Square Deal Weave-Along #12—Seven Diagonal Stripes
Blue Sky Organic Cotton
There are several diagonal stripe patterns. This one is Loomette Weave #10, from Original Loomette Weaves and I’m going to rename it Seven Diagonal Stripes to distinguish it from the other popular Diagonal Stripes pattern that has five stripes and is found in Weave It Weaves and Modular Textures. (I used the five stripe version for the Square Round Pillow and posted graphs of it and the mirrored pattern on a previous blog entry.)
When you make the sample, notice that the front has vertical floats and the back has horizontal ones. Of course either side can be the public side. I often choose the back because it’s bolder. But don’t think you always need contrast. Diagonal stripes are really pretty in one color.
O=Over
U=Under
W=Plain Weave
Seven Diagonal Stripes
Wrap three continuous warp layers. Change color if desired, and measure yarn for needleweaving.
Weave as follows—
Row 1: plain weave
Row 2: (U3, W5)x3; U3, W4
Row 3: W2; (U3, W5)x3; U3, W2
Row 4: W4; (U3, W5)x3; U3
Row 5: W6; (U3, W5)x2; U3; W6
Rows 6-13: rep Rows 2-5 twice
Row 14: rep Row 2
Row 15: rep Row 3
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”.
It’s useful to have a pattern for the mirror image of any diagonal weave, in case you want to make concentric diamonds, zigzags or some other compiled pattern, so…
Mirrored Seven Diagonal Stripes
Wrap three continuous warp layers. Change color if desired, and measure yarn for needleweaving.
Weave as follows—
Row 1: plain weave
Row 2: W4; (U3, W5)x3; U3
Row 3; W2; (U3, W5)x3; U3; W2
Row 4: (U3, W5)x3; U3; W4
Row 5: W6; ((U3, W5)x2; U3; W6
Rows 6-13: rep Rows 2-5 twice
Row 14: rep Row 2
Row 15: rep Row 3
Row 16: plain weave
If you wonder why I call the left leaning stripes Mirror instead of Reverse, it’s because I’m a bit wary of using that adjective and causing confusion. Reverse could conceivably mean backside or negative image, which this is not.
I didn’t realize there was a pattern for a different number of stripes, I been using the other one quite a bit.
Hi, I am a beginning weaver with yarn and I have started working on making squares to be sewn together whene I have enough for a quilt-like blanket. However, I don’t know how to take off the stiches from the loom without them unravelling. Could you please tell me how.
Thank you.
Hi Ginny! Your problem of squares unravelling is an easy one to solve. I’m 99% certain that what is happening is that you are not weaving the very last row next to the pins. As you do that needleweaving step, the top thread of the square is one that you weave in next to the pins, then every other one, ending with the last one next to pins. This is a mistake that ALL of us have made from time to time, especially in the beginning, but I’ve even done it recently, so no shame there! By the time you get to the bottom, everything is pretty tight and you just automatically think you’re done. Well, maybe not, so be sure that you don’t stop too soon.
Just love the enthusiasm here. Even though this is not my ‘thing’ you have got me into buying looms on eBay! I did start off making scores of potholders so I’m ready to take the next step. Although I havent received my Loomette loom yet I do know that on my potholder loom that when the last row becomes too tight I simply I simply weave under or over the first loop and connect it to the other side and then pull off the alternating loops from the pins and with a crochet hook pull them under and reattach. I’m not sure that can be done here especially as the pegs are way high but then another thought came to mind: what about using a curved needle for that last row?
Maybe that would help someone. Another approach is to do that last row in two steps. Work half and pull the yarn through, then the second half. But what happens most of the time is that we just don’t notice that the last row didn’t get in before popping the piece off and then it’s too late!