the backpack

or: because I could

When the guild decided on "bags" as a theme, I was not very interested.

Some time later I found a box of un-interesting cotton that had been sitting around for a long time. I thought I could try another exercise in 3D weaving - a backpack woven in one piece.

Remembering the scarf with fins, I thought I would try to construct a backpack "with volume". Like this:


So the first thing to figure out was how to accomplish that. This is how:
(as usual, I use different colours for different layers, to make it easier to read the drawdown)



Counting from the top, this does:
1. pick in the bottom layer
2. bottom layer in left pleat
3. top layer of left pleat
4. top (outer) layer
5. top layer in right pleat
6. bottom layer of right pleat
which makes one pick in the whole bag. So the next six passes make the second plain-weave pick in the whole bag.

As I could not figure out a way to attach a flat bottom without sewing, I decided to start with a single layer, which included all warp ends. At the sides, there were to be four layers, so for the beginning of the bag I devised some kind of basket weave(s):



I warped with purple for the "whole" layers, and a lighter lilac in the pleats.
Started weaving - and it worked!
But... it was not very interesting. I did not like the yarn, I did not want a backpack... just wanted to see "if I could". As it would fit with the guild theme, I wove on.

Finally the bag part was "big enough".
I cut the "bag" warps of the outer layer, left the purple "pleat" warps. I also cut the lilac warps, and the bottom purple "pleat" warps.
This meant I could weave the flap as a continuation of the bottom layer, and the straps as a continuation of the outer (upper) layer. It would have been a good idea to use two more shafts, so that the straps had been on four separate shafts... which is why the flap-and-straps diagram below has 4 strap picks to 2 flap picks. (Yes, I tried to open the strap shed, using right shuttle, then left shuttle, beat and so on, but I liked that even less.)



And I wove. And wove. Until, when the straps were about half of what they should be, I cut off.
Threw the whole thing in a corner, tried to forget about it.
After all, I had accomplished what I wanted: to see if I could.

Half a year later, it is time for the guild exhibition, and I figured I could try to tidy it up... This is what it looks like:



There are three knots in the "closing fringe", to accomodate for different amount of contents.

From the side:


The guild exhibition opened on Saturday - pictures here (in Swedish) and here (in English)