Upon its release last year we were instantly drawn to Andrea Mowry’s The Throwback - a top-down knit cardigan with cool retro-inspired colourwork detail around the yoke.

We thought the unique woolly texture and warming heathered shades of Loch Lomond GOTS would be a perfect match, so we got swatching. 

Translating and working Mowry’s design into a swatch was easy enough until we hit the three-colour colourwork... worked flat!

Though we had some initial hesitation, we were up for the challenge.

We’ve detailed our swatch notes below, including a little trick we found for controlling that third unruly yarn.

Enjoy!

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PROJECT

Swatching The Throwback by Andrea Mowry in Loch Lomond GOTS by BC Garn

AIM

To explore:

• The fabric’s hand-feel at the resulting gauge

• The suitability of Loch Lomond GOTS for colourwork, and

• A method for working three-colour colourwork

SKILLS

• Casting on

• Casting off

• Knitting flat

• Reading charts for colourwork

• Familiarity with different knitting styles:

  • Continental (yarn held in left hand)

  • English (yarn held in right hand)

TOOLS

• 4 mm (US 6) circular needles (we used Chiaogoo Spin Bamboo Interchangeables)

MATERIALS

WAITLIST

Colour A, Moss

WAITLIST

Colour B, Beige

WAITLIST

Colour C, Curry

WAITLIST

Colour D, Fire Red

PATTERN

The swatch is for The Throwback sweater pattern published by Andrea Mowry of Drea Renee Knits. This pattern is available for purchase on Ravelry or at dreareneeknits.com.

The pattern provides a gauge of 18.5 stitches and 26 rows over 10cm (4'').

PROCESS

THE DESIGN

Casting on 38 stitches, we started with a base of 4x4 rib running into stocking stitch to test Loch Lomond GOTS in the knitted fabric.

The colourwork chart was incorporated to explore the relationship between the yoke detail and chosen colour palette.

THE SWATCH

We tried a few different needle sizes on some pre-swatch swatches. We found a satisfactory fabric was obtained on 4mm (US 6) needles, with a resulting 5 stitches per inch pre-blocking.

For the colourwork component we began by working the two-colour sections with one yarn held in each hand and catching the floats behind the work at regular intervals.

Having had some experience working the yarn from both the left and right hands, this method was quite comfortable for us and we had no trouble working either the knit or purl sides of the fabric.

THE THREE-COLOUR SECTION

Applying our colourwork method to the three-colour sections proved more challenging.

When working with a third yarn (in either hand) we found it difficult to maintain tension, catch floats evenly across the back (particularly on the purl side) and avoid disastrous tangles between the three strands.

After a few attempts at using various stranding techniques and re-organising our yarns we settled on a method that simply removed the problem!

Our solution… working only two colours across the row and slipping the stitch that required the third colour. The row was then worked again, slipping the previously worked stitches and only knitting the stitches required to complete the three-colour sequence.

This simplified working the purl-side, as the colour pattern was already established from working the knit-side and could simply be repeated – purling with two colours across the row, then working the row again with the third.

Given only six rows of the chart are worked in three-colours we found this to be a quick and easy solution.

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FINISHING

The swatch was soaked in a bath of cool water for around 5 minutes, the excess water pressed out using a towel. The swatch was pinned out on a blocking matt, attention given to aligning the stitches and smoothing out the colourwork.

The final measurements:

• Overall dimensions, 18cm x 20cm (7'' x 8'')

• Gauge, 20 stitches and 24 rows over 10cm (4'')

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

GAUGE

Though we didn’t quite reach the pattern’s gauge, our measurements indicate that this yarn would be a viable option for The Throwback. A quick calculation tells us that we would only need to go up one size to accommodate the variance.

Here’s what we did (using inches for simplicity):

Our size - Size 3, Bust 43''
Our gauge - 5 stitches over 1''

Number of stitches required for our size:

43 (bust size) * 5 (our gauge) = 215 stitches (around the bust)

At Size 3 (bust 43'') and the pattern gauge of 4.6 stitches over 1'', we would have too few stitches:

43 (bust size) * 4.6 (pattern gauge) = 198 stitches (around the bust)

198 (no. stitches at Size 3) / 5 (our gauge) = 39.6'' Bust

At Size 4 (bust 47'') and a pattern gauge of 4.6 stitches over 1'', we get a close match:

47 (bust size) * 4.6 (pattern gauge) = 216 stitches (around the bust)

216 (no. stitches at Size 4) / 5 (our gauge) = 43.2''

Therefore, our corresponding size with the required stitch count is Size 4!

FABRIC

Loch Lomond GOTS bloomed to produce a smooth and homogenous fabric with well-defined colourwork detail.

The woolly texture and tweedy appearance make for a wonderfully rustic hand-feel that is both light and warm to the touch.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This little swatch was an experiment that quickly became a great lesson in working three-colour colourwork.

The colourwork method we used was particularly suited to this project given the piece is worked flat with the three colour sections only occurring over six rows.

Ultimately, giving ourselves the space to explore and experiment via swatching took away any initial apprehension we had and gave us the confidence to tackle the larger project in the future.

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THANK YOU FOR READING!

Would you like to save this swatch for later?

Add this swatch to your Ravelry favourites HERE.

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Keep on swatching…

You may also like…

Last week we welcomed Woolsey, the first weaving yarn by Loom & Spindle.

But more notably, we welcomed COLOUR to the Loom & Spindle range - 8 glorious shades to be precise!

I’d thought we’d continue our exploration of Woolsey as a weaving yarn with a tapestry workshop in colour transitions.

It’s a technique I developed for working soft transitions between two solid weft colours.

It requires the weaver to visually divide up the area of colour transition and assign a ratio of weft colour to each section.

By determining the metric - how many times per row the weft rises over the warp, we can establish a percentage for each colour that’s to be woven and create the visual effect.

Once the intention of the technique is understood, the technique itself is quite freeform and can be woven without rigid structure.

So, grab a pair of your favourite Woolsey colours and let’s start weaving!

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TAPESTRY WORKSHOP: Weaving Colour Transitions

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INTENTION

Soften the transition between two solid weft colours by alternating weft threads over the horizontal plane.

SKILLS to practice and develop

• Plain weave

• Double half-hitches to secure weft

• Weft changes using the half-hitch method

• Maintaining weave sequence while alternating wefts

*To learn more about these skills you might like to check out our book - LINE SHAPE TEXTURE.

THE PLAN

• Make a tapestry sampler that will measure 10 cm x 10cm (or 4" x 4").

• The set-up will comprise a frame-loom warped with cotton thread at 16 ends over 10cm (4 ends per inch).

• Establish a ground weave using spare thread to evenly space the warp and provide a firm base to begin the sample.

• The weft will be secured with a row of double half –hitches at either end.

• Use half-hitches and weft-floats (behind the work) to manage wefts as the colour transition is worked.
  

MATERIALS

• Warp: Warp Thread, 100% Cotton

• Weft: Colour 1, Woolsey Yellow; Colour 2, Woolsey Natural
  

METHOD
 

STEP 1

Sketch out and dimension the weaving area, or area of colour transition. I've used our Weaver's Graph Paper (which is available as a free download here) to sketch out the sample.

In this instance, the weaving area is 10cm x 10cm and we’re creating a transition over the horizontal plane. 

Divide the piece into five equal horizontal sections (see diagram below).

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STEP 2
 

Plan out and assign a percentage for each section that will create a uniform transition between colours over the weaving area.

For this workshop, I've chosen a five-section transition to keep the weaving comfortable and percentages to be worked somewhat intuitive.  

Referencing the diagram below, sections 1 and 5 establish the transition colours and will be woven at 100% ‘saturation’.

The actual transition of colour occurs between sections 2, 3 and 4, the percentages for each section are detailed in the diagram below.

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STEP 3
 

Using colour 1 (Yellow), begin the sample by establishing a row of double half-hitches. Ensure each hitch is knotted firmly to secure weft to warp.

Using plain weave, weave in Section 1.

I’ve attached a loop of thread to the warp to mark the end of the section.

STEP 4
 

Hold-on to your bobbin, get ready to embrace your numbers…

In STEP 2 we established a colour percentage for each section. We now need to work out how many times the weft will pass over the warp and use this number to translate the percentages to actual weft coverage.

We know that the piece has 16 warp threads, so for each row woven in plain weave the weft will pass over the warp 8 times.

With this information we can convert each colour percentage to the corresponding weft coverage for each row.

This is the formula we use: 

Using our formula here are the weft coverage stats for each section: 

STEP 5

Armed with our weft coverage stats we can now break away from the scientific method and begin weaving the colour transition with a bit more feeling.

Beginning with Section 2 and utilising the half-hitch method for colour changes, weave-in (maintaining the established weave sequence) the first row by randomly placing two dots of Colour 2 (White).

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Then, complete the first row by filling in the remaining sequence with six dots of Colour 1 (Yellow).

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Our first row now reflects the colour percentage we specified for Section 2, 75% of dots are Yellow and 25% are White.

Repeat this step, row-by-row, maintaining the colour percentage and complete Section 2.

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STEP 6

Continue working the piece row-by-row, changing the percentages of weft colour as you progress through each section.

Again, use a loop of thread or stich marker to mark each section as you progress. 

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STEP 7

Once Section 5 has been woven, finish the sample with a row of double half-hitches to secure the fabric.

Cut the piece from the loom and finish as desired.

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A FEW TIPS

• I recommend that you work row-by-row and keep both wefts working in the same direction. This will make it easier to monitor the weave sequence, it can be quite easy to get lost once the second weft colour is introduced.

• Use the progression of colour in previous rows to influence how you ‘randomly’ place colour in the next row.

• As we’re using a small amount of Colour 2 in this first progression, it can be handy to use short cut-lengths of weft that wrap (half-hitch) around just one or two warps.

• Don’t feel bound by the colour percentages, they are a guide. Monitor the fabric and place the colour where it feels right for you. You’ll notice in my sample weft colours clump together, I felt this added to the randomness of the transition and contributed a certain character to the piece.

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

The length of the colour transition and the frequency at which the weft colour percentages change is highly adaptable.

Ideas for further experimentation might include – working over a much broader area, working in more percentages to progress the colour change more gradually, or perhaps even making the percentages non-linear.

This method is not limited to the horizontal plane either. You could work this technique over almost any angle and with a bit of planning even apply it to more complex rectangular and radial colour transitions.

Oh, so many possibilities!

More experiments await…

FOR MORE INFO ON THE TECHNIQUES USED IN THIS TUTORIAL, CHECK OUT OUR BOOK LINE SHAPE TEXTURE.

LINE SHAPE TEXTURE

$11.99

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LET’S KEEP LEARNING…

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For a while now I’ve been working on a special project for Loom & Spindle, a weaving yarn that's structure and composition has been carefully considered and selected specifically for tapestry weaving.

Exciting, I know! I’ll have all the details for you in coming weeks. 

But for now, I’d like to focus on one element of the project, weaving samples (or samplers, or swatches or whatever you’d like to call these tiny woven fabrics).

Sampling has been an important part of the project as it’s given me the opportunity to work with this yarn on a small scale and test the arrangement of elements that form the tapestry fabric – things like warp sett, weft weight, and colour harmony or disharmony.

Weaving a test fabric can be the defining moment in a new tapestry project. This little experiment between fibre and form will help you decide whether or not your configuration will work cohesively and convey the feeling you intended.

In preparing for the upcoming yarn launch I thought it would be useful to weave a sample of each new yarn colour to explore and share the fabric each produced. My thoughts were that this will help us both choose colour palettes and determine the suitability of the yarn for any future projects you or I might have in mind.

Here’s my method for weaving a tapestry sampler…

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PROJECT: Tapestry SAMPLER

INTENTION

Make a small woven tapestry sample using Woolsey: A Weaving Yarn, to study the colour and texture of the woven fabric produced.

SKILLS

• Plain weave.

• Double half-hitches to secure warp and weft.

• Weft changes using the half-hitch method.

*To learn more about these skills you might like to check out our book - LINE SHAPE TEXTURE.

PLANNING

• My samples will measure 10cm x 10cm (or 4" x 4"), I find this sample size quick to weave and the warp sett is easily determined.

• My set-up will comprise a frame-loom warped with cotton thread at 16 ends over 10cm (4 ends per inch).

• I will use a ground weave of warp thread to evenly space the warp and provide a firm base to begin the sample.

• The warp and weft will be secured with a row of double half –hitches at either end.
  

MATERIALS

• Warp: Warp thread, 100% Cotton.

• Weft: Woolsey: A Weaving Yarn
  

METHOD

STEP 1
Space the warp evenly over the 10cm (4") warp width.
While carefully maintaining the warp spacing, begin the weft yarn by establishing a row of double half-hitches.
Ensure each hitch is knotted firmly to secure the weft to warp.

STEP 2
Using plain weave, weave in the body of the fabric until the piece measures 10cm (4") in length. If needed, begin any new weft threads using the half-hitch method.

STEP 3
Finish with a row of double half-hitches to secure the fabric.

STEP 4
Cut from the loom and finish as desired.

APPLICATION

• The method is fairly straight forward with no special notes to consider.

• No modifications were made when weaving the samples.

• To ensure straight edges and symmetry I did take extra care when working close to the selvages.
  

FINISHING

• No finishing techniques were applied but I might use this sample in the future to test the effects of steam blocking on this yarn.

 

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

• This method enables me to set up and weave a tapestry sample in about 30 minutes, allowing me to very quickly sample a new yarn or fibre.

• It’s such a versatile method that it would also be useful for working a series of small tapestry projects.

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THANK YOU FOR READING!

Our new weaving yarn has arrived, find Woolsey here.

FOR MORE INFO ON THE SKILLS USED IN THIS TUTORIAL, CHECK OUT OUR BOOK LINE SHAPE TEXTURE.

FREE SAMPLE AVAILABLE VIA OUR BOOK PAGE!

LINE SHAPE TEXTURE

$11.99

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LET’S KEEP LEARNING…

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Last week I launched the first Learn to Spin Kit for Loom & Spindle. I shared my journey on learning how to spin yarn (HERE) and some of the frustrations I experienced.

Part of these early frustrations were the result of not having a clear method for spinning yarn on a drop spindle, and not fully understanding how each action influenced the yarn I was spinning.

Over time one key insight emerged, I found it much easier to regulate the yarn I was producing when I had an understanding of the process and mechanics of making yarn.

The resulting method I developed for the Loom & Spindle Learn to Spin Kit builds on this by teaching you the sequence for spinning yarn on a drop spindle, and importantly explaining how each action can be used to control the process of forming a yarn - giving you confidence through understanding!

I’ve shared my method on how to spin yarn on a drop spindle below and included a FREE ‘take-home’ copy for you to download. You’ll find the link at the end of the post.

Good luck!

PS: Remember, your first yarns might not be exactly what you envisioned, but they will be your most important lessons.

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How To Spin Yarn: Six Simple Steps

Step 1

Draft a small amount of fibre and loop it under the spindle’s hook. 
Using your thumb and index finger, PINCH together the pre-drafted end and main fibre supply.

Step 2

Spin the spindle storing TWIST in the length of fibre between the hook and your fingertips.
PARK the spindle.

Step 3

With two hands, DRAFT from the fibre supply using your thumbs and index fingers. Carefully allow twist to enter the newly drafted fibre.
When the twist energy reduces, pinch the fibres and stop any further twist entering the fibre supply.

Step 4

Repeat steps two and three until the length of yarn is no longer comfortable to manage.

Step 5

Remove the yarn from the hook and wind it around the shaft of the spindle, leave enough length to wrap the yarn over the whorl and under the hook.

Step 6

Repeat the PINCH-TWIST-PARK-DRAFT sequence for the remaining fibre supply.
As the yarn forms, you will need to monitor the fibre carefully for your intended characteristics –Yarn weight, optimal twist, etc.

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THE PINCH-TWIST-PARK-DRAFT SEQUENCE

PINCH – The action of locking the fibres between your fingers to hold the twist energy back from the fibre supply.

TWIST – The energy added to the fibre when the you turn or spin the spindle. The twist holds the fibres together in the forming the yarn.

PARK – Refers to the action of setting down and securing the spindle so you have both hands free to draft the fibre. Suggestions for parking the spindle include holding the shaft of the spindle under your arm or between your knees.

DRAFT – This is the process of thinning the fibre supply by drawing fibres apart lengthwise. A suggestion for beginner spinners is to use two hands to draft the fibre. The hand closest to the spindle controls the amount of twist that enters the fibre supply. The other hand controls the draft, how much fibre is drawn out of the fibre supply.

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REATTACHING THE FIBRE SUPPLy

It’s likely at some stage during the spin you’ll need to reattach the fibre supply to the forming yarn. This can be challenging at first but with practice you’ll gain confidence.

To reattach the fibre, begin by untwisting the last bit of spun fibre. Pinch behind the unspun end so the twist can’t re-enter the fibre. Add any extra twist to the length of yarn behind your pinching fingers. This extra twist will be needed to reattach the fibre supply.

Place the drafting end of the fibre supply onto unspun end. Pinch the two ends together and gently draw back the fibre supply. Allow the twist to enter the drafting zone, locking the unspun end and fibre supply together.

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THANKs FOR READING!

This method is also available as a neat little PDF package.
Click the button below and get your FREE copy!

SAMPLE

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IN THIS ARTICLE

- Understanding the effects of warp spacing.

- Sizing and aligning shapes for best results.

- How to design using warp spacing as your guide.

+ Get our FREE tool ‘Weaver’s Graph Paper’

I’m really passionate about weaving. Have you noticed?

I’ve spent several years now immersed in frame-loom weaving and tapestry. I’m a little obsessed.

Something that’s been on my mind lately is how can I test my design before committing weft to warp?

The problem I’ve found is that designing specific shapes and then weaving them accurately can be quite tricky.

You might have had this experience - you have your design idea, it’s great by the way, you throw in the variables of your warp sett and chosen weft yarn, and you start weaving.

Suddenly that eye-pleasing shape you envisioned, with its faultless proportion and symmetry, starts to get a little wonky.

Your shape becomes too wide, or maybe too narrow. You push the weft around, try and straighten things up, but you just can’t get it to sit right.

You stare at it, it stairs back at you. You lose interest, it gathers dust. This one was never going to cut it, you’re a perfectionist after all.

This experience has left me with the question - How can I ensure my designs are going to translate to weaving and can I make the design process more intuitive?

So, let’s get right down to the cause of the problem – the warp sett.

The warp sett or spacing of the warp, often described by the number of warp ends per inch (epi), determines the position of each dot of weft as it passes over the warp.

For example, if you have a warp spacing of 4 ends per inch (4 epi), for each full pass (two rows) of weft you have four dots of weft. So, for every horizontal inch of fabric you weave you have four dots that you can use to control the placement of colour, and in turn control the formation of shapes.

The limitation imposed by the warp spacing means you can’t weave shapes in infinite detail. Every predefined angle and curve of your design must correspond to one of these ‘dots’ of weft.

This can be  challenging to get your head around at first but stay with me. The diagram below might help you better visualize the concept. 

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A. First woven row, creates two dots of weft and leaves two warp threads exposed.

B. Second row of weft completes the pass, creates four dots of weft per horizontal inch.

C. Six full passes of weft completed, colour changes are incorporated and weave sequence is maintained.

By carefully scaling and aligning your design to your chosen warp sett, or choosing a sett that compliments your design, you will be able to make the most of any pattern or shape.

To further illustrate this I’ve drawn up some examples that show you how the alignment of a shape against the warp might affect its proportions.

I’ve purposefully scaled the shape at 1 inch (2.5cm) as I know this has the potential to produce a round circle at either 4 or 8 epi.  For more notes on weaving circles I’d suggest checking out LINE SHAPE TEXTURE.

The differences in each illustration are subtle, but as you can see, the alignment of the circle does affect the the symmetry of the shape.

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So, to overcome that problem I described earlier your design must be carefully dimensioned to fit the spacing of the warp and positioned to maximize the use of those ‘dots’ per inch.

So that’s the theory, how can I help you make it work in practice?

I had the idea when I was developing the shaped weaving blog post. To get this design right and ready for weaving the sizing and placement of the shape against the warp had to be just right.

My first step was to draw up a series of carefully spaced vertical lines to represent my warp sett. From there I could sketch out and proportion the shape.

Having defined the warp spacing I was able to map out the angles and curves of the shape while visualizing the placement of weft to achieve symmetry within the design.

To help you sketch your own designs I have taken this concept one step further and developed what I call - Weaver’s Graph Paper.

Essentially, it's a precisely lined graph paper that replicates the warp spacing so you can sketch elements of your designs and accurately size and position these elements against the warp. Once you have your design perfected on the graph paper you can transpose it directly onto the warp and start weaving.

I really believe that sketching with warp sett in mind will help improve the way you plan key elements in your pieces. And with practice, it will become an intuitive part of your design process. 

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THANK YOU FOR READING!

Our 'Weaver’s Graph Paper' is available as a FREE pdf download.
Click button below and get sketching now!

Get Weaver's Graph Paper

Free Download: Weaver's Graph Paper

Graph Paper Notes:

• In this first version of Weaver’s Graph Paper, I have used a warp spacing of 4 and 8 epi, reflecting the warp spacing on the Loom & Spindle range of frame-looms.

• To make the graph paper as functional as possible I’ve included both a metric and imperial scale where practical to reference as you sketch.

• I’ve included the following printing notes on the graph paper: Paper Size, A4; Set scale to 100%; Page orientation, Landscape.

• Using the graph paper does take practice! I would suggest starting with a rough sketch to help you define your concept. Then sketch out your design again, this time on the graph paper, being mindful where your design sits in relation to warp.

• Please feel free to print it as many times as you need :)

With your help this will be an ongoing project that we can refine together. I’m hoping it will establish a way in which we can consistently develop and share design ideas for frame-loom weaving.

Contact Us

Contact Andrea

If you have any thoughts, questions or suggestions on Weaver’s Graph Paper I’d love to hear from you!

PS: Tag your sketches #loomandspindle so I can follow your progress!

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