Hello! Did you ever end up selling/sharing your duck weave band pattern? I'm in love with it and want to recreate it, if you're not shading the pattern, maybe you would be so kind and share some tips how you make your own patterns? :)
Thank you for putting this back on my radar! I started writing out and designing a pattern for the ducks a long time ago but got sidetracked. I can’t promise it’ll be ready soon, but I’m back to chipping away at the project! I really do want to get all my patterns out into the world, so it should happen eventually.
I’ve also been looking for an excuse to talk about how to design patterns, since it took a hell of a lot of trial and error to figure it out and it’s loads of fun.
~Designing your own pick-up patterns~
My band patterns, such as the ducks, are woven using a technique called Baltic pick-up. In Baltic pick-up, designated ‘pattern’ warp threads are picked up and pushed down as you weave to create designs. The warping chart for this style of weaving will always feature two background threads on either side of a pattern thread like so:
(Black squares with dots represent pattern threads, gray squares are background threads)
Baltic pick-up patterns focus on just the pattern threads, since they’re the ones that get manipulated. Here is an example of a simple pattern:
(A warp end is another term for a singular warp thread)
Each column represents one pattern thread. According to this chart, the first row of weaving should have the first 3 pattern threads below the shed, the 4th one above, and the last 3 below. Your job is to pick up and push down the pattern threads until it matches the pattern.
Now here is the important bit for designing your own patterns:
It makes a huge difference when and where you add pick-ups or push-downs. A warp thread can end up on top of the shed naturally or by force (by being picked up). The results will be both structurally and visually different.
Note what the surrounding warp threads are doing. When the single float is created with the warp that is naturally up, all the surrounding background warp threads are down and out of its way. When the single float is created by picking up a warp, it sits between background warp threads that are also up. The pattern thread gets squished between them and disappears into the fabric.
These stitches are visually weak and unreliable. That’s why warp ends are traditionally only picked up in the middle of a float. A visually strong and reliable float always starts and ends with a natural “up”. You want the beginning and end of the float to be secure. That’s also why traditional patterns feature designs made from diagonals. It just happens to be the shape you get from exclusively using stable floats.
But it isn’t required! It’s possible to design patterns with more complex shapes than just diagonals, as long as you understand how the floats will behave. Here are a few rules to follow for successful designing:
Traditional rules for stable floats
-Keep floats 1, 3, or 5 rows long. A 7 row long float can be used if necessary. Anything longer won’t sit flat against the band.
-The gaps between floats follow the same rule, unless you plan to sew the band down (a gap on the front is a float on the back, where they are prone to catching on things).
-Pick-ups are NEVER placed at the start or end of floats (floats must start and end with natural ups).
-A cluster of single stitch floats will not touch each other (see the diamonds on the red and black band below)
Examples of bands following more traditional rules. Woven by Annie MacHale
Modified rules for a diversity of shapes
-Floats can be anywhere from 1-7 rows long. 6 and 7 row long floats should only be used sparingly. Anything longer won’t sit flat against the band.
-The gaps between floats follow the same rule, unless you plan to sew the band down (a gap on the front is a float on the back, where they are prone to catching on things).
-Floats that are 1 row long will partially disappear if they feature a pick-up stitch. Sometimes you want to do this on purpose.
-Floats that start or end on a pick-up stitch will be tapered on the end with the pick-up, but will stay above the fabric so long as they are at least 2 rows long.
-Floats that are directly on top of each other won’t visually touch unless they are both longer than 1 row.
-A cluster of single stitch floats will not touch each other (see the heart at the center of the green band below)
-A single space in between floats that is placed on a push-down will create a less visible interruption.
Examples of bands following modified rules. Woven by me
Now that we understand some of the structural considerations, let’s get designing!
Step 1) Fill in a grid with a checkerboard of dots so you can visualize where the stable spaces are. Stable spaces are where the pattern threads are naturally "up". This is where traditional floats start and end.
Step 2) Fill in your main design with consideration to the placement and length of floats. If you are creating a traditional design, make sure the outline of your motifs sit on top of the dotted squares. A float length of 3 creates a bold line that will make your designs pop.
Step 3) Fill in the gaps around your main design as needed to keep the floats on the back of the band shorter than 7 rows long.
When designing motifs non-traditionally, I will sometimes first create a pixel drawing of it without thinking about pick-up placements. Then I can go back in and see what needs to change. This works best when I'm fixed on a particular motif. The best strategy overall is to play around on your grid following the rules and seeing what shapes and patterns emerge. Then weave it and go back to the drawing board until you produce something you're happy with.
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