Krokbragd

Day 336: Lest anyone think that I don't take fiber arts seriously, I currently have four looms in operation, each with a different style of weaving in progress. I'm getting close to completion of the summer-and-winter weave lap throw on the floor loom, spacing out the remainder until another large project takes form in my mind. I worked so many hours at inkle weaving that I threw myself into back spasms and had to take a break for a few days, but while I was leaned up against a heating pad, I kept thinking about krokbragd. The word means "crooked path," and refers to the lay of threads in this weft-faced three-point twill. It is rather fiddly and confusing to weave, but the patterns which can be created solely by changing up the sequence of colours are quite attractive. However, one must first find the proper balance between the weights of warp and weft for any particular number of ends per inch. I have not been entirely happy with my prior krokbragd endeavours, so while I was recovering from "inkle injuries," I warped my smaller rigid-heddle loom with 8/4 carpet warp and did practice throws with various weights of thread. Although I achieved a satisfactory look at 10 epi (ends per inch) using 8/2 cotton weft, I felt that a wider sett would pack more tightly as my vision of "perfect krokbragd" dictated. After weaving several inches, I took the giant leap. I cut the piece off the loom and re-hung it at 7.5 epi, no easy task when you consider that I had to keep the warp threads in their original order while restringing each one through two heddles! When the process was done, I crossed my fingers and wove the first sequence, hoping I hadn't made any mistakes. The weaving is now progressing nicely and has a much nicer hand-feel than that woven on the closer sett. This wasn't a project as such; it was an experiment. Even so, when it's finished, it will make a nice place mat.