A great project for summer is inkle or band weaving using cotton. Here, I made a belt and a band for my new Tilley TH9. I used my inkle loom for the belt, but I prefer using a rigid heddle when doing pickup to be able to better see which strands to pick or drop. For a frame I used a Spears #4 loom and a little heddle I’ve had for years. Worked like a charm.
I’ve discovered if you know other language names for the words “weave,” “weaving” or “loom” you’ll find the neatest stuff on the Internet. Take the word “bandvev” for example. It probably means something like “band loom” in Scandinavia. If you search Youtube with variations of the term, you’ll find some really interesting videos. There are a number on the Norsk Folkemuseum channel that document weavers and craftsmen and women from the 1950s. You can find warp-weighted weaving in particular, but I was entranced by this one that shows a number of different ways bands are woven: on a loom, with a rigid heddle, and with cards.
It took nearly two bands done similarly to realize I wasn’t weaving warp-faced inkle bands. In fact, they are more of a balanced weave. Normally with inkle bands, the weft isn’t seen except for a snippet on each edge. It’s there to pull all the warp threads together. The threads of the warp are the only threads you see. But with the two bands I’ve just finished–the stained glass one and the green and white one–the weft is visible. I think I started doing this because I liked the look. Also, I had warped it with double and triple threads but only used a single for the weft. It created it a bunchy feeling when I pulled it in to make the warp-faced weaving. So, I started to weave it to be flatter and smoother. In the end, it’s not quite balanced weave (where the weft and warp show equally), but it’s closer to that than a normal band. Why all the fuss? I have a feeling these bands are probably weaker than a real warp-faced band. Also, I learned to weave on a rigid heddle and it makes sense that I reverted to this type of weaving. I also realize that the inkle loom is probably more versatile than I first imagined. I wonder if anyone does balanced weaving on these looms? (But why… when I have a bunch of looms designed for that sitting at home? Because it’s interesting, that’s why!)
This band reminds me of an old-fashioned wicker hamper. It's white cotton (two strands) and green embroidery floss. Soon, I'll be finished with all that vintage floss I found in a tin at an antique store. The only colors left are pinks and yellows.