Friday, January 4, 2013

Rigid Heddle Resources

Update April 2021
Many new and wonderful resources have appeared since I first made this list, so this month is update month.  
New entries will be labeled NEW2021.
And if you find any dead links in the original list, please let me know.  I'm trying to clean them out, but it takes (too much) time!

Rigid Heddle Resources
Well, my blog traffic seems to have skyrocketed, thanks to a lovely link from The Yarn Harlot (thanks Stephanie, you're very kind), and since most of you are here for info about the Rigid Heddle, I thought I'd just put up a quick links page of the posts I've done on RH weaving.   Some of these posts include photos to show the process, some are just show-and-tell.  Many list resources for further study.

 1. Simple plain weave projects that let the yarn do the work - probably the best use of this loom for a beginner (or anyone, really, it's always fun).
Feb. 4, 2010 first scarf ever
Feb. 16, 2010 after Madrona class
March 2010

 2. Color and Weave Effects - Log Cabin - also plain weave, but with 2 colors in a pattern
Sept. 2010

 3. Spaced Out Felted Weave - plain weave again, but with spacers (and felting)
Feb. 5, 2010 and Feb. 6, 2010 and Feb. 10, 2010

 4. Woven Shibori - plain weave with a supplemental weft (or warp) thread, and over-dyeing (August is Indigo Dye Day)
Feb. 19, 2010
Aug. 2011
Aug. 2012

5. Pick-up Lace and Float patterns - plain weave with hand manipulated and pick up stick textures and patterns
March 2, 2010

 6. Waffle Weave - plain weave with weft floats (pick up stick)
May 2010

7. Double Heddle/Pick Up Stick Weave Structures
June 2010 Double Weave - plain weave, but kind of not simple plain weave (needs a pick up stick!)
April 2012 Summer and Winter - well, it's got some plain weave in it . . .

And since I taught beginning and intermediate Rigid Heddle Weaving last year, I just happen to have a bibliography handy:


Bibliography

Books (print and e-books) and Magazines:
  • NEW2021 Mitchell, Syne, Inventive Weaving on a Little Loom, Storey Publishing, 2015 - Another big book of endless (and interesting) ideas and variations with full color illustrations + basic weaving info, direct peg and indirect (warping board) warping, materials/sett selection, color theory, color and weave, using pick-up sticks, hand manipulated lace, inlay, textured yarns, double and triple (!) heddle techniques, glossary of weaving terms, and so much more.
  • NEW2021 Gipson, Liz, Handwoven Home, Interweave Press, 2017 - Has 20 rigid heddle projects to fill your home! Includes all the info you need to create these items, as well as handy tips for better weaving.  (errata available on her website https://yarnworker.com/shop/handwoven-home-by-liz-gipson/ - autographed copies too!)
  • NEW2021 Easy Weaving with Little Looms - magazine from Long Thread Media (the new Interweave) has zoom loom, inkle, card weaving and other small loom articles/projects, but mostly rigid heddle.  Published 4 times yearly now - print and digital subscriptions or buy single copies - https://shop.longthreadmedia.com/products/easy-weaving-with-little-looms-summer-2021
  • Davenport, Betty Linn, Hands on Rigid Heddle Weaving, Interweave Press, 1987 - good variety of projects including pick-up lace and band weaving + excellent basic weaving info, but beware - the warping shown uses a warping board and much more complicated process (like the multi-shaft looms use).
  • Davenport, Betty Linn, Textures and Patterns for the Rigid Heddle Loom, Revised Edition, 2008 - no basic weaving info, but lots of info on using pick up sticks for floats and textures (includes an excellent section on double weave) - note: all illustrations are black and white.
  • Hart, Rowena, The Ashford Book of Rigid Heddle Weaving, Ashford Handicrafts Limited, 2008 - new edition with some really interesting and creative projects (color and weave, tapestry, lace, shibori, rya) + excellent basic weaving info and direct peg warping with lots of photo illustrations (double heddle threading info is great, but there are easier ways to do summer/winter).
  • Gipson, Liz, Weaving Made Easy: 17 Projects Using a Simple Loom, Interweave Press, 2008 - good simple projects (including some laces) + excellent basic weaving info and materials/sett selection, but beware - the warping shown uses a warping board and much more complicated process (like the multi-shaft looms use).
  • Lamb, Sara, Woven Treasures: One-of-a-Kind Bags with Folk Weaving Techniques, Interweave Press, 2009 - great variety of techniques + excellent basic weaving info including direct peg warping for single and double heddle, and warping for band weaving (project note - only the first bag is single heddle, for the rest you need 2 heddles).
  • Menz, Deb, Color Works: The Crafter’s Guide to Color, Interweave Press, 2004 - no weaving, but lots of great info about color and color combinations.
DVDs
Online Classes
Yarn and Patterns

 Social Media
  • NEW2021 Ravelry - https://www.ravelry.com/account/login has several weaving groups that share info - still active ones are “Rigid Heddle Looms” for all RH weavers, and "Yarnworker" for followers of Liz Gipson.  It’s free, but you have to join Ravelry (it's good, just do it).
  • Facebook also has a few Rigid Heddle Weavers groups - my favorite is Rigid Heddle Looms (very supportive people).
Online resources:
Project Planning
Lace Weaving
  • Davenport, Betty Linn, Hands on Rigid Heddle Weaving, Interweave Press, 1987 - has a few good lace patterns in a linen table runner project
  • Patrick, Jane, The Weaver’s Idea Book: Creative Cloth on a Rigid-Heddle Loom, Interweave Press, 2010 - has tons of info on various lace structures
Color and Weave Effects
Double Heddle Weaving
Woven Shibori
Summer/Winter Weave
Waffle Weave
NEW2021 Krokbragd
Supplies
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5 comments:

  1. UnknownJanuary 6, 2013 at 6:33 AM

    Thank you so much for these invaluable resources! I just received a rigid heddle loom for Christmas, and I will no doubt be returning to this page again and again.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JessicaJanuary 6, 2013 at 6:42 PM

    How very nice of you! This compiled list is wonderful. Weaving is below spinning on my list of aspirations, but I am utterly enchanted with your quilts.. I'm so glad to have wandered over here from Stephanie's post. Your challenges blow my mind.. wow!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 7, 2013 at 9:56 AM

    This is amazing information. Thank you SO very much!

    ReplyDelete
  4. lindaanngonzalesApril 29, 2013 at 4:49 PM

    Hi, I just recently got interested in weaving, and after over three months of reading and surfing the Internet and You Tube for "How to Weave" for beginners, I purchased a Kromski Harp Rigid Heddle 24" loom. My first set of towels were a disaster. My second pair of towels took me over 16 (nonstop) hours of measuring warp and warping the loom, etc.

    I was looking for different techniques to weave other than the plain weave when I saw this page. This page is very, very helpful for someone new like me who knows very little of weaving techniques. Thank you for sharing your techniques and resources. I really appreciate it because now I can practice other weave patterns.

    I would like to know how to use the pick up sticks for different pattern effects. Would you have any resources for pick up stick techniques?

    Thank you

    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sue JensenApril 18, 2021 at 12:56 PM

    Thanks so much Nancy!
    Sue from Study Group

    ReplyDelete