Our first Double Heddle Weaving workshop will soon be upon us and we have been weaving samples and putting together our thoughts for the class. This workshop is sold out but if you'd like to see the next run of dates, have a look here
Using two heddles opens up so many more options for your weaving. It can seem like such a mountain to climb but as is often the case in life, a bite at a time will mean you can eat that whole elephant.
For me, one of the most attractive elements of weaving with two heddles is that it allows me to use delicate silk yarns to achieve a really close sett which I absolutely love. I did think that weaving double width would 'it' but seems not. Peta Ann, who dyes our naturally dyed yarn experiments with different bases for us and has created some beautiful shades on a merino/silk/alpaca laceweight yarn that is stunning to work with.
This scarf was woven on a 16" Kromski loom using a 12dpi heddle doubled up with a balanced weave structure. So the sett would be 24epi(ends per inch) as the yarn is double so for a balanced weave the picks (weft threads) would also be 24ppi (picks per inch).
You can see that the weave is really open and although I really love it as it has an amazing drape and is light as a feather, it has a tendency to catch and makes me slightly nervous to wear it.
Using two heddles will allow me to have a very close sett, it doubles up because of the two heddles and so my weaving is much denser.
Oh I have so fallen in love with diamond twill and the lovely patterning in the fabric. The threading for this is easier than for double weaving and I'm all for less effort more reward. So I think this will appear on day one of the workshop, easing us into the threading gently and yet producing this gorgeous fabric. Obviously there is some desperate need for hemstitching but I couldn't wait to share.
Yes we are in the process of planning an online version of this course so you'll be able to access all you need to know to add extra patterns and weave double(ish) the cloth at home, taking your time and being able to watch the videos again and again.
We will be posting some tips and hints in our next blog but if you have any questions or suggestions, by all means keep in touch, we're all learning and something you know might just help someone else.
Till next time
