Weaving Resources

As weavers, it is a joy to give our handwoven fiber creations to those we love. But while we may wish for unlimited hours at the loom, we have to be realistic with our plans when it comes to making gifts. With so many beautiful weaving patterns in the Gist library, we know it can be hard to decide what to weave. Here are five of our favorite weaving patterns that are sure to impress any recipient this holiday season. 

Perpendicular intersections of warp and weft mean that Checks, Plaids, and any sort of crossing-stripes are well-suited to weaving. Here is a little primer on some popular variations and how to tell the differences.

A robust yarn stash makes experimenting with a wide range of yarns easy to do, but it takes time to grow organically. If you’re a new weaver eager to have more cones and skeins on your shelf, thrifting and sourcing pre-owned yarn can be a smart and affordable way to grow your stash. This blog post provides suggestions of places to look for pre-owned yarns, and things to keep in mind before bringing them home. 

In this blog post, Karla Stille explores one possible adaptation of her Endless Options Mug Rugs. By winding a longer warp and re-sleying the loom, weavers can explore weaving a modified Rep-Weave table runner on the same warp as their mugs. 

If you have unidentified cones of yarn that were gifted, thrifted, or purchased years ago, a simple burn test can help you identify the fiber. Burning fiber can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. In this blog post, Kristin Crane walks you through how to perform a burn test to help you identify the mystery cones in your stash. 

There's no greater blow to a fiber lovers ego than discovering moths have infiltrated their yarn stash. In this blog post, Kristin Crane recounts her experience getting moths out of her studio, and shares what she learned about preventing and protecting yarn from being affected by moths. 

Inlay is a weaving technique that utilizes a base (or ground/tabby) weft and an inlay (or supplemental) weft. The base weft travels from selvedge to selvedge, while the inlay weft travels only where the weaver desires. This creates unique designs that draw the viewer's attention to specific areas of the cloth. In this blog post, we will explore a few of the many options available for weaving Inlay.

Hand-manipulated techniques are a fantastic way to add variation to your weaving. The techniques can be used on either rigid heddle or multi-shaft looms, and make excellent decorative borders, center motifs, or can be interspersed throughout to add special texture and visual interest. This blog post provides step-by-step tutorials on several different lace techniques, and Gist patterns where they are used. 

This article is the third and final installment in a series about lace weaves. Different lace weaving techniques can create wonderful effects, from open and airy sections providing the illusion of shapes and curves, to toothsome textures. In this blog, learn about the unique attributes of Huck and Spot Bronson lace weaves. 

If I could only weave only one thing going forward, it may be towels. These humble rectangles offer so many options! From fingertip to bath sheets and every size in between, you can make exactly what you need to get the job done. In this blog post, I'll cover standard towel dimensions and provide a range of sample Gist projects for you to explore. 

Beautiful weaving can be crafted by incorporating multiple colors in the weft. When weaving multiple picks with a single yarn before switching to another, many weavers opt to cut the weft yarn before transitioning. But when the yarns change with each pick or at small intervals, it is more practical to keep all the weft yarns connected to the weaving. In this blog, Carolyn Heacock shares tips for successfully carrying two and three yarns up the selvedge in a way that creates structurally sound, beautiful selvedges.

This article is part two in a series about lace weaves — a magical way of interlacing threads and using skips and floats to create shape, pattern, and space. In this blog, learn about Bronson and Swedish Lace weaves, and things to consider when choosing which style may be best suited to your project.