8 Crackle Blocks on 4 Shafts: More Treadling on Opposites

Here is the first set of samples from the 8 blocks on 4 shafts crackle warp. These are treadled on opposites, using two colors. There are 3 repeats, each repeat using a different set of colors. Interesting, but I can live without them.

The samples do show something interesting, however. At first glance, this looks like a row of long blocks 11 blocks to be more precise. Closer investigation, however, shows that each long block actually comprises two blocks. Treadling on opposites does not play up this distinction, though it is clearly there. Perhaps another treadling will.


This is a bit more interesting. Well, at least it is suggestive of some promise. This continues the treadling on opposites but using two different reds. It's difficult to see in the picture; it does show up more in reality, though it is still subtle (which is good, by the way). Now I am starting to get a glimmer of some possibilities.

The black wefts you see are 10/2 pearl cotton. I wound a length on a knitting bobbin and just inserted in sheds, choosing when quite arbitrarily. The heavy dab of black in the center results from winding the black around two warp ends every other shed.

A little to the left is a black thread following the warp for a bit. What I did there was to hang the black yarn on its bottom off the back of the loom. I put it through the reed but not through a heddle. Then, as I wove, I lifted it up or let it lay at the bottom of the shed, depending on where I wanted it to appear. It tended to want to stay at the bottom, but it was not hard to raise it using a crochet hook, or even my fingers.

This hand manipulation was not difficult to do. I am thinking of using it in the final fabric, picking up the black lines from the oyster shells. To see the picture I am using for my inspiration source, go back to this post.

I have now started working on polychrome treadling. More on this later.