I'm finally catching up on blog posts to go along with my weekly sprang videos. Although I will not be doing a single blog post for each video, rather I will do one blog post for each technique, even if I published multiple videos on that technique. That way I can catch up on blog posts more quickly.
So, full twist interlinking. I find that full twist interlinking creates a beautifully open and drapey sprang cloth. It can be helpful to use full twist interlinking when you want a finished cloth that has less twist two it. Circular warp scarves work well this way. In addition to less twist, full twist interlinking also gives you control over where the threads move. When using more then one color in your warp, this can result in patterns with angled boundaries.
Below is an example of both regular twist (or half twist) and full twist interlinking.
Here is a warp that is made with multiple colors and full twist interlinking. I did not change the path of the colors at all, just worked the entire warp in full twist.
A few things to know about full twist interlinking
The threads that are worked in full twist will have more take up then the threads worked in regular twist. So if your design consists of both, be aware that the full twist threads will tighten up more then the regular twist threads
When a single thread is work in full twist across the warp, it will show up as dots, not a solid line. Multiple threads worked across the warp in full twist will show up as little horizontal lines.
You can only make slanted lines when using full twist interlinking. The slants will be quite steep depending on the thread you are using. See the various examples below.
How to work full twist interlinkings
Full twist are made in the following manner:
Drop the front thread down and pass it behind the back thread from left to right and pick it back up into your right hand with the other front threads. The end result is that your front thread has twisted around the back thread in a clockwise manner.
You can also do a full twist by performing a regular pick and drop of the back then front threads, then perform a second pick and drop with the same threads before moving on.
Either way you do it, at the end your front thread should make a path around the back of the back thread and return to the front. Similarly, your back thread will have made a path around the front of the front thread and then return to the back.
Video on making a warp of all full twist interlinkings:
Using full twist interlinking to move single threads across the warp
To understand how full twist interlinking moves the thread across the warp, it is best to take a close look at it. In the three images below I have highlighted the path of a single thread. First a thread in regular interlinking, then a thread in full twist interlinking going to the right and then a thread in full twist interlinking going to the left.
In the above photo the highlighted thread is worked in regular interlinkings. It first interlinks with the thread to it's left, then the thread to it's right, then repeats. It only interlinks with the two threads on either side of it.
In this photo the highlighted thread is being worked in full twists. This thread interlinks with all the threads to it's left in sequence, slowing 'stepping' across the warp. Eventually, if the warp is long enough, this thread will continue moving across the warp until it reaches the edge of the warp and then turn back and work it's way back across the warp in the opposite direction.
Finally, here the highlighted thread is also worked in full twists but is interlinking with the threads to it's right.
In the photos above the threads are all either worked in regular or full twist interlinkings. It is however possible to work a single thread as a full twist interlinking. Every time you reach the thread you want to move in a row, you work a full twist interlinking with it, but regular interlinkings with all the remaining threads.
How do you control the direction the thread moves?
This is actually very easy! The direction your thread will go depends on it's placement before you start working full twists. If, on the first row where you begin your full twist, the thread is located at the back of the warp, then it will move to the right. If it is located at the front of the warp, it will move to the left.
How do you change the direction your thread is moving in?
To change the direction your thread is heading in, you will need to perform a regular twist with it. So when you get to the row where you want to change directions, simply work a regular twist with your thread. On the next row, work a full twist with the thread and it will now head in the other direction.
Here is the video on moving threads across your warp:
Using full twist to create shapes of two colors
One thing you can do using full twist interlinkings is to create diamond shapes where two colors meet on the warp. When you reach the point where to the two colors meet, and the next set of front and back threads are opposite colors, work a full twist. On the next row, work two full twists when you get to the point where the next set of front and back threads are opposite colors. There will be two sets of threads where the front and back are opposite colors. Continue on in this manner working full twists wherever the next set of threads are opposite colors. The number of sets of threads of opposite colors will gradually increase as you work the warp in a triangular shape. When you want to stop increasing your diamond, work a row of all regular interlinkings. You can then decrease your diamond by returning to working full twists wherever the next set of front and back threads are opposite colors. The number of sets of threads of opposite colors will gradually decrease as you work down the warp.
Video on creating a diamond of two colors using full twists:
With full twist interlinkings you can also move threads across the warp and then revert to regular interlinking. Play around with the designs you can make and the color interactions of the threads.
Happy Crafting!
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