Weaving With Tabby

Day 256: After finishing up the table runners which I'll be entering in the Washington State Fair, I decided that my next weaving project should be something more complex. I opted for a simple, reversible overshot pattern executed in three colours on a black ground. In this type of weaving, two shuttles are used. One carries the surface floats and the other the background. Each float throw is followed by one background throw, aka the "tabby." Consequently, an over-and-under weave results in the main colour spaces between the longer float threads of the weft. The treadle action is something of a dance: tabby left, pattern, tabby right, pattern, changing the pattern throws according to the design. Too complicated to write out fully in a weaving draft, this method is usually abbreviated with the notation, "use tabby" for a specified number of throws. The technique of overshot can be an exciting adventure for the patient and detail-conscious weaver. Unfortunately, I ran short of black, and instead of making a full tablecloth, this piece will be another runner.