K's Guitar Strap Finished Pics

I realized I never put my finished pictures of K's Guitar Strap here.  I made it in her school colors of red, black, and white.  It was a very fun project.  Baltic pick-up weaving is easy, and the results are beautiful.  

I used size 3 Crochet Cotton.  The leather ends are from A Spinner Weaver.

I really enjoyed making this for K!

Narrow Latvian Flower Band

This is a simpler Latvian Flower Band than the one I posted last year (Feb. 2016).  This was the first inkle band I had made, and the pattern was from a Ravelry Winter Belt WAL (Weave along) in the Knit Like a Latvian group.  The pattern is in the book Latviesu Jostas.

                                                                    Latvian Flower Band

This band has a single flower in the center, so it's easy to weave.  The colors should be red, green, blue, and yellow.  I didn't have red, so I used purple.  I used Sugar 'n Cream.  At the time, I didn't have any weaving threads.  I like using size 3/2 weaving cotton now for inkle bands, and I think the pattern would look clearer.  The yellow is so light, too--I would use a darker yellow.

I used purple for my shuttle thread (weft thread), but it should be red.  Whatever you use for your weft thread will be the center color of the flower.  If you look above, the flower is the horizontal purple line surrounded by the yellow petals. 

There are 23 threads, and you warp the band as usual: heddled, open, heddled, open, etc.  But, where you have a "doubled" thread, you can either use a heavier thread, or Two threads as One Thread.  Make sure to heddle doubled threads together as one or leave them open together as one thread.

Here is the color order for warping: 2 red, 2 green, 2 yellow, 2 blue, 2 yellow, 1 doubled green, 1 yellow (this is center of band), 1 doubled green, 2 yellow, 2 blue, 2 yellow, 2 green, and 2 red.

So, you warp it like this: 1 red heddled, 1 red unheddled, 1 green heddled, 1 green unheddled, etc.  You can start with a heddled thread or an open thread; it doesn't matter.

Weave several shots of plain weave--just as you weave a regular inkle band to begin the pattern.

Then for the pattern, you weave the band as usual except for the doubled threads.

*So, when you open the first shed for the pattern, if the green doubled threads are in the "down shed" pick them Up to the top and pass the shuttle through the shed.  Then weave 2 shots of plain weave as usual.

Then open the next shed and the doubled green threads should be "up".  Push them Down to the down shed and pass the shuttle through.  Then weave 2 more shots of plain weave as usual.*

Repeat from * to * over and over for the length of the band.  End with some rows of plain weave.

If you open your first shed for the pattern, and the green doubled threads are UP, then push them down and pass the shuttle through.  Follow with 2 rows of plain weave.  Then for the next row, open the shed and the green doubled threads should be Down.  Pick them up and pass the shuttle through.  Then follow with 2 rows of plain weave.

Repeat by either pushing down or pulling up the doubled green threads and passing the shuttle through and then do 2 rows of plain weave.  And Repeat.

Sheep Band and Some Card Weaving Tips

This sheep band is my first card weaving project except for a simple band that I learned in a class.  I'm using my Schacht inkle loom and 3/2 cotton.  The band is about 1 5/8" wide.

                                                              Sheep Card Woven Band

The threading pattern is available here:  http://www.hilltopcloud.co.uk/blog/18th-december-tablet-weaving . 

There are 23 cards and they face left.  A and D are on top, A and B are toward the weaver.  4 forward turns (toward weaver) and 4 backward turns (away from weaver) is the pattern.  Thread S and Z (not card position, which is what I did.)  Threading S and Z will make the sheep ears point downward instead of upward. 

I've learned a lot about card weaving patterns.  Some of the patterns on Pinterest are very difficult to figure out because they may not specify turning direction, which way the card faces, and if the threading or card position is S and Z. 

Helpful Tips
When you thread S, the card position will be Z.
When you thread Z, the card position will be S.

The color that will show up on the band is the color that moves across the top of the card.  So, if the card faces Left, A and D are on top, and if you move the card away from you, the color in hole A will move to the D position (still on top of the card).  It is moving across the top of the card, so the color in A will show up in the band.

If the card faces LEFT, the letters are probably on the card counter-clockwise.  A and D are on top and A and B are closest to the weaver.  (A, B, C, D are counter-clockwise)

If the card faces RIGHT, the letters are probably clockwise.  D and A are on top (A is farthest from weaver), and C and D are closest to the weaver. (A, B, C, D are clockwise)

If you thread a card S and move the card away from you, the twist will be Z.
If you thread a card Z and move the card away from you, the twist will be S.

If you thread a card S and move the card toward yourself, the twist will be S.
If you thread a card Z and move the card toward yourself, the twist will be Z.

If you find a band draft without directions, you can look at the first row of the colors of the band.  Does it look like it is the same as the threading in holes A?  If so, Color A is the first row of the pattern.  Or it may look like the same threading as holes D across.  If so, the first row of the pattern will be D.  So, you need to thread the cards so that the correct color will show up on row one. 

I'm really enjoying this project.