Supplemental warps don’t have to be scary. Contrary to common belief, you don’t need a special type of loom or even a supplemental warp beam to work with them. In their Supplementary Scarf from the September/October 2018 issue of Handwoven, Kathi Keller and Linda Gettmann use Deb Essen’s ingenious supplemental warping technique to weave this gorgeous scarf in turned-monk’s belt. Here’s what Kathi has to say about designing the scarf:
Kathi Keller and Linda Gettmann’s Supplementary Scarf.
Designer Kathi Keller’s Statement
The weaving study group of the Central Oregon Spinners and Weavers Guild chose warping and weaving with a supplementary warp as our topic for spring 2017. We started by viewing Deb Essen’s video Weaving with a Supplemental Warp and studying her book, Easy Weaving with Supplemental Warps, as well as Barbara Walker’s book, Supplementary Warp Patterning. One member had taken a supplementary warp workshop from Deb and showed the group samples of supplementary warp scarves. Deb’s method allows you to weave supplementary warp structures on a loom with a single warp beam and requires warping back to front.
After watching the warping process on the video and seeing the finished product, we got busy warping our own sampler projects using a four-shaft monk’s belt draft designed by Linda Gettmann. Now comfortable with the concept of supplementary warps, we experimented with the sampler design to weave this scarf.
Happy Weaving, Christina
Project at a Glance
PROJECT TYPE: 4-shaft.
STRUCTURE: Turned monk’s belt.
EQUIPMENT: 4-shaft loom, 8" weaving width; 12-dent reed; 1 shuttle; 1 bobbin.
YARNS: 5/2 bamboo (100% rayon, 2,100 yd/lb; Valley Yarns, WEBS).
OTHER SUPPLIES: Three 8–10 oz weights; extra set of lease sticks for the supplemental warp; 2 bungee cords; wooden dowel the length of loom’s back beam; 2 small wooden blocks.