I recently set up my loom to make several bags of similar size all at once. when i do something like this - I only warp once, so I try to find a warp that can be used with several different treadle patterns to change the look and feel of an item - OR - I experiment with color and how it can really change things.
I decided to use a Basket Weave pattern - something that I used to use a lot, but realized I haven't used lately. I had warped my loom with white yarn so almost any color would look good. The first bag I made I used a mint green/white yarn that almost has a demin-look to it when in a ball
- but weaves as a lovely mint green color with a subtle hint of white. It came out looking like the standard Basket Weave that I know and love.
Then I wanted to play with color a little bit. I wanted to make a pocket purse and had a dark-pink zipper in my sewing kit (I honestly have no idea when, or why, I bought this zipper).
Looking through my yarn I had a nice shade of pink and some dark brown - both left over from previous projects. I had no idea what the fabric would look like, but there's no fun if you cant experiment from time-to-time. The more I wove, the more I liked the way the fabric was turning out (and the more I was craving some choclate/strawberry/vanilla ice cream!). The edges were neat and tidy - which meant I could just as easily use this pattern for a scarf or shawl as for a bag or purse.
Once that bag was done - I wondered how much further I could use color with this one pattern. So - I decided to try making a 3-color Basket Weave. I chose some lilac, tan and pale blue yarn from my stash and got to work.
Juggling 3 colors was a bit tricky - I kept the shuttles in order on a stool next to me, but I had to tuck the first one under the other two for every rotation or the yarn made a jumbled mess on the side (definitely a pattern that needs to be used for bags where the edges are sewn and trimmed). Once again, the more I wove, the more I liked the results.
Side by side, if you look close enough, you can see that the same weaving pattern was used for all three bags. But the color changes completely changed the look making each bag VERY unique.
I ran out of warp before getting to experiment with 4-color Basket Weave - but I definitely think that will be done in the not-too-distant future.
