This book was published in 2012 and has quickly become the new favorite with inkle weavers and inspired many to give the inkle a try. It is an impressive collection of ideas backed up with good instructions and charts. In it, Anne Dixon also the author of "The Handweaver's Pattern Directory", has assembled all sorts of interesting ways to make patterns using an inkle loom. Some of them were already familiar to me, and many I had not seen elsewhere or even considered before. The cover photo is enough to get your mind spinning!
It begins with an introduction which reflects her enthusiasm when she says that she bought her first inkle loom and "nearly forty years later, I am still excited by the possibilities afforded by weaving with this narrow loom. It is because the inkle loom is so narrow that we are encouraged to push the boundaries beyone those of a basis 2-shaft loom." I've been heard to express the same sentiment and loved reading this in print!
The first pages describe the structure of a warp-faced band and how to read the drafts and use pattern charts. She describes the loom and how it works. Then begins the pattern directory. The first 8 pages show all of the basic design elements: dots, squares, bars, checks, stripes, cables, chains, flowers and combinations thereof. From there she launches into tubular bands, Repp weave, intentional distortions, lettering, Baltic-style pickups, Monk's Belt, Krokbragd, auxiliary warps, weft floats, Soumak, Turkish knots, Shibori, weft overlay and inlay, adding beads, clasped wefts, inserted fringe and a few other tricks.
All in all, it's 175 pages, spiral bound to lay flat with a hard cover. Brilliant ideas in a clever package!
If you are interested in exploring what is possible on an inkle loom, I highly recommend this book!
Recently, I purchased a box of them to have handy for upcoming classes. I've listed some for sale HERE in my Etsy shop.
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