Bentley’s profile draft from her Summer and Winter workshop, and put on a warp 9 inches wide, and three yards long, sett at 20 ends per inch.

As with the four shaft version, I treadled for “singles”, “O-pairs”; and “X-pairs”. I also sampled different pattern colours against the olive ground.

I felt the profile draft had an Asian feel and through the sampling, I loved the impact of the blue pattern yarn against the green.  I then used the remaining sample warp to weave a scarf.  The pattern yarn is Ming Blue 2/8 tencel.  For tabby, I used 2/16 cotton in pale limette.  I beat the warp to achieve 20 pattern ends and 20 tabby ends per inch.

The scarf is predominately blue on one side and green on the reverse.

The tencel shines like silk against the cotton background and looks like a Chinese brocade.