Summer & Winter: Treadling

By Leigh

S&W Intro (a)

Threading (a)

Tie-Up (a)

Now we get to treadling. Here are the "rules." Summer & winter treadling:

• Alternates tabby and pattern sheds
• Includes a tie-down thread with each pattern thread. A treadle may be tied up so that both are lifted together, or for skeleton tie-ups, the weaver must treadle these together.

Each S&W unit can create two pattern sheds because it contains two tie-down ends. The pattern threads can be lifted with either of the tie-down threads. The texture of the fabric depends upon the order that these sheds are treadled in.

Below are some examples to explain what I mean. I dug the photos out from a previous post, because they illustrate the four traditional S&W treadlings for a 4-shaft, 2-block S&W.

In the first example, the treadling alternates the two pattern sheds (each shed with it's own tie-down end).

Pattern shed 1 (with first tie-down end)
Tabby a
Pattern shed 2 (with 2nd tie-down end)
Tabby b
Repeat

This is often referred to as 1-2-1-2 treadling, referring to the alternating tie-downs. It creates a "brick" effect, so called because the pattern weft in the rows gives the appearance of a traditional brick pattern (which you can't see in the above photo) :(

Next is the X's treadling. You can see the X's in that pattern below.

This requires paired pattern shafts for each block: 2-1-1-2:

Pattern shed 2
Tabby a
Pattern shed 1
Tabby b
Pattern shed 1
Tabby a
Pattern shed 2
Tabby b

The next one is the O's treadling, which is also a paired treadling, except that it starts on the other pattern shaft. So it is treadled 1-2-2-1.

Pattern shed 1
Tabby a
Pattern shed 2
Tabby b
Pattern shed 2
Tabby a
Pattern shed 1
Tabby b

The last one is the "columns" or dukagång treadling.

This one uses only one pattern shed for the entire treadling block: 1-1-1-1 or 2-2-2-2. Either:

Pattern 1
Tabby a
Pattern 1
Tabby b
Pattern 1
Tabby a
Pattern 1
Tabby b

or

Pattern 2
Tabby a
Pattern 2
Tabby b
Pattern 2
Tabby a
Pattern 2
Tabby b

Skeleton tie-up treadling for any of the above requires the use of both feet. For example:

Tabby a (right foot)
Pattern + Tie-down 1 (both feet)
Tabby b (right foot)
Pattern + Tie-down 2 (both feet)
Etc.

Tabby treadling can be notated in several different ways. Sometime it isn't notated at all; the weaver is expected to be familiar enough with the structure to know to use it. Sometimes the draft will just say "use tabby", indicating that the weaver is to throw alternating tabby shots after each pattern shot.

Well, I don't know if anyone else understands S&W any better now, but I think I do. The review has done me good, and I'm excited about taking the next step in this journey.

© 16 Oct. 2008 at http://leighsfiberjournal.blogspot.com

Related Posts:

Summer & Winter: A Basic Definition
Summer & Winter: Threading
Summer & Winter: Tie-Up
Summer & Winter: Structure and Theory