The structure of Huck Lace provides a treasure trove of design for weavers. It is a shaft-efficient weave structure where an 8-shaft loom can produce six blocks of design; and a 4-shaft loom can produce a myriad of different ways to combine textures of warp/weft floats with plain weave.

Weavers will learn how “blocks” or units of huck lace are threaded on four and eight shafts, and how they can be combined to expand design possibilities. Discussions will focus on converting a profile draft into a threading and treadling, and how literally thousands of designs can be created within a single threading by changing the tie-up. 

Participants will use printed Design Pages and Transparent Overlays from Neilson’s book An Exaltation of Blocks to explore thousands of design possibilities for 6-block Huck Lace. 

The Towel Project will consist of three 4 ½” sections of Huck Lace, each a different color, separated by a one inch stripe of plain weave. The overall width of the project is 16 ¼” suitable for looms larger than 18” wide. For looms that are 18” wide, the stripes of plain weave are narrower, yielding an overall width of 15 1/3”. 

Weavers should arrive at the workshop with a pre-threaded loom (either 4- or 8-shaft loom). Warp should be sleyed in the reed, tied to the front cloth beam, and spread to the appropriate width, ready to weave.