By Jane Patrick
A size #13 knitting needle was used to pick up loops on an open shed. Squishy ribbon yarns create a soft look. Think of a loop pile border at the bottom of a skirt or jacket cuff. Loops in a handspun singles yarn could create a gorgeous pile.
I am fully aware that there is just not enough information out there about weaving. We desperately need more books, websites, magazines. More, more, more! Please, please, please!
To help fill the void I’m going to post rigid heddle patterns and because I always get email requests for the draft for harness weaving, I’ll provide this along with the rigid heddle pattern when appropriate. I would love to hear from you about what kinds of designs and patterns you’re looking for and I’ll try to oblige.
Some of the easiest patterns to make are “finger-controlled” patterns. IMO these are sorrowfully under utilized. Finger-controlled patterns can be inserted on any weave structure anywhere according to the weaver’s whimsy.
Picked-up loops are made on an open shed and are pretty much as they are named. For this one example, place your heddle in the up position (or down). On a harness loom open a plain weave shed (over-under-over-under). You’ll need a knitting needle to pick up the loops, the bigger the needle, the larger the loops.
Loops can be picked up all the way across the warp, from selvedge to selvedge, or in sections. To make a row of loops, open the shed, place the weft in the shed, and start picking up loops at the selvedge from the side you’ve inserted the weft. Pull loops out of the shed between the raised warps and placing them on the needle.
You need to work from the side the weft is inserted from because as you pick up loops, you will take up weft yarn. After you’ve picked up the row of loops, press down the weft as much as possible with the beater and then slide the knitting needle out, change sheds, insert the next weft row and beat, locking the loops into place.
Bottom Row:
#13 knitting needle and ribbon weft
- Use ribbon. Up shed, pick up every third space (between raised warp threads).
- Down, 3/2 cotton
- Up, 3/2 cotton
- Down, ribbon. Pick up every third space
- Repeat
Top Row:
#13 knitting needle
- Use ribbon. Up position. Pick up every 4th space.
- Weave five rows of plain weave with pearl cotton.
- Repeat.
This sampler is 3/2 pearl cotton, threaded in a 10-dent reed, 10” wide. On the harness loom, thread a straight draw and weave plain weave.