Smålandsväv

Smålandsväv is a beautiful, distinctive textile and its creation is a great introduction to double-harness weaving (no drawloom required). The complex patterning is threaded onto the loom, allowing for a stunning variety of designs across the warp. In this video, we examine the structure of the cloth; design considerations; and loom setup. The video concludes with a weaving demo.
For more info, please see the detailed discussion in Lillemor Johansson's classic text, 'Opphämta och damast' ('Damask and Opphämta').
Produced by Amy Blair

[@worksofhands]

Wow. Very well presented. Easy to understand. Thank you transmitting your knowledge.

[@juliajs1752]

I'm completely riveted to watching you weave. I hope you had a lot of fun with this project!

[@DuellingRabbits]

Thank you! And yup - I ❤️ this kind of weaving very much.

[@joseelongchamps3981]

Bravo et merci! Votre démonstration est claire et vous rendez possible les motifs les plus complexes! C’est magnifique!

[@DuellingRabbits]

Thank you very much! I am so happy to hear the video was helpful. I hope you will try this wonderful structure - it is one of my favorites.

[@kathyolson253]

Another platinum hit! Best drawloom videos ever!

[@lizkimber]

I love your videos. You make me wish i had your equipment and patience

[@DuellingRabbits]

Thank you Liz! It's true, these sorts of structures require patience and attention to detail. So worth it, though.

[@partyfiesta1557]

It’s fascinating listening to you ❤

[@DuellingRabbits]

😊

[@pauledwards8891]

I wish I could like this more than once! I enjoy your content so much; thanks so much for all the effort you put into your wonderful productions!

[@DuellingRabbits]

Thank you so much! It is my mission to make double-harness weaving a viral phenomenon, one weaver at a time ;-)

[@anubhatia6695]

Gorgeous weaving!

[@janetgiardina8603]

Another informative fantastic video Amy.

[@callmeswivelhips8229]

What a set up! Thank you for sharing!!

[@DuellingRabbits]

Well, thanks for watching!

[@antonwallman7987]

Hello from Sweden. Smålandsväv litterary translates to Little/small-land/countries weave. Very nice weaving, always a pleasure seeing my countries tradition getting some love. I myself weave on a frameloom and do tapestries, but I get a lot of inspiration from videos like this.

[@DuellingRabbits]

Anton, thank you so much for the translation. I hope my pronunciation wasn't too horrible. My dream vacation would be going to Sweden and learning all about weaving traditional textiles - one day soon, I hope. Now that would be inspiration!

[@antonwallman7987]

@@DuellingRabbits You are very welcome to Sweden then. Channels like yours keep up the inspiration, sometimes I feel a bit lonely being a 16 year old boy who weaves, but weaving is fun.

[@DuellingRabbits]

@@antonwallman7987 Weaving is very fun. And we are lucky that there is a global community of weavers for support and encouragement!

[@sjain8111]

@@antonwallman7987 don’t worry you’re going to excel in your craft 🧶

[@christinesutton450]

This is absolutely brilliant!!!

[@DuellingRabbits]

It's cool, right? Those weavers of old really knew a trick or two.

[@shaaraftet3797]

Awesome Amy as usual is this Technic equivalent to ophamta / taquet ?

[@DuellingRabbits]

Thank you very much! You are right, the structure is identical to Opphämta. It has a different 'look' to it, though, because the pattern tends to vary across the warp. It's one of my favorite things to weave.

[@tineditmarunnerup9513]

Points for pronouncing the Swedish words so well!!!

[@DuellingRabbits]

Ha! Thank you. Unfortunately, I only recently discovered I have been pronouncing 'Ulla Cyrus' wrong this whole time :-(

[@sonjanordahl3158]

I finally have my Glimakra countermarch loom set up and the first warp is on and weaving. I am just doing some simple 2x2 twill tea towels. As I am weaving, I'm making a list of fine tuning tweaks. I don't think the guy I bought this from really understood what he had. Among other things, he only had 5 out of the 10 short lams. As soon as I buy the replacement lams I want to try my hand at Smalandsvav. I have a question about weaving with a temple. When using a temple do you use the same angle with the weft pic or do you reduce it? I've been placing my weft at about a 30-degree angle before beating to try to reduce draw in.

[@DuellingRabbits]

So, I personally don't think the angle is as important as the technique. 1) I throw my pick, snugging up the weft against the selvedge; 2) make sure there is a bit of slack in the weft as it comes off the shuttle on the other side; and 3) beat on an open shed - the pick takes up as much thread as it needs. For a close-up of the method check out kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6PXfWOlhsaCqNE. You'll see the angle of attack can be quite shallow indeed.

[@annettetvedten5774]

Hi I have just rewatched this episode and I was wondering if you had tried to transpose this pattern over to drawloom? I know it can be done but haven’t quite got it figured out yet. So if you have any tips it would be most appreciated.

[@DuellingRabbits]

Structurally, this Smålandsväv example is identical to Opphämta on the drawloom with 2-end units. Have you seen my vid on Opphämta or read about it at all? If I wanted to weave this exact piece on my drawloom, I would probably thread my 2-end leashes onto the pattern shafts in a suitable profile - but of course if I were to arrange them in points or a straight threading I could alter my designs on the fly. Hope that answers your question!

[@annettetvedten5774]

@@DuellingRabbits Thanks for your reply. I had forgotten about the Opphämta video. Thanks for reminding me. I will have a look and hopefully I can figure it out.

[@tineditmarunnerup9513]

Does it have to be done with counterbalance? Couldn't you use contremarch?

[@DuellingRabbits]

I believe a counterbalance is traditionally used because that was what weavers had. But I think a reason for using it instead of a countermarch now is space: since we've got two harnesses and no extension, a countermarch would take up a lot of room, with the jacks spreading the pattern shafts our further than they need to be, back towards the ground shafts. I could be wrong about that but I'm pretty sure I read it somewhere and it does make sense ...

[@kathleensobe6162]

Can this be woven on a Jack Loom?

[@DuellingRabbits]

There might be a way but I'm afraid I don't know what it is. In its classic setup, this structure relies on the long-eye heddles and counter-shed action to provide pattern and ground. You could create identical cloth using pick-up, though - split-shed weaving might also be an option on a jack loom if you wanted to thread the pattern onto the shafts.

[@anubhatia6695]

Can I try this weave structure on my 8-harness Jullia?

[@DuellingRabbits]

The Julia has the correct countershed action and should work fine, although you will want to use the smaller-size long-eye heddles. It might also benefit from a small extension of some kind, just to lengthen the loom a little. If you are curious, I recommend Joanne Hall's book, 'Weaving with Long-Eyed Heddles' which includes Smålandsväv and other double-harness structures for countershed Swedish-style looms: I believe it includes tips for adapting these methods for the Julia.

[@anubhatia6695]

@@DuellingRabbits Thanks for your prompt reply Amy. I will order 10 1/2” long eyed heddles as per Joanne Hall’s book. Settling up pattern on 1-4 harnesses and plain ground warp on 7 and 8…right!!

[@christinesutton450]

Would you please give us your draft? I want to try this!!

[@DuellingRabbits]

I am in the process of making a few drafts available for folks who want to dip their toes in. Send me a note (email address is on the 'About' page) and I'll add you to the list.

[@felipeaboytesaguilar446]

No sé que decir,no tengo un telar asi

[@MINI-ME666]

much ado about nothing - ancient primitive