Once you’ve got the basic tools you need to get started weaving on your rigid-heddle loom, it can be overwhelming to navigate all the “extras” available on the market. Do you need that variable-dent reed, or would a double heddle make more sense for you? What kind of shuttle should you use? One way to help with the decision-making is to figure out what kind of weaver you are based on the sorts of yarns and projects you prefer: Are you a Color Weaver, a Texture Weaver, or a Pattern Weaver? Most weavers are a mix of the three, but chances are, you’re dominant in one category or another. Take this quiz to find out where you fit!
1 You walk into a yarn store and have three choices. Which yarn(s) do you pick? a ) A colorful variegated yarn. b ) A thick-and-thin fashion yarn. c ) Two skeins of simple but extra-soft yarn, one in white and one in black.
2 You think single-shuttle plain weave is . . . a ) The perfect structure for playing with color pooling and self-striping yarns. b ) A great way to showcase a yarn, especially if you can play with your yarn choices in the warp. c ) Fine, but boring.
3 When you see a piece of handwoven cloth you love, you want to . . . a ) Take a picture so you can remember the color palette later. b ) Touch it. c ) Take a closer look so you can see how it was woven.
4 When choosing warp yarns, what do you consider first? a ) How they will mix with your chosen weft colors because, of course, you already know your weft colors. b ) How well the yarns will work together—you like to play it by eye, designing the warp as you go. c ) How they will handle your chosen structure or technique—will they hold up to hand manipulation or have enough contrast for log cabin?
5 What slow-going weaving task do you mind the least? a ) Winding a warp on a warping board—you love seeing how the warp colors work together before putting it on the loom. Direct warping just isn’t the same! b ) Warping the loom—you prefer to design at the loom because it’s exciting to see how the different yarns work together. c ) Pick-up—watching a complex pattern appear on your loom is like magic!
6 You get exclusive tickets to a Vincent van Gogh exhibit. Your first inclination when seeing the paintings is to . . . a ) Admire how the colors blend and swirl together. b ) Get really close so you can see how thickly he applied the paint and admire the skill in it. c ) Take in each painting as a whole before moving closer to see how he created the images.
Robin Lynde's Colorful Clasped Scarf is a color-lovers dream project! Photo by Matt Graves.
If you answered mostly “a,” you’re probably a Color Weaver. You’ll want to stock your studio with tools and weaving gear that will help you design your color palettes with confidence and weave more efficiently.
If you answered mostly "b," you're probably a Texture Weaver. You tend to prefer yarns with lumps, bumps, and loops, so you'll want tools that make warping and weaving with these yarns just that much easier.
If you answered mostly "c," you're probably a Pattern Weaver. You like yarn, but you're most interested in the patterning possibilites. You'll want tools that will help you set up and weave your favorite patterns.