Our second episode with Lisa for this season is now live! In this episode, Lisa shares with us an amazing collection of Dimity samples gifted to her by her mentor Ute Bargmann. Lisa also created a project that takes Dimity to a whole new level!

Check out the trailer!

I have been enjoying the Season 10 Episode 8 on Dynamic Dimity. What a fantastic historic structure! Several years ago, I spent a week at the John C Campbell Folk School, doing a session on 18th & 19th Century Linens taught by Melissa Weaver Dunning. One of the patterns we wove was called Dimity Hargroves XXX (from the book, Hargroves - The Weavers Draft Book & Clothiers Assistant). This is a 6-shaft draft that uses 5 treadles and two pattern blocks. We wove it using 20/2 unmercerized cotton for both warp and weft. The sett was 40 epi. It was weaving this draft that first awakened my interest in the structure called Dimity. Hargrove’s book (available as a downloadable document on Handweaving.net), contains a number of other such Dimity drafts, all of which are 6-shaft structures. Thanks for including this structure in the School of Weaving’s explorations!

Unfortunately, I no longer have the sample I wove in the workshop. However, after I returned home, and did a little research on the Hargroves dimity patterns, I decided to weave some yardage using Hargroves XX. I used 40/2 linen and 12 bambú (all JST yarns, as I recall) and wove a series of tea towel-like pieces. After deciding that these pieces wouldn’t be useful as towels, I sewed them into a loosely structured, asymmetrical jacket. (My sewing skills leave something to be desired, so I won’t show you the inside🫣). I will send an e-mail with photos of the front and back of the jacket, fabric closeups, and my weaving notes. Then, I found a pattern called Checked Dimity on Handweaving.net, and decided to weave a set of “picnic” napkins out of this structure. The weaving yarns were Gist Duet (55% linen, 45% cotton) and 8/2 cotton. These pieces were woven at a much looser setting (see separate e-mail for pattern notes and photos).

Oh your jacket looks amazing Teresa! Can I post the photos of the front and back here for you?

Sure! Thanks!