How to: Basket weave Technique and Celtic Knot for the Inkle Loom

Basketweave Setup – Thread Placement

The Honeycomb Effect

By Lady Johanna Fleming

Step by Step

1)    Start by warping a border with your background threads.

2)    Warp your single pattern threads

3)    Warp 2 backgrounds

4)    Continue alternating between 1 (pattern) and 2 (background) threads until you have a sufficient # of pattern threads

a.     The # of Pattern threads should be equal to the # of columns in the pattern. The # of columns IS important for setup. The # of rows is irrelevant.

5)    Warp your border of background color and you’re ready to weave!

a.     For the middle section – your pattern threads you’ll see are alternating between heddle and open. When you begin to inkle weave, this thread placement will create a honeycomb or basketweave look.

Keep in mind when reading this pattern; you start from top to bottom, left to right. Starting point is in the Open position.

Open = O|WWWWWWBWWBWWBWWBWWBWWBWWBWWWWWW = 31

Heddle = H|WWWWWWWBWWBWWBWWBWWBWWBWWWWWWW = 30

Pointers:

1.      It’s best to go with a thicker string. Instead of a size 10 in crochet thread go for a 3 or use a yarn that is thicker. Or option B – Combine 3 threads as 1 unit. This will make your pattern really pop out.

2.      Option B – When wrapping thinner threads to create a thicker substance –

a.       The good thing with a solid color for several counts, you’re doing a continuous warp and you don’t have to change colors until you have to begin the pattern color. This helps the process to be quicker. Warp your string the route you want to go and do it 2 to 3 times in one wack. If it needs a heddle, add the heddle string after you have warped it the amount needed. 

b.      Recommending Norse Girl for further reading:

www.norsegirl.com/pickuplearn.html

This actually concludes the tutorial because I wanted to mainly show how to warp the basketweave. The inkle pattern ALONE is beautiful!  Now if you wish to continue and do the pick up Celtic Knot with it, continue reading for a pattern.

I’m including a diagram from Eve the Just (Norse Girl) for another good example:

If you do print out her entire sheet from the link above, it should be 5 pages and it includes the Horizontal Stripe method as well. This is why I do say Thread Placement is important! At that notion too, explore what could happen if you want to change up a color to RED in the middle of the basketweave warp. You can open a whole new world to designing in colors not just patterns! Imagine the possibilities and get creative! It does not become fun anymore when we get stuck in a rut or in a box and we think, “Oh it has to be this way!” Unless you are aiming for an Arts & Science competition and they require certain things of that nature, which is understandable.

Anyway ONWARD HO! In Eve’s handout, she will literally go Line by Line on beginning the Celtic Knot and Yes I have tried her line-up. It came out horrible and messy. So I say KUDOS to anyone who can comprehend it. She wrote it on how she saw it. The “1^st” and “6^th” pattern threads to her “Line 2” is first and last pattern threads….?

I did not see that. I’m seeing “First and Last pattern threads” after warping are the 1st and #13. Why? Because I see in the actual pattern she gives there are 13 “B’s.” There are 6 B’s on the heddled row and 7 on the top.

Anyway, if you don’t want to deal with her pattern and it confuses you, try the one below. Just remember with pick-up, shuttle placement is crucial. Shuttle goes in front side of the hole not the backside. We don’t want wavy lines or more inkling at this point.

For basic Celtic Knot Weave:

1^st Pass: Open upper shed and LIFT pattern threads 2, 8 and 12. These are all heddled. Pass you weft and beat.

2^nd Pass: Open lower shed and LIFT pattern threads 1,7 and 13 (Unheddled) AND you also have to  LOWER threads 4 and 10 (are heddled). Pass your weft and beat.

3^rd Pass: Open upper shed and LIFT threads 2,6 and 12. Pass your weft and beat.

4^th Pass: Open lower shed and LIFT 3 and 9. Pass weft and beat.

5^th Pass: Open upper shed and LIFT 4 and 10 AND LOWER 1, 7 and 13. Pass weft and beat.

6^th Pass: Open the lower shed and LIFT 5 and 11. Pass weft and beat.

Start Over!

1 through 6 is a complete set; it takes approximately 15 minutes for 1 set to do for me. It might take you shorter or longer. Give both patterns a shot and see what works best for you. I followed these instructions from a friend on the (Inkle Weaving) group on Facebook. (Sorry I do not remember his name!) Very thankful for these instructions!! That is another place I would recommend for anyone who would like to venture more into weaving. They have been a tremendous help and a great place for new friends!

Email: gennrie@gmail.com

Facebook: Jenn L Heaton