Friday, May 8, 2009

Where Was I?

Weaving workshops are great places to learn new things. I photographed different ways weavers track their treadling sequences at Ruby Leslie's color workshop when I attended in April.

The drafts and treadling sequences in these photos are intentionally blurred, since these drafts are not mine to share.

Two weavers used magnets and metal sheets to keep track of their position line by line.


Clipboard, small cookie sheet, ruler with magnet glued on the back


Magnet glued to back of ruler

Another variation on the magnet theme:


Draft and metal sheet in sheet protector, magnet strips outside sheet protector


Metal sheet inside sheet protector - purchased at an office supply store

Another weaver clamped a cardboard sheet to the castle of her loom and clipped the draft to the sheet. See the yellow-headed quilting pin stuck in the treadling sequence? I used that pin to track my position in the treadling sequence.


The technique that worked best for me was on one of the looms set up for advancing twill. It had a series of post-its from left to right on the loom, with the treadling sequence written like this

1--->8
2--->6
3--->5

and divided up among the post-its. (These numbers are just examples I made up this minute, so they won't help you weave anything spectacular.)


This treadling reversed, but the whole thing was written out on post-its so I didn't have to pay attention to that.

I found that I could remember where I was on a post-it pretty easily, and I could definitely remember which post-it I was on.

Now that I'm home, weaving off the extra warp on the loom from the workshop, I'm using the post-it technique and finding I really have developed rhythm and flow with this table loom.


I'm really happy to have found a way to keep my place in a complex treadling sequence.

What do you do to remember where you are?

Related Posts:
Day 1 of color workshop
Day 2 of color workshop
Day 3 of color workshop

10 comments:

desiree said...

Usually I count, and tie, the warp threads in groups before I start.

Susan said...

Post it notes are super! I use them all the time.

My method of keeping track is to use the short hand such as 1-8 for a run etc.
After a few repeats, it's surprizing what you commit to memory! I can still recite a swedish snowflake twill treadling of 108 steps.... but have dozens of these scarves!

:) Susan

Theresa said...

Post it note with the pattern written out, then to mark my place when I get up a post it arrow marks the place to begin the next shot.

charlotte said...

I have no method of keeping track, but I guess I should have one. When I had a break, I sometimes use a lot of time looking at the fabric and opening sheds to figure out where I was...

sheilabythebeach said...

Ok, sticky notes are going on my shopping list!
Someday when I advance to pretty patterns I'll need them, probably a LOT of them.

Susan said...

Oops! I for got to add that I use a small electrical alligator clip "borrowed" from my hubby's tool box to clip on the side of the post it note and simply slide the tip to the sweet spot when I leave the loom. The nose points to the starting point.

It's interesting what little things we utilize to make our lives easier....

bspinner said...

Great ideas and suggestions!! I love the magnet clip board. Great for long over shot patterns!

Valerie said...

Hi Sue,
Thanks for the comment on my blog. However, I'm not the weaver being interviewed in the link. I wish I had such a nice and organized studio!

Ercil said...

Even with post its, I have trouble... but i endeavor to continue and get better... some of the comments here and on the blog are helpful. Thanks!

Margreet said...

I use a metal board (available at
DIY stores)together with magnet strips from an old fridge door.
I only use this if the pattern is asking for it as moving the strip does tend to get you out of the weaving rhythm. I also use beads sometimes threaded on a string. Just depends on what I'm weaving.