Norwegian Pick-up Bandweaving

Pick-up Trim for Woven Bag

May 12, 2015

H ere I’ve used a pick-up band to trim a wool bag that I wove on a rigid heddle loom and then fulled (felted). The band does double duty—first by encasing the raw edge of the top of the bag, which was folded to the outside, and second by providing a decorative finish and focal point for the piece. This leaves the inside of the bag completely smooth, and there’s no need to add a lining. The bag is about 10″ wide and 13″ tall. I’ll use mine to hold a bandweaving project-in-process, or a boat shuttle and quills for my floor loom, but a handy bag like this has dozens of possible uses. Here’s how I made mine.

Weaving the Band for the Trim

Structure: Mønsterband, Type 2 pick-up (2 background ends between pattern ends in the threading).
Equipment: Inkle loom or band heddle to accommodate 57 ends (if you prefer the “finger method” of making pick-ups and push-downs), or pattern heddle to accommodate 13 pattern ends and 10 border ends on each side (if you prefer making pattern selections with the pointed shuttle). The pattern heddle is shown in the photo below.
Supplies: Sewing thread to match background color.
Warp yarn: Perle cotton 5/2 in four colors, background (I used UKI color Natural), main pattern (I used Webs color Burnt Sienna), accent pattern (I used UKI color Melon) and border (I used UKI color Cobalt Blue).
Weft yarn: Same as warp (background color).
No. of ends: 57.
Color order: See warp draft below.
Width: 1-1/16″.
Picks per inch: About 14½ ppi measured at slack tension.
Length: For this size bag you will need a band about 23-24″ long after wet finishing. From a long warp on my pattern heddle, I wove and cut off a 27″ length, which shrunk to 25″ after wet finishing.
Weaving: See pattern charts below. I wove the pattern with the diamond side facing me, but used the reverse side for trimming the bag.
Wet finishing: Hand wash in warm water and hang to dry, then lightly steam.

Warp Draft

Pattern Chart

For my band I used a simple hatched diamond (a common motif in Norwegian pick-up bandweaving). I like to weave this pattern with the diamond side up, but I used the reverse side of the band for trimming the bag. My patterns chart is shown below and I’ve included both sides of the band so you can work with whichever side you prefer.

Below is another version of the chart, in which I’ve marked the first repeat with caret symbols (for pick-ups) and Xs (for push-downs), a system that is explained on pages 128-29 of the book. This can be helpful for beginning pick-up weavers, but experienced pick-up weavers don’t need the symbols—they have a visual understanding of the motif as a whole and can quickly glance at the fell line to see which ends need to be manipulated on each row. And weavers who are using the pattern heddle also don’t need the symbols, whether they are experienced or not, since the pattern heddle operates on a different system and such symbols would be a distraction.

Pattern Chart Variations

If you want to change the look of the diamond along the length of the band, here are some variations to try.

And here is the same chart showing the reverse side.

Weaving and Fulling (Felting) the Bag

Yarn: I used Borgs Tuna, 100% wool, 6/2 weaving yarn, approx. 330 yards per 100 gram skein, in orange (#3444) for the warp and rust (#3765) for the weft, less than one skein of each (about 70 grams for the warp and 56 grams for the weft).
Loom: I used a rigid heddle loom (13½″ Glimåkra Emilia) with a 10-dent heddle.
Warp Length: 62″.
Number of Ends: 138.
Weaving: I hemstitched both ends and wove off the whole warp in balanced plain weave. I trimmed the ends, leaving about ½″ fringe in addition to the hemstitching.
Dimensions: Off loom, the piece measured 12¾″ wide and 42½″ long between hemstitching.
Finishing: I folded the flat piece in half and seamed the sides by loosely whipstitching with weft yarn, then I fulled it in the washing machine.
Dimensions after finishing: After fulling, the bag measured 10″ wide by about 16″ to the hemstitching. I cut off the fringe and hemstitching, plus 5/8″ from the top of the bag, and folded down 2¾″ to the outside at the top, so that the bag then measured 10″ wide by 13″ tall.
Handles: For each handle I cut 8 strands of warp yarn (bundle of orange) and 8 strands of weft yarn (bundle of rust) about 25″ long and used a fringe twister to twist the two bundles together. With a crochet hook I poked holes in the top fold of the bag about 4″ apart, pulled the ends of the cord through and knotted them so the handles have a drop of about 5″.
Stitching trim in place: At one end of the band I straight stitched with the sewing machine in the valley between two weft rows, trimmed the end one row away from the stitching, folded under ½″, and pressed hard with the steam iron. I then pinned the trim to the bag so that it extended over the raw edge by about 1/8″. With sewing thread, I whipstitched both selvedges of the band to the bag. (I finished and turned under the other end of the band in the same way as the first, after one selvedge was sewn to the bag and I could determine the proper length.) I then mattress stitched across the join where the two folded ends of the bands butted together. The fiddly part of the stitching process was at the sides of the bag where it was necessary to ease in the bottom of the band a bit around the corners.♦

Pattern Design Basics

May 12, 2015

by Heather Torgenrud

comments 4

Pattern Charts & Design

If you’re new to pick-up weaving, you’ll find that the more you understand about pattern charts, the more relaxed and efficient you can be as you weave. Plus, it’s fun to create your own patterns. To illustrate the basics, here are some examples in Type 2 pick-up (mønsterband), which has 2 background ends between pattern ends in the threading. These patterns can be woven on the band heddle (bandgrind) or inkle loom using the finger method of pick-up, or they can be woven on the pattern heddle (spaltegrind) using a pointed shuttle to select pattern ends (both methods are described in the book). To keep it simple I’ve limited the charts for this discussion to 7 pattern ends and only included what I call “natural” designs–those that have no horizontal lines. The warp draft for these designs would look like this:

Reading Pattern Charts

On pattern charts, one vertical column represents one pattern end and one horizontal row represents one row of weft. If a square is colored in, it means that that pattern end appears on the front of the band on that row. When this threading is woven in plain warp-faced weave, alternating dots or flecks in pattern color appear, represented in chart form by a checkerboard (first chart at left, below). This is the underlying structure for any pattern you weave on this threading.

Creating Pattern Charts

Here’s one way to make a chart: begin with a plain weave checkerboard in pencil, then fill in squares to create floats and erase squares to create solid areas of background color. Remember that floats longer than five rows are usually not practical unless you’re working in very fine yarn. And since a solid area of background color on the front creates a float on the back, solid areas of background color are also usually limited to five rows. In the second chart from left, caret symbols were placed on all the squares that were colored in to create floats. In the third chart from left, X symbols were placed on all the squares that were erased to create solid areas of background color between motifs.

Of course, if you understand how floats and solid background areas relate to the underlying plain weave structure, you don’t need to begin with the checkerboard. You can just color in floats and flecks on the graph paper. Notice how two adjacent floats overlap by two rows and how motifs are built up in stair-step fashion. And in these “natural” designs, any vertical span of squares on the chart–whether light or dark–is over one, three, or five rows.

Basic Motifs: Diagonal Lines, Zigzags & Chevrons

Pick-up patterns in this weave structure develop naturally along diagonal lines, and the simplest motif is a diagonal line. Floats over five rows provide a way to pivot the diagonal line. If a diagonal line pivots at the sides, a zigzag is formed. If a diagonal line pivots at the center, a chevron is formed. Chevrons can combine to form diamonds and diagonal crosses or X-shapes.

Pivot Points

The size and shape of a motif changes depending on the where the pivot point is placed. Zigzags, for example, can be pivoted on the third pattern end from the side, the second pattern end from the side, or the outermost pattern end. They can also be unconnected at the sides where the diagonal line changes direction.

Diamonds and X-shapes can also change in size and shape as the pivot point is varied. In the example below, the diamonds are pivoted on the third pattern ends from the sides, the second pattern ends from the sides, the outermost pattern ends at the sides, and by reversing direction but remaining unconnected at the sides. X-shapes can be similarly varied. The more pattern ends you have, the more complex your designs can be, and complex motifs have multiple pivot points.

Spacing of Motifs

The appearance of a pattern changes depending on how motifs are spaced. Motifs can be stacked closely together (first chart at left), woven with flecks between them (second chart from left), or woven with solid areas of background color between them (third chart from left). In larger areas of background color, flecks add visual interest and keep the floats on the back of the band from becoming too long.

Have fun

It’s surprising how many patterns are possible on as few as 7 pattern ends, and they can all be woven on the same threading. Because the back of the band in this weave is almost always as pretty as the front, you get two patterns from every chart. I hope you enjoy playing with patterns for pick-up weaving as much as I do.♦

Pick-up Trim Makes Easy All-in-One Closure and Handle for Bags and Pouches

January 28, 2015

by Heather Torgenrud

comments 2

Hints, Tips & Techniques / Pattern Charts & Design / Projects & Ideas

P ick-up bands make great trim for wool bags or pouches. I’ve designed these so that the trim extends in a loop at the top on each side, forming an easy and elegant closure and handle at the same time. The pouches themselves are knitted-and-fulled (felted). The size (about 10″ wide and 7″ high) is just right for a cute little purse or a tool pouch to hold a band heddle and shuttle. One pouch has a shoulder-length handle with a simple knotted finish (this one is also pictured on page 103 of the book). The other pouch has a wristlet-length handle with no knot. I’d like to share the details of my designs with you.

Weaving the Band for the Wristlet-Length Handle

Structure: Mønsterband, Type 2 pick-up (2 background ends between pattern ends in the threading).
Equipment: Inkle loom or band heddle to accommodate 45 ends (if you prefer the “finger method” of making pick-ups and push-downs), or pattern heddle to accommodate 9 pattern ends and 10 border ends on each side (if you prefer making pattern end selections with the pointed shuttle).
Supplies: Sewing thread to match background color.
Warp yarn: Perle cotton 5/2 in four colors, background (I used UKI color Flaxon), main pattern (I used Silk City color Paprika, since discontinued), accent pattern (I used UKI color Melon) and border (I used Silk City color Tobacco).
Weft yarn: Same as warp (background color).
No. of ends: 45.
Color order: See warp draft below.
Width: 7/8″.
Picks per inch: About 13-14 measured at slack tension.
Length: For this wristlet-length handle you will need a band about 49½″ long after wet finishing. (I threaded my band heddle with a 3 yard warp and wove in pick-up for 60¼″. The band measured 57″ after wet finishing. I used 49½″ for the pouch and made a small bookmark with the rest as described at the end of this article.)
Weaving: See pattern charts below.
Wet finishing: Hand wash in warm water and hang to dry, then lightly steam. (For the first wash I use Professional Textile Detergent from Dharma Trading Co. in case there is excess dye in the yarn.)
Stitching for the short handle: Straight stitch with the sewing machine across the ends of the band in the valley between two weft rows, then fold under ½″ at each end and press the folds hard with a steam iron. (I positioned the folds so when the two ends were butted the pattern would match.) Pin the band to the pouch, centering and looping as shown in the photos–you want a short loop on one side for the closure and a longer loop on the other side for the handle. (I left about 1¼″ between the two strips and extended the handle about 7″ from the top of the pouch. I positioned the trim so the join in the band, where the two folded ends were butted together, was near the bottom on one side, as shown in the photo at right.) With sewing thread, whipstitch all selvedges of the band to the pouch, then mattress stitch across the join.

Changes for the Shoulder-Length Handle

Follow the guidelines for the wristlet-length handle with these changes: Determine the finished length you need for your band, including plenty of length for tying the overhand knot in the end. Plan your warp length accordingly, taking into account take-up and shrinkage as well as warp waste. (My handle extends 16″ from the top of the pouch after knotting. My band was 73½″ after wet finishing.) Trim the band by cutting in the valley between two weft rows, carefully pulling out the last row of weft and clipping it off. You could tuck that weft end into the row above with a small tapestry needle, but when the band isn’t fringed that action can loosen the fabric so I leave it alone. With much wear and washing a row or two of weft might ravel out and need to be clipped but a firmly-woven warp-faced band is very stable. Tie an overhand knot in the ends of the band and pin to the pouch as shown–you want a small loop on one side for the closure and a long loop on the other side for the handle. With sewing thread, whipstitch all selvedges of the band to the pouch.

Warp Draft

Pattern Charts

For the bands for both of my pouches I used a rosette (a common motif in Norwegian pick-up bandweaving) alternating with a small diamond shape (a different diamond shape for each pouch). My patterns charts are shown below. In the book I introduced my system, helpful for beginning pick-up weavers, of marking a pattern chart with caret symbols (for pick-ups) and Xs (for push-downs), explained on pages 128-29 of the book. But experienced pick-up weavers don’t need the symbols—they have a visual understanding of the motif as a whole and can quickly glance at the fell line to see which ends need to be manipulated on each row. And weavers who are using the pattern heddle also don’t need the symbols whether they are experienced or not, since the pattern heddle operates on a different system and such symbols would be a distraction. Therefore, I’ve given two charts for each pattern, one with the symbols and one without, so you can use whichever you prefer.

Knitting and Fulling (Felting) the Pouch

The pouches have padding inside to round them out for the photos, and without anything inside they lie completely flat. I’ll tell you how I created my pouches, but you will likely have your own preferred methods of knitting and fulling (felting) and can design your own accordingly.

Yarn: I used Rauma Vamsegarn, 100% wool, 3-ply bulky knitting yarn, 80 meters per 50 gram ball, in Red/Rust Twist (color since discontinued). One pouch weighs about 92 grams. For waste yarn I used worsted-weight cotton (non-fulling) yarn at the start and finish so I could later create the crisp finish along the top edges as described below.
Gauge swatch: Before knitting the pouches shown, I made a half-scale model (25 sts and 60 rs) to use as a “gauge swatch” (it is pictured on page 103 of the book with a very narrow pick-up band for a handle). It was exactly half the size I wanted so I doubled the stitch and row counts for the pouches.
Knitting: I used a bulky-gauge knitting machine (Toyota KS610, stitch size 5.0, 50 sts and 120 rs). See diagram above.
Dimensions after knitting: 12¾″ wide and 21½″ high.
Seaming: I folded the flat piece in half, wrong sides together, and seamed the sides by loosely whipstitching with project yarn, catching only the outside loop of the edge stitch on each side.
Dimensions after seaming: 12¾″ wide and 10¾″ high.
Fulling: I hand-fulled one pouch in the kitchen sink, the other in a front-loader washing machine.
Finished dimensions after fulling: About 10″ wide and 7″ high.
How to get the crisp, clean edge along the top: After fulling, cut away the waste yarn. Even though the cotton waste yarn does not full, it is tightly held by the fulled stitches and requires much clipping and pulling to get it out. With the waste yarn removed, hold the edge up to the light to see the open stitches. Using project yarn and a blunt tapestry needle, backstitch through the open stitches, from left to right on the wrong side of the pouch.

A Bookmark from the Leftover Piece

I wove one band a little longer than I thought I’d need, to give myself some leeway in deciding how long I wanted the handle when it came time for assembly. I ended up with a short leftover piece, so I used it to make a little bookmark. I double-folded a narrow hem at the top and whipstitched it in place. Then I carefully pulled out some of the weft rows at the other end, with the help of the blunt tip of a small tapestry needle, to make fringe. I secured the weft by carrying the end extending from the last row into the row just above it with a small tapestry needle. Because I’d already washed and steamed the band, the bookmark is sporting definite ringlets, which I think add to its charm. The back is shown at right.

Ideas for Bandweaving Belts

December 30, 2014

by Heather Torgenrud

comments 4

Equipment & Supplies / Projects & Ideas

In the book, I’m wearing the handwoven wool weaving belt shown above. I’d like to share the details of my design with you, for this black and white belt (fixed-length), a rust-colored version (adjustable-length), and a quick-and-easy alternative made from cotton webbing.

Design

The weaving belt I got in Norway consisted of a length of webbing with short loops of cotton tape sewn to each end. Soon the loops began to fray from the abrasion of the metal hooks of the band clamp, so I decided to tweak the design and make a new, handwoven weaving belt.

I wanted my new belt to be thick wool, for comfort and flexibility. I wanted it to have metal rings instead of fabric loops, for ease and durability in hooking to the band clamp. And I wanted it to have ties, so it would stay in place around my waist while I hooked and unhooked the band clamp. I made two wool belts—one adjustable in length and one not. I wove them on the inkle loom, because my band heddles are for finer yarn, and I wove them plain, without pick-ups.

Size

I liked the length of my Norwegian weaving belt (32″ including loops at ends) so I made my wool belts that length. But even if you are my size (women’s medium) you might prefer a different length, depending on the kind of band clamp you use and the position you find most comfortable for weaving. I wear my weaving belt slightly below my waist, which puts my arms in a nice, relaxed position to make the pick-ups. It’s easy to try different sizes if you have a length of cotton webbing, metal rings, and kilt pins to hold it together, as shown at the end of this article.

Fixed-Length Weaving Belt in Black and White

Structure: Plain, warp-faced weave
Equipment: Inkle loom
Supplies: Sewing thread, 100% wool felt for facing, 4 pewter shank buttons, 2 metal triangle rings 2″ in size (I bought mine online from Strapworks in Eugene, Oregon)
Warp yarn: Rauma Ryegarn, Norwegian spelsau rug wool, 75 meters per 100 grams, heather black (color #516) and natural (color #501)
Weft yarn: Same as warp (black)
No. of ends: 49
Color order: See weaving belt warp drafts
Width: 2″
Picks per inch: 5
Length: Path on inkle loom 68″. Before wash, woven length at relaxed tension 44″. After wash, after ends trimmed, woven length 42″. Finished length of belt 28″ not counting rings, 32″ counting rings.
Weaving: It was very difficult to get a shed with this rug wool in a warp-faced weave, but the thick and sturdy belt it produced is my favorite. To weave, I pried apart the shed a few warps at a time and beat with the tips of my fingers, poking them hard against the fell line inside the shed.
Finishing: Straight stitch with sewing machine across ends of band in valley between two weft rows. Cut 2 rectangles of wool felt (slightly wider than band and about 3″ long). Fold wool felt over ends of band and hand stitch in place. Fold under band at each end to achieve desired length, encasing rings at the same time. Anchor folds in place by sewing pewter buttons on with warp yarn (the buttons nearest the ends are attached using the ties—see next step).
Ties: For each tie, cut two 54″ lengths of yarn and with tapestry needle thread them from underside through both layers of belt, through shank of button, and back through both layers to underside of belt. Even up the ends so you have four 27″ ends of yarn extending from button on back of band. Twist or braid a cord by your preferred method and tie an overhand knot in the end to secure. I made my ties with a fringe twister and their finished length is 20″.

Adjustable-Length Weaving Belt in Rust

Structure: Plain, warp-faced weave
Equipment: Inkle loom
Supplies: Sewing thread, 100% wool felt for facing, 2 large and 2 small handmade brass pins (I bought mine from Twilight Forge on Etsy), 2 solid brass rings 2″ in diameter (I bought mine online from Strapworks in Eugene, Oregon)
Warp yarn: Halcyon Botanica, 100% worsted wool, 640 yards per pound, dark rust (color #46) and light rust (color #45)
Weft yarn: Halcyon Rug Wool, 260 yards per pound, dark rust (color #107)
No. of ends: 61
Color order: See weaving belt warp drafts
Width: 2¼”
Picks per inch: 6
Length: Path on inkle loom 68″. Before wash, woven length at relaxed tension 48″. After wash, after ends trimmed, woven length 43″ (easily stretches to 46″). Finished length of belt 28″ slightly stretched, not counting rings, 32″ slightly stretched, counting rings. The end folds and pins can be repositioned to adjust the length as needed.
Finishing: Straight stitch with sewing machine across ends of band in valley between two weft rows. Cut 2 rectangles of wool felt (slightly wider than band and about 3″ long). Fold wool felt over ends of band and hand stitch in place. Fold under band at each end to achieve desired length, encasing rings at the same time. Anchor folds in place by inserting brass pins as shown, at the same time attaching ties as described in the next step.
Ties: For each tie, cut one length of the rug wool (weft yarn) 60″ long. make a twisted and folded cord by your preferred method, and tie an overhand knot in the end to secure. My finished cords are 24″ long. When the large brass pins are placed to secure the fold-backs, slip the cord onto the pin, so the cord extends to the front from underside of belt.
Notes on Yarn: It was very easy to get a shed with this yarn in a warp-faced weave. The yarn is springy and the finished band has a certain amount of elasticity, so I measured for length by stretching it slightly, to approximate the tension it would be under when in use. Since the Botanica is much lighter in weight than the Rauma Ryegarn that I used for the black and white belt, I used heavy rug wool for weft to add a little bulk.

Looking at the Back

The ends of both belts are faced with wool felt, a nice way to finish thick pieces like these. In the black and white belt, the yarn for the ties goes through the button shanks before being twisted. In the rust-colored belt, separate ties are slipped over the pins as they are inserted.

Quick & Easy Weaving Belt in Cotton Webbing

Supplies: 2″-wide heavy-duty cotton webbing (as is used for furniture moving; I bought mine on Etsy), sewing thread or perle cotton for attaching buttons, iron-on denim patch material for facing, 2 buttons, 2 metal triangle rings 2″ in size (I bought mine online from Strapworks in Eugene, Oregon), 2 lengths of cotton ribbon about 20″ long (my ribbons are pick-up-woven in 5/2 perle cotton, UKI natural #79, navy #15, light rust #108; step-by-step instructions on pages 122-126 of the book)
Preparation: Hand wash webbing to pre-shrink. Cut to the length you need, allowing at least 4″ at each end for fold-backs.
Assembly: Cut two 2″ circles from iron-on denim patch material. Fold circles in half, encase ends of webbing, and iron in place to keep webbing from raveling (see photo below for how it looks when finished). Hand or machine stitch ribbon ties in place on fold-back portion. Fold back ends of webbing, encasing rings at same time. Sew buttons on to anchor fold-backs in place as shown.

Adjustable Version of Cotton Belt

You can also make an adjustable version by not attaching buttons and using large kilt pins to hold the fold-backs in place. For this set-up, I use twisted cords made from cotton yarn (here in Lily Sugar ‘n Cream in bright navy) instead of woven ribbons for the ties, attaching them as I insert the kilt pins.

Two Hallingdal-Style Bands & Article in Norwegian Textile Letter

December 17, 2014

by Heather Torgenrud

comment 1

News

In an online article in the Norwegian Textile Letter, I talk about what’s in the book and also about how pick-up bands were used in the old days in the Hallingdal valley. I include warp drafts and pattern charts for the two bands I wove to illustrate the article. These bands were modeled after traditional bands—one a hairband and the other trim for a skirt—in Norwegian museum collections, and are shown in progress on the band heddles in the photo above. I used the skirt band sample to trim a knitted-and-fulled (felted) wall pouch. The finished bands are shown below.

Click here to read my article in the Norwegian Textile Letter, which includes a little history, plus warp drafts and pattern charts for the bands shown below.

Soon after the article was published it was fun to learn that a member of the Weavers’ Guild of Minnesota wove a band using the hairband pattern. You can see his post, titled Heather’s Hairband, here. Thanks Keith, for contacting me so I could see your band!

Teaching at Vesterheim September 2015

December 17, 2014

by Heather Torgenrud

New Book!

December 17, 2014

by Heather Torgenrud

comments 2

News

I‘m delighted that my new book, Norwegian Pick-up Bandweaving (Schiffer Publishing, 2014), will soon be available online and in bookstores. It’s a unique book—including both cultural history and instructions for weaving—and it’s chock-full of photos, drawings, and more than 100 charts of patterns from bands in museum collections.

Quote from the book jacket

Laurann Gilbertson, Chief Curator of Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, wrote:

Bands are small in size, but they are large in function, history, and folklore. Heather Torgenrud offers a comprehensive and detailed look at pick-up woven bands in rural Norway from the late 1600s to today. She shares the fascinating variety of uses for the bands, worn from head (as hair ribbons) to almost-toe (as sock garters), wrapped around babies, tied around special gifts of food, and given as tokens of affection. She also offers clear instructions and more than 100 charts for weaving bands with the beautiful patterns found on old bands in museum collections. I am grateful to Heather for bringing our bands to you along with their interesting history and rich cultural context. Heather’s meticulous research and accessible writing style, and the inviting photographs, make this book a treasure.

What’s inside

Whether you’re a weaver, or someone interested in Norwegian folk art, costumes, textiles, and rural traditions, you’ll find something of interest in these pages. I hope you’ll take a look.

Table of Contents