Just out of curiosity I am curious on how long it takes the normal person to create a fairly intricate weave pattern. I am almost finished fine tuning a weave that I have been working on for some time now. It is 73 threads wide and about 110 wraps long. In some of the wraps there are as many as 7 seperate thread transfers. This is the first major weave I have undertaken and I think I have about a Bajillion hours into the design, have advanced Budweisers position in the beer market by at least 2 places, and gave Mr Webster a few new words to put in his book.. I like to do weaves, and havve designed some simpler ones, I am just curious if I am going to experience this every time I take on something more advanced, or if it will get easier. Currently I am just using homemade looms, but have considered standing on the corner with a sign..........."Will Weave for a Wonder Loom"

Thanks for all input

Kirk

Kirk; Your E-Mail address is hidden or I would have sent you E-Mail. Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. Some color change weave patterns take longer to develop than it does to weave them by a bunch. I have one pattern that has 300 plus design threads and over 300 wraps. Just take your time and enjoy the process.

Jim

The more you do, the easier it gets. When I first started doing my own patterns, I usually had to weave them once to see what corrections needed to be made which was time consuming. Now after dozens of patterns, I'm 99% sure of what it will look like when woven when the design is complete on paper.
The Rodmaker logo weave pattern on last months Rodmaker cover for example, took about 5 hours to design but then it was fairly straight forward-hardest part was the "magazine" word which was so small in comparison to the rest of the letters. Took about the same amount of time to do the actual weave.
I trace fish pictures onto graph paper, then develop the left list from that-again 5-6 hours for a normal pattern, more if its a color change pattern. I learned alot from Doc Ski who also uses left lists which I find the easist way to weave-also easy that way to share/sell the patternsThe weave program being developed will greatly reduce pattern development I hope. If you already have a good loom that uses foam to hold the threads, its just a matter of practice. Great way to waste time!
You got me curious, what is your 73 thread pattern?

Hi Kirk
Fear not my friend it gets worse! NO just kidding. It is a time consuming process especially at the beginning when you make a pattern, try it, redo it, try it and so on. After a while you will begin to recognize what you can get by with and what you cant. Seven colors sounds scary by it is just more time consuming. If you are going to be doing a lot of that kind you will need something like Jimmys WW because it will help you view all the colors and that is a must. His slots are deep enough to do even more than that. All that time is well worth it when you see what you have created. I would love to see it when you are done. If you can email me I will send you a pic of my Huma-Huma-Nuku-Nuku-A-Pua-A (pretty trigger fish) it is also seven colors but the pic doesn't do it justice.

If you have not done so by this time, I strongly suggest that you buy Doc Ski's video. It will save you a lot of time. I bought his video a couple of years ago and got a couple of his patterns. Since then, with Jim Upton's help with the PCStich program, I have made my own loom and make my own patterns. Yes it is time consuming. Take it slow so you won't make too many mistakes. However, once you finish a weave it will stay forever. Keep drinking that Bud. My son is a Bud salesman and your drinking will help his retirement fund. My loom is something that I use temporarily and will soon own a Wonder Weaver.
Cheers, Ellis

Kirk, I'm curious again, when you say 7 thread transfers, do you mean you will have 7 diff color threads in one numbered slot or do you mean you are moving 7 different threads or batches of threads per step?? thx

I am pretty sure he means seven colors in one slot. I have a couple like that and am working on a new one that might have 8 or more. I will Know when I start figuring out how trick I want to get with colors.

Oh No...........lol........ .Not 7 colors 7 different groups of thread being moved..............I actually think I have it worked out. Just spent a few more hours working on it. It is a chevron for a friend that is retired now, he was an E-9 first seagant, a rank that not many make it to so this was his retirement gift from a group of us that all know him. Luckily he moved into a demanding position that hasn't allowed much time for him to play so I havn't been under the gun to get it done. I have messed with this for so long now that it is like that burdensome girlfriend you cant get rid of.........lol. I was having a hard time getting the star in the middle of the chevron to come out correctly. Until my last attack the best I had it come out was quite similar to a drunken 4 legged starfish that I either saw in a dream, or on early morning cartoons. I finally sat down with a few beers.....(thats when I do some of my deepest thinking) and decided to break out the portion of the weave with the star in it, and perfect the star then try the entire weave over again. So now I have the star worked out, I also noticed that the Diamond, to signfy he was a first seargant, might be a bit troublesome so I worked that one over too. I think I have it all straightened out, and ready to try again for keeps. So tomorrow I will transfer the looms from the practice rod back to the real thing and get started all over again. On a side note while designing this I purchased PC Stitch which has made it a lot easier to make design changes. I will try to get a pic of it out on the picture sight once I get it all done. It is nothing extravagant but it has been a challenge for me.

I appreciate all the encouragement and advice.

Kirk

Sorry I got confused. Happens a lot

Hey Doc, its the LA smog, you need to move south

You folks are just amazing! 7 colors in one slot... good grief I'm happy moving 7 threads in ANY direction ... left , right , across