Basic Instructions for using Seizenn − Band Weaving Pattern Editor

Hi

While creating my Seizenn Band Weaving Pattern Editor, I exchanged a lot with Annie MacHale (https://aspinnerweaver.blogspot.com/) to try to offer a simple and efficient tool for weavers. As one of the first users, she did very interesting things with it. Her book of course – https://www.etsy.com/fr/listing/658320160/inkle-weaving-design-book-par-annie – but also some posts on her blog (for example https://aspinnerweaver.blogspot.com/2020/04/baltic-pickup-part-two.html).

She told me that when she presents this tool, new users are frequently confused by very basic tricks. I tried times ago to write some instructions on this blog but they are obviously not sufficient.

As I am working on an major update, Annie very kindly proposed to me few days ago to write basic instructions for beginners. And she improved it after presenting it to some of her friends.

She did a great job, on 4 pages you have enough instructions to let you understand how the tool works and it gives you keys to continue to explore it by themselves.

You can get it here : Instructions for using V1 Seizenn by Annie MacHale

 

http://www.raktres.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Instructions-for-using-V1-Seizenn-by-Annie-MacHale.pdf

With her permission I will translate it into french. And adapt it and include it directly into the next version.

Jeff

 

 

Buy a loom or build it?

What I like in weaving is that the idea is very simple but ways to achieve it are countless. Even for something as simple as band weaving.

A great subject for handyman.

First you can weave with almost nothing as in backstage weaving. Incredible how much intelligence could fit in a few sticks. At no cost.

Rigid heddle is a bit less rustic.

With two heddles and a pulley you get an African loom, really fast.

Inkle loom need some more materials.

Even if it is just a piece of wood with a few pegs, it is far more complex than backstrap. Some technical difficulties appear such as the tension that bends wood (needed to add additional pieces of wood). And different shapes could be tested.

And so many ways I didn’t explored yet (or explored but with not enough success to take a picture).

You can of course buy a loom. A good looking tool, well designed, nice to use, easy to start with.

But not the pleasure to face the challenge to create your own tools.

pickup with rigid heddle

Hi

I wanted to try rigid heddle. I ordered it on https://shop.stoorstalka.com/en/products/weaving/, and received it quickly with a nice handwritten note.

First try

I then designed a pattern for key ring raktres.net/l/bR (you can also try with the new version of the editor)

Then wove it using the picture from the editor

The pattern quite accurate.

Edit on october 22 2021:

The main difference comes from the size of the yarns that was not rendered. With the new update, you now get

A new version of the pattern editor for test

Hi

Annie sent me a copy of her book https://www.etsy.com/shop/ASpinnerWeaver. I’m very happy that the pattern editor could have helped her to write such a great book.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ASpinnerWeaver

 

I then decided to update and simplify the seizenn editor. You can found a test version on http://www.raktres.net/seizenn/v2/editor.html, I need some feedbacks before I could replace the present version.

inkle wave pattern editor - raktres.net

Some improvements :

  • new look
  • drag and drop for colors
  • a “value” button, to view a pattern in black and white (page 8 of Annie’s book)
  • a button to load a pattern from a short code
  • and few other things

Fell free to send comments if you find bugs or if something doesn’t work the way you would like to.

Hope you will like it.

Jeff

 

 

University of Arizona – On-Line Digital Archive

Hi

University of Arizona hosts a great On-Line Digital Archive of Documents on Weaving and Related Topics.

https://www2.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/weavedocs.html  (old link http://www2.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/index.html )

More than 400 books, 4000 articles… it’s a wonderful collection. Ressources are mainly in english but also in french, german etc.

Hours of discovery and reading.

Some documents, patterns for example, are hosted by https://www.handweaving.net.

Jeff

Where do I find control code to register a pattern?

Hi

I had several questions about the control code needed to register a pattern.

So, here an example with a pattern from http://aspinnerweaver.blogspot.com/

When you save your pattern, you get a pop-up window like this one

The two needed codes are “H1” and “a856”

Then, go to the register page and type in the two codes like that :

Click “load”, you should get the second step with a preview of the pattern:

 

You add here a comment and choose if you want the pattern to be public or private (one day you will be able to change those value afterward).

Be sure your pattern is visible before going further.

When OK, click “register”:

If you abort the process before this third step you will have a line in the gallery, but no preview. If everything OK, you find your pattern in the gallery.

 

If you already created a pattern but not have the control code, send me a message.

And leave a comment if you need more help or if something goes wrong.

Jeff