19 December 2024
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Sheepish Fields

Ewe won’t baa-lieve how adorable this pattern is! Fleece your eyes on the fluffy rows of sheep grazing in the field! Whether you are the black sheep or part of the flock, this pattern is a baa-rillant addition to your weaving projects! 
Ok – enough with the Dad jokes – but seriously you will enjoy this fun pattern you can do on your rigid heddle loom. 

Wishing you a very happy, craft filled holiday season and look forward to lots of exciting things from Ashford in 2025!

Happy weaving!

This pattern was created by Elise, of Artifilum – our French distributor. 

You will need:
Loom: Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom 30cm (12”) or wider
Reed: 7.5dpi
Shuttles: for each colour
Pickup sticks: two
Warp Yarn: Ashford Yoga Yarn #322 Cedar Green 1 cone.
Weft Yarn: Ashford Double Knit 100% NZ wool and Ashford Merino Boucle Looped

Here’s how:
Total warp ends: 90 ends (45 slots)
Total warp length: as you desire.
Width in reed: 30cm (12ins)
EPI (ends per inch): 7.5 (3 per cm)
Weave structure: Plain balanced weave with Pickup pattern.

Warping
Warp 45 slots (90ends) using the Yoga yarn.

You could use this pattern to make a cushion cover, a wall hanging or decorative ends of a scarf or tea towels. 

Weaving

To weave each row of sheep you will use 3 pickup stick patterns (A, B and C) and between each picked up row you will weave a row of the background “field” yarn which you will alternate light green then dark green.

You will weave a block of sheep (Pickup Pattern 1) then the pattern will scoot over a little so the sheep in the next block are offset (Pickup Pattern2).

When setting up for each pickup pattern, pickup stick “A” is used behind the reed and can remain in and be slid to the back when not in use. You will use the other pickup stick to “pickup” patterns B and C in front of the reed when you weave that row, then remove.

Pickup Pattern 1
Pickup stick A:
With the reed in NEUTRAL working behind the reed – take the pickup stick under 7 threads, *over 2 threads, under 1 thread, over 2 threads and under 5 threads*, repeat from * to * across the width and finish going under 8 threads.

Pickup stick B:
With the reed in NEUTRAL working in front of the reed – take the pickup stick under 8 threads, *over 3 threads, under 7 threads*, repeat from * to * across the width and finish going under 8 threads.

Pickup stick C:
With the reed in NEUTRAL working in front of the reed – take the pickup stick under 9 threads, over 1 thread, repeat across the width, finishing going under 9 threads.

Pickup Pattern 2 (Offset)
Pickup stick A:
With the reed in NEUTRAL working behind the reed – take the pickup stick under 12 threads, *over 2 threads, under 1 thread, over 2 threads and under 5 threads*, repeat from * to * across the width and finish going under 13 threads.

Pickup stick B:
With the reed in NEUTRAL working in front of the reed – take the pickup stick under 13 threads, *over 3 threads, under 7 threads*, repeat from * to * across the width and finish going under 14 threads.

Pickup stick C:
With the reed in NEUTRAL working in front of the reed – take the pickup stick under 14 threads, *over 1 thread, under 9 threads*, repeat from * to * across the width and finish going under 15 threads.

Weaving

The green weft yarns are woven single, the black and pink yarns are woven doubled and the white boucle is woven tripled (3 strands woven as one). 

Weave 15cm alternating the light green and dark green in plain weave using the reed as normal to begin.

You will use Pickup Pattern 1 for the first row of sheep. 

Row 1: Dark green plain weave

Row 2: Black, reed in neutral Pickup A against the reed. This is the trickiest row to weave. When you have the pickup stick forward and on its side it will seem wrong as the threads in the holes will be tight. But if you look carefully you will see the threads in the holes are either lifted to the top of the hole or are pushed to the bottom of the hole – between these threads is where the shed is. 

Row 3: Light green plain weave

Row 4: White, reed in neutral Pickup B up and against the reed

Row 5: Dark green plain weave

Row 6: White, reed in neutral Pickup A up and against the reed

Row 7: Light green plain weave

Row 8: White, reed in neutral Pickup B up and against the reed

Row 9: Dark green plain weave

Row 10: White, reed in neutral Pickup A up and against the reed

Row 11: Light green plain weave

Row 12: Pink, reed in neutral Pickup C up and against the reed

Row 13: Dark green plain weave

Row 14: Black, reed in neutral Pickup A up and against the reed

Row 15: Light green plain weave

Row 16: White, reed in neutral Pickup B up and against the reed

Row 17- 25: Greens alternating, plain weave

Now to weave the next row of sheep repeat rows 1 – 25 but use Pickup Pattern 2

Continue weaving as many rows of sheep as you wish, alternating behind the Pickup Pattern 1 and 2.

Pickup Pattern 1

Pattern 1 Pickup Stick A
Pickup Stick A in place, looking at shed in front of reed
Taking shuttle through
Pickup Stick A up and against reed
Take the shuttle through here
Pickup Stick A slid back when not in use
Pattern 1 Pickup Stick B
Pickup Stick B woven
Pickup Stick B up and against reed
Weaving plain weave in between
Pattern 1 Pickup Stick C
Plain weave after Pickup Stick C woven
Pickup Stick C up and against reed, weaving pink
Beating plain weave

Pickup Pattern 2

Pattern2 Pickup Stick A
Pickup Stick A up and agianst the reed
Take the shuttle through here
Pickup Stick A
Beating Pickup Stick A row
Pickup Stick B
Pickup Stick C