Jo Sharp DK wool

Diagonal Half Square, from Weave-It Weaves, and Mirrored Diagonal Half Square, from Original Loomette Weaves, are indispensable for quilt block patterns. If you look at all the lovely quilt blocks that rely on different colors for diagonally divided squares and think—I can’t do that on a square loom—well, think again. In two colors, the effect of this weave pattern is one of two analogous prints. And the two-color blocks look different on the back, so you get four for two this time. (The block above uses two of each pattern.)

Diagonal Half Square in one color opens up some interesting possibilities, too. Weave a pile of them and play with different arrangements to get sawtooth, diagonal stripe, hourglass, textured square, etc. It’s like having a box of tangrams.

O=Over
U=Under
W=plain weave

DIAGONAL HALF SQUARE
Wrap three continuous warp layers. Change color if desired, and measure yarn for needleweaving.
Weave as follows—
Row 1: plain weave
Row 2: (U3, O1)x7; U3
Row 3: W2; (U3, O1)x6; U3; W2
Row 4: W4; (U3, O1)x6; U3
Row 5: W2; (U3, O1)x5; U3; W6
Row 6: W8; (U3, O1)x5; U3
Row 7: W2; (U3, O1)x4; U3; W10
Row 8: W12; (U3, O1)x4; U3
Row 9: W2; (U3, O1)x3; U3; W14
Row 10: W16; (U3, O1)x3; U3
Row 11: W2; (U3, O1)x2; U3; W18
Row 12: W20; (U3, O1)x2; U3
Row 13: W2; U3; O1; U3; W22
Row 14: W24; U3; O1; U3
Row 15: W2; U3; W26
Row 16: plain weave

On Weave-It, Weavette and Loomette looms, always go OVER the loop of yarn that’s outside the pins. That loop isn’t mentioned in any written pattern. It’s a “given”.

MIRRORED DIAGONAL HALF SQUARE
Wrap three continuous warp layer. Change color if desired and measure yarn for needleweaving.
Weave as follows—
Row 1: plain weave
Row 2: (U3, O1)x7; U3
Row 3: W2; (U3, O1)x6; U3; W2
Row 4: (U3, O1)x6; U3; W4
Row 5: W6; (U3, O1)x5; U3; W2
Row 6: (U3, O1)x5; U3; W8
Row 7: W10; (U3, O1)x4; U3; W2
Row 8: (U3, O1)x4; U3; W12
Row 9: W14; (U3, O1)x3; U3; W2
Row 10: (U3, O1)x3; U3; W16
Row 11: W18; (U3, O1)x2; U3; W2
Row 12: (U3, O1)x2; U3; W20
Row 13: W22; U3; O1; U3; W2
Row 14: U3; O1; U3; W24
Row 15: W26; U3; W2
Row 16: plain weave

These patterns are easily adapted to other square loom sizes. Here’s a Diagonal Half Square for the 6×6 Weavette.

If you’re celebrating, have a great holiday and I’ll see you January 2nd with more Square Deal Weave Along and a Challenge for the New Year.

Some of you may have already done this and didn’t know that it had a name. Rigby Weave, from Original Loomette Weaves, is plain weave with half of the threads doubled. I’ve seen it in old pattern books as the specified weave for lacy items like tablecloths and dresser scarves, using fine linen or cotton. If you work it in fine, stiff yarn (linen, hemp, ramie, pineapple), it looks like a mini-Windowpane Lace weave. (That’s right—I said pineapple. If you haven’t taken a walk through Habu’s yarn offerings, do it while you think about applications for little looms.) Heavier yarn-completely different look. For tweedy effect, try two colors for the doubled yarn.

Directions for Rigby Weave: wrap the first two layers with doubled thread, cut one (leaving a yarn tail to weave in) and finish the third layer and needle weaving step with only one thread. Directions in some books tell you to do the first two layers single and the last half double. This is incorrect! It’s much easier to weave with a single/fine/smooth yarn.

If you weave this sequence with two single yarns (not doubled) of approximately equal weight and texture, you’ll get a color-and-weave effect with vertical stripes facing and horizontal stripes on the reverse side.

A variation that you’ll definitely want to try is to make the first two layers with a novelty or very bulky yarn and finish with a finer, smoother thread. I do this often with furry yarns, rags, anything that’s lumpy, bumpy, or hairy.

Something completely different this week! Odd size rectangles. So what if you need a ¾ piece for a neckline? Or a ¼ piece for a border? It can be done with the square or rectangular loom that you already have. Warning— it’s kind of fiddly and counterintuitive, so approach this when you’re in an inquisitive frame of mind and have a high tolerance for frustration. It gets easier, but the first one can be tricky.

In addition to your loom and needle, you’ll need a thin double pointed knitting needle, or extra weaving needle that’s several inches longer than your loom, a crochet hook and a rubber band. Cut a length of yarn from the source, allowing more than you think necessary. Write down the length and when finished you can subtract what’s leftover to know what you’ll require for subsequent rectangles of the same size.

Secure yarn and wrap the first layer of warp as usual, ending at the bottom right corner of the width you want to weave. Place the knitting needle across the loom, between teeth, parallel to the last row of yarn you laid in.

At the bottom right edge closest to you, you’ll see: PIN—yarn—PIN—extra needle—PIN—space. The upper right hand corner will have: yarn—extra needle in the big space—PIN.

Secure the extra needle with a rubber band stretched around its ends, spanning the back of the loom. (Keep the rubber band out of your weaving.)

Wrap yarn under the extra needle, around pin and back to the left, around two pins and back to the extra needle. Wrap yarn UNDER and OVER the extra needle and back to the left to wrap around the first two pins (counting from the bottom) of each group of three. A crochet hook can be helpful to pull yarn under the extra needle. During this wrap, you’ll see long V’s pointing at the extra needle.

At the upper end of the second wrap, go under the extra needle, around the pin to its left and back down between first and second pins(counting from left) of the 3-pin group at the right bottom corner. Throughout this third and final wrap, you’ll be wrapping around PIN—space—PIN. End at the bottom left corner where you began. Thread the needle, turn the loom and begin to weave.

The first weaving row is the trickiest. Be certain that you are weaving next to the pins. It looks different from what you’re used to. Go under the first thread, weave and end under the last thread and extra needle. Bring the needle point up between the extra needle and the thread that wraps around it. Go over the needle and weave the second row, ending over the outside loop. And so forth…

Be vigilant about stroking all of the threads into place before popping off the woven piece. When you remove the extra needle, you’ll see that the right side is just like it would have been if you were weaving around pins. Amazing!

I wouldn’t want to weave many pieces this way, but it’s nice to know that you CAN, especially if you only need a few odd sizes to fill a specific need.