2017 Swatches

Woodland Weavers and Spinners Guild of Grand Rapids

This Guild provides us with a fascinating study woven using Tencel and bamboo. Members chose to compare a “Star of Bethlehem” pattern done as regular overshot to one done in shadow weave for their swatch. They altered the tie-up for a jack loom twill treadling. The shadow weave was woven by throwing a regular pattern shot followed by a shot thrown consistently either one shed higher or lower than the pattern shot. After sampling the treadling order was finessed to produce balanced patterns.

Black Sheep Weavers

Fiber Guild-Hartland

Weftovers Study Group

Because of the rich weaving heritage known to Hartland we decided to base our pattern on  Weaving Designs by Bertha Hayes-Miniature Overshot Patterns by Norma Smayda, Grethen White, Jody Brown and Katharine Schelling. We chose “Linoleum”, design 34 on page 134.  We then decided to weave it as a shadow weave. Thanks to Gisela Bosch’s expertise and her weaving program we developed this pattern

Toledo Area Weavers Guild

This swatch was inspired by a 2015 workshop, Three Shaft Weaves, with JoAnn Bachelder. The number of possibilities opened  up by simple changes in threading or color is amazing, You will never look at your 4 shaft loom quite the same way again.

The color and weave draft produces a two sided fabric, one side light, the other dark. Both sides feature a vertical stripe that could be emphasized or lessened according to your color choices. A monochromatic palette, high contrast yarn, even solids vs spaced dyed. Also, a great stash buster for those cones with limited yardage.

MLH Member: Margaret Jones, member of the Niles, MI Guild

and Duneland Weavers Guild in Chesterton, IN

The first time I saw this towel was in the middle of an E-book of Top Ten Towels on 8 shafts: A Project Collection PDF by Handwoven Magazine. It is a four shaft weave! Go figure. The pattern is called “Roller Birds and Bumbaret” by Jean Hewsted. She was trying to capture the colors of a very colorful African bird.