Now I know it takes 5 lbs of wool blanket remnants to make this. I panicked when I began weaving it, thinking, what if I don't have enough on hand? and purchased an extra 20 lbs. I may be making a batch of black rugs in the near future. For weavers who might be interested, the rug is woven in a 4 shaft double binding weave (not a true double weave, because the layers are interconnected) but took at least 4 long days to weave. The rug has been dampened and tumble dried twice, at high heat, to full it, and to de-lint the cut wool rags. The rug lost 4 " in length, and 1/2" in width after drying.Final measurement 29.5 in x 5.5 ft. This is the first in at least a pair to be woven before Sept. 1.
7 comments:
What a fine piece of weaving; so accomplished.
Is 'double binding' the same as 'double-faced weave'? Four shafts and four treadles, plus two tabby treadles for the hems (the transitions between the blocks are not true tabby).
what a striking and beautiful rug!
Thank you K. and Peg.
Yes, it is called double-face, & at the block change there are 2 ends up, so it is not true tabby, but close enough. This is a wonderful, stable weave for a rug
I would like to use this technique and it's encouraging to read your comments that the weave is stable and suitable for rug making. However, I've been daunted(unnecessarily you will probably say) by the fact that my instructions advise that both picks should be inserted into their respective sheds before beating down. Is this the best way to do it?
K. I've found that is true. You control the way the rag is going to lay in the shed by closing the shed, insert the next pick, close the shed and lightly beat the second pick until it moves under the first, then change shed, and beat once to set, then 4 hard beats. Slow,but it covers very well. I also keep a knitting needle there to insert occasionally to manipulate the rag so the coverage is complete.
Thank-you very much Susan for your assistance; this is exactly the practical weaving guidance I needed in order to proceed with this technique. I shall definitely try it now.
Hi Susan,
Here I am writing several months later, to express my thanks, again, for your suggestions on how to weave 'double-faced' technique. I have finished my first rug, successfully, using this technique and had lots of fun doing it. Appreciatively, k.
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