Block Weaves and Profile Drafts
Last summer, in anticipation of the Spring 2016 Workshop on Block Weaves with Robyn Spady, the Warpsters study group decided to get a head start. I think it would be fair to say, most of us were lost when it came to the subject of Profile Drafts. While we still aren’t experts, we have come a long way from when we first started. If you were unable to take the workshop and this subject leaves you scratching your head, it’s really not as bad as it seems. Once you begin to understand how block weaves and profile drafts work, it will open new avenues in weaving and designing.
Madelyn Van Der Hoogt’s The Complete Book of Drafting for Handweavers, which is available to check out from the library, along with a video on block weaves, is an excellent resource. Handwoven is also a valuable reference and can be found on the computer and bookshelves at TFAC, as well as in the library.
We decided a round robin workshop would be a perfect way to bring our year of study to an end. We designed a 2 block profile draft and used the computer software at TFAC to substitute 8 different weave structures. Each participant threaded a loom with their assigned structure and then the real fun began as we spent several weekends together weaving samples.
This was a wonderful project for our study group. A big Thank You to the guild and TFAC for providing the space, the resources and the looms. An extra Thank You to Jean Johnson for separating the samples for us! To show our appreciation, we threaded the looms with extra warp to allow other guild members the opportunity to take part in our study with us. When this project was finished, there were 120 samples woven!
Turned Taquete 
Turned Taquete 
2 color Atwater Bronson 
2 color Atwater Bronson 
Double Weave 
Double Weave 
Crackle samples 
The back side of the crackle samples 
Elegant black and white 2 color Atwater Bronson 
Double Weave 
Summer and Winter 
Turned Taquete 
Turned Twill 
Warp Rep 
2 Color Atwater Bronson 
2 color Atwater Bronson 
Turned Taquete 
Double Weave 
Summer & Winter Birdseye Treadling 
Crackle 
Atwater Bronson 
Turned Twill. 
The profile draft that all of the samples were based on
We also made and donated to TFAC a notebook containing a sample and draft of each of the 8 structures. You are welcome to make a copy of the drafts from this book. They are also uploaded onto the computer. The weaver on duty during drop-in days can assist you with printing these if you need help. If you have weaving software, you can download the zipped versions of the drafts below.
| Atwater Bronson single color.wif Atwater Bronson 2 color.wif Crackle.wif Doubleweave.wif | Summer and Winter Birdseye.wif Turned Taquete.wif Turned Twill.wif Warp Rep.wif |
–Jane Patterson