So, yea. Not a sprang post. But honestly, there was no way my crafty little soul was ever going to stick to just sprang on this website and blog.
March/April has seen a lot of weaving. For my birthday I warped up to weave a bag for my boyfriends birthday the following week. Two weeks later I finally finished it, after many mistakes and additions to finally have a bag that would fit his computer like I wanted.
After finishing that project I was torn about what to work on next. I knew I wanted to continue playing with weaving since I hadn't done any since last fall. I also knew I needed to get back into working on sprang projects. However, in the end, weaving won out and I decided to warp up to play with a new technique; Krokbragd!
Krokbragd is a Norwegian technique for weaving that uses the same three sheds over and over with different colors to create patterns.
Now, I had heard of krokbragd before, but had never fully understood the magic of it. Partially, because I wasn't finding a lot of written info on it and I wasn't interested in watching a 10 minute video on a particular pattern when I only needed the basic directions.
I finally found the tie up instructions for a rigid heddle loom and using a really basic pattern as a start I got to weaving.
And OMG, it's addictive!
I kept a notebook next to me while I was trying out different patterns so I could document what sequence created what patterns. It seemed like after every row I was finding new patterns and I soon had a full sheet filled with notes and different patterns.
I'm now onto my second warp for Krokbragd and still having so much fun!
You can weave this technique on a rigid heddle loom by creating the 2nd and 3rd sheds on a pickup stick and string heddles (or both on string heddles, but making one a pickup stick is a bit easier).
You will also need a comb for compacting each row, your heddle alone will not be enough to get the compaction you need.
String heddles are useful for creating the 3rd shed and a pickup stick is helpful for the second shed.
Step 1.
Warp up your loom using a wide sett. I used twine from the hardware store, so I have no idea the yarn size but I am using my 7.5 heddle and the twine is about the same size or a touch bigger then 5/2 cotton. How wide to warp up will also depend on the weft yarn you are using. I just happened to have these little packs of embroidery wool by boyfriend had brought home from cleaning out his dads storage. I would say they are about worsted weight. Play around with the sizes of your warp and weft until you get something you like. I'm too lazy to sample, but that might be other peoples thing.
For my second warp, I warped up a 12.5 heddle with (I think) size 10 crochet cotton. This is working out much better with the cotton thread I am using for the warp.
Step 2.
After your loom is set up for weaving, create your 2nd and 3rd sheds.
2nd shed: with the heddle in the down position, pick up every other slot thread.
3rd shed: with the heddle in the down position and the pickup stick slide back, put all the remaining slot threads on a string heddle. Make sure your string heddles are in front of your pickup stick but behind your heddle.
Step 3.
Weave!
The shed sequence to make one pattern row is:
1st shed: heddle up, pickup stick and string heddle slide forward.
2nd shed: heddle up, pickup stick slide back, lift string heddle.
3rd shed: heddle down. Pickup stick and string heddle slide back.
Beat using your weaving comb after finishing all 3 sheds.
These three sheds make up one row of a pattern. They don't sit perfectly in line, but close enough that once beaten down well, they will form patterns.
It's as simple as that! At least I think it is. Perhaps this (hopefully) helpful picture below will better illustrate how the three sheds work together to form one row of a pattern.
You can create abstract patterns or simple figures, flowers are easy and fun!
I created this pattern with cute little bees in it.
Or you can play with patterns and designs like I did here.
Happy Weaving!
Be sure to check me out on Instagram @solrhiza.arts for more creative fun