One of my goals this year is to reduce my inventory of handspun yarns. Really, my super stash exceeds its dedicated cupboard space. And I’m not sure buying more shelving is the way to go.
Luckily, my need to reduce stash coincided with a small group challenge to weave something in Diversified Plain weave. I chose two plump skeins of handspun that went well together and were of approximately the same grist.
For the fat warp I chose a springy skein of brown Australian Moorit wool. The fat weft is a variegated skein of Superwash merino/bamboo blend in brown with blue tones. I paired these with thin warp and weft of bambu 12 in ebony and sweet corn.
I found the draft on the “Fibres of Being” blogspot. I adapted it to show squares of Diversified pain weave contained by frame of plain weave in the bambu. The result is subtle circles in low colour contrast, with great texture.
So, diversified plain weave means combining different weights of warp and weft? Do you alternate them or is it more complicated than that? The outcome is wonderful!
A little more complicated-a dark fat thread is bracketed by two light thin threads in the warp, with the thin light threads on shafts 1 and 2. It goes 2-3-2, 1-4-1, 2-5-2, 1-6-1 etc. in the weft a light fat thread is bracketed by two thin dark threads. When weaving, the thin threads make a basket weave ground, and the fat threads form the pattern. So weave 1-3-5-7 thin, shaft 2 plus pattern shafts 3-8 as needed to form the pattern, 1-3-5-7 thin (set of three threads); weave 2-4-6-8 thin, 1 plus required pattern shafts fat, 2-4-6-8 (second set of three threads)
Thanks for the detailed explanation!
Thanks. It is a little more complicated. Work in groups of three – for the warp a fat light thread bracketed by two thin dark threads. Thin threads are always on shafts 1 & 2′ the fat threads are on shafts 3-6. The warping sequence is 2-3-2, 1-4-1, 2-5-2, 1-6-1, 2-7-2, 1-8-1. Etc. to create the desired pattern. Weft is a thin light, fat dark, thin light sequence, tabby a, shaft 2 +pattern, tabby a, then tabby b, 1 +pattern, tabby b. Not hard once you get used to the rhythm.
Barbara your Scarves will be nice in cool weather. This is a weave structure I’ve never done. It may but worth exploring.