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Crackle Evolution

This is a towel woven with 6/2 unmercerized cotton in a design that originated probably in the 1940’s. I took it from a Practical Weaving Suggestions weaving pamphlet published by the Lily Mills Company in 1957, where it was attributed to someone named Heather Thorpe from 10 or 12 years prior. The design in the pamphlet is called Rhythm Pattern and was written for Crackle Weave. It came with a woven sample that caught my eye probably about 25 years ago.

This is the page from the pamphlet. It shows the Crackle threading for the Rhythm Pattern

This is the profile draft of the Crackle threading:

I wove a small finger tip towel from the pattern on an old table loom way back when:

Sidebar: We bought a c.1915 house in the 90’s that had been “updated” in the 50’s with some Mid-century modern Formica that was yellow green, complete with a kidney bean shaped kitchen table. That Formica was everywhere, but I loved it. I wove that towel as a kind of homage to the period.

But, it seems I wasn’t done with that design. About 10 or so years after that I became interested in Diversified Plain Weave using cotton and rayon chenille. I wove several scarfs in that weave, always starting with a profile draft. I seem to have lost the drafts for that scarf, probably when I switched software or upgraded my computer. Here is the scarf, again in greens:

Fast forward to now. I took the four block profile draft, expanded it, and, using block substitution in pixeLoom, transformed the Rhythm Crackle draft into a 16 harness Turned Taqueté straight draw weaving draft. I used 6/2 cotton (more greens!), because I had it on hand, not because I like it very much. But I enjoyed the process, and I think I will like it better as a scarf in 8/ tencel :-).

I recommend that you explore block substitution with this profile draft and see what you come up with!

8 thoughts on “Crackle Evolution

  1. Great! I haven’t done crackle and this looks like a good place to start. Thanks for the inspiration! I wasn’t really interested in the next project on my list, but this will take it’s place. Thank you!

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  2. The pattern doesn’t work. You get a bic floatings in a repeating pattern like a twill. I tried it to right/ left en everything you can think of. Help?!? I have a contramars loom.
    Gr Frida

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    • If you are trying to weave the profile draft, it won’t work. A profile draft is just a schematic and not an actual weaving draft. The Rhythm Crackle draft appears in my next post, and if you would like a copy please let me know. It is written for 4 harnesses, and requires a tabby shot after every pattern shot. I don’t know if it will work with a countermarche loom, as I have no experience with that kind of loom.

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