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I’ve been working more with my Rigid Heddle looms these days. I’ve managed to work out how to weave twills using two heddles.
It’s pretty simple and very medieval. Rigid Heddles are amoun the earliest weaving implements found by archeologists. The technique goes back to the Ancient era. Twills are also found in very early time periods.
I’ve drafter my own patterns for my use and welcome anyone else to feel free to use them. When I warp the loom, 1 indicates a thread that goes through a slot in the back heddle and a hole in the front. 2 goes through the hole in the back and slot in the front. 3 means slots in both heddles.
Straight Twill
Diamond/Lozenge Twill
As I wrap up the robe project. I’ve started on a matching hat (see previous post), that will be embroidered with gold vines and green leaves, as well as one gold crescent moon. The crescent moon is a symbol of our burgeoning Principality. I’ve also been letting the idea of a 7th Century Persian diadem, in silk and rich embroidery. I have decided to style this after the image below. The hat will mimic the look of the hair, without the top knot. The cloth bit will be about 3″ tall with a band of gold silk embroidery encompassing green embroidered ivy. I will include three gold embroidered roundels, compassing a single purple lotus blossom each. I hope to mock up a solid purple filet for the upcoming Coronet Tourney to see if my current pattern for this will work, before spending the time embroidering the final product.
The matching robe, can be worn as shown below, or more often worn as a jacket. I hope to evoke the same imagery with my latest 7th C Sasanid ensemble.
 This is a 7th Century Sasanian Plate, depicting a banqueting couple. The diadem showing their royal status.
Heya,
Just wanted to quickly post that in the last few weeks I’ve finished the following weaving projects:
1) rigid heddle band to be cut up and used for populace tokens for Viceroy A&S Competition
2) rigid heddle band to be given to the overall A&S Competition winner
3) rigid heddle band to be given to Ursula’s choice of A&S entries
I am now nearly half way through the band that the incoming Viecereine will give to her choice of A&S entries. I hope to have tokens/favors to provide for the Vicereine’s choice at each Viceroy A&S Competition. I would love to use this to encourage more entries in A&S Competitions here and to show off the work of other artisans (i.e. I would love to coax some others into making tokens). The reason behind wanting to get others to help make tokens is that it gives the limelight to many different artisans, the one providing the token and the one receiving the token!
Here are some pics of the recent projects:
#3 
The incoming Vicreine’s choice prize
Embroidery begun
 Nearly done! I now have to patiently wait while the lining settles before putting on the finishing touches!
I’ve been working my fingers and sewing machine to their nubs making a set of matching Persian and Viking robes for my partner, Eldgrimr, and me! I’ve just gotten down to the last bit of work to do on his Viking robe. He is out of town, so his will have to go on hold for over a week. Lacking the actual model to try the robe on, I put it on myself (as our measurements differ only slightly). The only word I can use to describe this robe is opulence. The vibrancy of the blue and gold colours scream opulence. The feel of the silk, opulence. There is no other word, except perhaps luscious!
Be hold opulence in textiles.
The first Insulae Draconis Coronet Tourney is only three weeks away. I have put a lot of work into making this happen. So even though my sweetie and I are not participating in the Tournament, I want us to look our best to show how proud we are in this momentous step forward for our region. So in three short weeks, I want to accomplish the following:
2 Blue Robes
- Outers sewn already
- Sew Liners x2
- Sew Liners into Robes x 2
Matching Persian Hat
Trace out gloves and liners
Embroider outer gloves ?
Sew liners, so they can be worn as gloves on the day?
Whew, I’ve finished the hoods for Thorvaldr and Fiona. My goal is to have these, a pair of robes (for Elgrimr and I), a sew of embroidered gloves and perhaps a headpiece done for Coronet in just a few weeks. If I complete 1 project per week, which is fairly reasonable for the robes but not as reasonable for the embroidery, it can be done! We’ll see how that goes. For now I’m just so happy to have one this off the list! 
The chimney was swept, hopefully with care, on Monday! Since then my partner has been plying his skills in firemaking! This has lead to many nights by the fire in the studio. I find it very relaxing to weave with the crackle of the fire place and his company. I’ve managedd to get half way through my colour gamp samplers, as well as getting some sewing, and planning done.
So here are the fruits of my efforts:
I have done the first round of blue stripes on my colour gamp. As with all new waving endeavors there were a few hiccups in the beginning stages. It’s for this reason that I am eternally grateful to the wonderful folks who created and contribute to Ravelry and Weavolution. It was the great minds and Weavolution that hellped me sort out the issue I was having in getting nice sheds.
The problem was simply that the second and third sheds were not opening neatly. The threads that were through the front slot together were sticking to one another. I began with simply seperating these threads with a second stick shuttle. The worst was the third shed, when the two rigid heddles were pushed down. So I decided, and the decision was confirmed by weavolution users, to use a pick up stick for this shed. Other users pointed out that after a few inches of weaving the issues would likely sort itself out, which is mostly has. There is still a bit of tweezing the sticky wool threads away from each other, but I’ve adapted and moved on, with the weaving going fairly quickly now. I just wove the third blue stripe in under a half hour. Each stripe is the same width as the warp stripes, which are just under 2″.
Here’s a photo of the gamp with just over 5″ woven.
Progress on the Colour Gamp, I’ve got the warp onto the front warp beam and all in the right order now! I still can’t believe it took me so long to notice the red was out of place. Oh well. Nearly there now! In reality I’m over half way through the warping process. I’ll likely roll it back onto the back beam tonight and do the front heddle this weekend!
Not tomorrow though, I’m off to London. I’m hoping to sneak in a few moments at the V&A, though if I do I’ll focus on the finding some knitted textiles to photograph for my knitter friends in the US!
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