Inkle Inspiration: Explore Color, Fiber, Twist, Tubes, and More

I love to weave inkle bands. My spinning fiber life started 50 years ago, but my formal weaving life began a year and a half later. In the beginning, I used commercial yarn in my weaving but quickly started using my handspun yarns. That is when I really learned about natural fibers and what they can and cannot do. Use your handspun and it will teach you to become a better spinner.

My bands are warp-faced weaves, which means the warp shows the color and design. The weft only shows as a dot at the edges of the weaving if it is a different color than the edge warp yarn. The yarns I spin and use in my inkle bands are the same yarns I use in tablet- or card-woven bands.

Two handwoven bands. Photo by Jeannine Glaves

Working with this basic woven structure, I’ve been able to explore different fibers and fiber combinations, texture, twist direction, woven tubes and words, and more. Here are some bands to inspire your own adventures.

Choosing Fibers for Band Weaving

I like to spin unusual fibers and try new fibers on the market (racoon fiber to spin or blend was the latest). Many engineered fibers are now being made biodegradable and have uses, but I feel most comfortable using natural fibers in my projects. In the beginning of my weaving life, I earned the reputation of liking glitz, so many of my early bands have trilobal nylon for luster and lurex for flash. For these elements, my choice is now silk for its strength and luster.

Rarely do I weave a band with only one fiber. I will use yarns of different fibers and yarns spun from blends of fibers. Yarns of different sizes are used for pickup patterns and design interest. By spinning my yarns worsted, I find most natural fibers work well together in a band. The more you mix natural fiber yarns or blends in a warp, the fewer problems they tend to cause in a finished project. Choose a well-blended fiber preparation. Lumps and bumps in your fiber can give you lumps and bumps in your yarn, making pick-up pattern lines blur.

A variety of fiber blends, each tied with a sample of the yarn spun from them.

Creating Visual Interest with Color and Texture

For stripes in your warp, you may choose to use a textured yarn with good results—but keep in mind that texture can cause sticky warps and slow weaving. For pattern weaving, make sure your color values (depth of shade) are very different so the pattern is easy to see.

Colors can make a band wild and crazy or sophisticated and muted. Border stripes frame patterns and can make a band look more finished. My worsted yarns are spun with a short forward draw and smoothed by the forward hand moving up the yarn as twist is added. My mantra is pinch, pull, slide, repeat. My back hand holds the fiber and doesn’t move. This technique lines up the fibers parallel, giving a firm, smooth yarn with little to no stretch—great for a warp yarn. I like nice, crisp letters. Although my yarns started out in the two-ply, 12–14 wraps per inch (wpi) size, I now prefer