Shadow Weave Simply

Susan walks us through alternating light and dark threads, in both warp and weft, to produce motifs outlined with an identical shadow. Learn how structure works, then weave any of the 25 project patterns.

As a novice weaver I have attempted shadow weaving once, was disappointed with the results and did not feel inclined to try it again. Until I read this book. By the time I had read the introduction and the first two pages I suddenly realised that I understood the weave structure, as the title promised.

The author writes in a friendly and conversational style. After explaining the basic principles of shadow weaving, she leads the reader step-by-step through threading and treadling for four and eight-harness set-ups. In Chapter 6 she explains how to break down a full draft into its individual components, starting with the dominant threads, then adding the shadow threads, before putting all the components together to see if it works. The second half of the book contains 15 very attractive projects to try, from simple but beautiful designs on 4-shafts to complex constructions for 8-shafts.

I now understand why my first attempt at shadow weaving failed and I can’t wait to warp up my loom for my next project. Highly recommended.

Susan Kesler-Simpson is passionate about fiber arts and breaking down weaving techniques so that even beginners can learn the basic concepts. She is the author of the successful Overshot Simply and has a B.S. and M.A. in Clothing, Textiles, and Design from the University of Nebraska. She enjoys teaching weaving and working in other crafts such as knitting, spinning, and crocheting. She resides in Danville, Pennsylvania.