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.