Sunday, January 22, 2023

Weaving the Numbers


 4 pattern repeats of Mountain Cucumber.

I love those wormy lines!

Today was a day for calculations and more preparations for The Great Coverlet Project.

I finally decided on a pattern: Mountain Cucumber, aka Governor's Garden, and sometimes St Anne's Robe.

There are 288 threads in a single pattern repeat; At 12 inches, I can fit 2 pattern repeats on the weaving width of my loom--hence the printed blocks above.  There are nearly 300 treadle changes per pattern repeat (not counting the tabby lines).  This is a big project!  

Although I toyed with the idea of adding borders, I gave that up as too complicated.  This will be challenging enough to keep a constant beat and matching up 4 panels once it's all woven up.  


I worked out the numbers for the threading -- and what I need to do to thread it when the time comes.  I worked from iWeaveIt, but because I thread from the back of the loom, I have to do some transposing and reversing, and I don't trust my brain to get it right when I am actually threading at the same time.  So I map it out on graph paper ahead of time, and keep my place with a post-it note.

It's hard to believe that all those numbers in time and space work out to the amazing pattern at the top of this post.

I worked out the treadle changes last weekend.  One day soon, I'll program the beads for this colossal work -- but not before the loom is warped!

I was hoping to run the 14.5 yard warp this wkd, but UPS had other plans. That will have to wait another week -- or more.  I ordered more of the 10/2 cotton for the warp and tabby lines.  I also have a cone of 20/2 cotton which is what the book says to use for tabby, but that seems too thin ...  so I'll have to do some experimenting.

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