Inlaid hearts allow for color changes along the length of a band. Instead of threading the pattern in the warp, I’ve created it in the weft with a supplementary weft. This technique is based on dukagang, a Scandinavian technique, in which a weft is inlaid in and tied down at intervals by a single warp yarns.
Create a band to wrap a package, trim a top, or put on a long warp and weave several book marks for your best buddies.
What you need: Schacht inkle loom, Schacht belt shuttle, tapestry needle, popsicle stick, 4 colors of pink embroidery floss, 10/2 pearl cotton in natural, 5/2 pearl cotton in pink.
Warping: Determine the length of your warp for the project you have in mind. Follow the warping guide below. Use 10/2 pearl cotton in natural and 5/2 pearl cotton in pink.
Weaving: Use 10/2 pearl cotton for the weft and weave an inch.
Prepare the pick-up pattern: Lift the open threads and on these threads only, pick up 1, leave 3 down in the center only, beginning and ending at the edge of the pink warp threads. You’ll end with 1 up. You should have 6 warps lifted which will yield 5 spaces. Place these picked up threads on the popsicle stick and slide it to the back peg. This will store your pattern for each pick up row so you don’t have to pick the pattern each time.
Weave as follows:
- Weave a heddle shed leaving a loop at the selvedge.
- Change sheds, beat, pull the weft thread even with the selvedge edge.
- Weave an open shed, leaving a loop at the selvedge.
- Change sheds, beat, pull the weft thread even with the selvedge edge.
- For the pattern row, do not raise or lower any warp threads (neutral shed).
- Slide the popsicle forward and place the pattern tie down threads on your finger. Slide the popsicle stick back to the back peg.
- Cut a length of embroidery floss and insert it up from underneath. You will come up in the center space entering and exiting just outside of the tie down threads. The ends of the supplementary weft will both be hanging off on the underside of the weaving.
- Repeat steps 1-5 and then weave a pattern row following the pattern guide.
Hints:
- There is always a heddle row and an open row between each row of supplementary weft.
- Press in the weft well for best effect.
- You will carry the supplementary weft across the back of the weaving when there is no pattern showing in a square on the pattern guide.
- You will sew in the ends on the back when the band is removed from the loom.
- I wove 6 rows between each heart motif.
