Handwoven on a Rigid Heddle

Although I do all my weaving at home on a floor loom (usually my delightful, handmade, 4-harness counterbalance), I really like to bring my LeClerc rigid heddle loom to shows to demonstrate the weaving process. Lots of people like to watch me weave, and when I’m doing a plain weave, I can get kids involved in the process, helping me to change the position of the heddle and beat the yarn.

For the Roycroft show in June, I had beamed an interesting heathery bamboo warp. Since it was a medium-weight yarn, it worked up pretty quickly. And because I had my wonderful sister with me (yes, it is the same one who tormented me with those scary movies – she’s outgrown her evil phase), I could really focus on the weaving while she played the helpful sales associate role.

The first bamboo scarf was handwoven in a simple tabby weave, letting the colors provide all the interest. For the second scarf, I decided to try my hand at some hand-manipulated lace on the ends, so added three rows of leno. I must admit, it all looked a bit wonky while on the loom – not nice and even at all, and I was a bit worried. But lo and behold, the wet finishing process did its usual magic, and the end result is just swell.

I’m currently thinking about what I’ll warp the loom with for the Elmwood show in August. I’d love to do something with some yarn I have that needs to be sett at 18EPI, but that’d be a real challenge on my loom, and not one I’m willing to try for the first time at a show, so I’ll have to choose something else, something that will be lovely sett at 12EPI.

Your turn: have you woven on a rigid heddle loom? What do you like/dislike about it?