In Praise of Software

I love my Louet Magic Dobby, partly because I feel a link to weavers in the past. Putting the pegs into the programme bars is a very physical reminder of how things used to be. Because of this, I think it's unlikely I will ever move to a Compu-dobby, where the lift pattern is entered into software and this software controls the lifting of shafts. It's one step to far for me, It doesn't quite feel like handweaving to me. Don't get me wrong - I know many weavers use computer controlled dobby looms and they are definitely handweavers, but I just don't think it is for me.

However, that doesn't mean that I don't use weaving software. A long time ago I bought iWeaveIt for the iPad and it really helped me understand tie-up plans for treadles that are often used in weaving books. Having only ever used table looms, not floor looms with treadles, it took me a while to get my head around these types of plans, but iWeaveIt helped me understand what it all meant. I use it to play around with ideas when I want to experiment, tweak, alter things to get a rough idea and don't want t colour in squares by hand over and over until I have it right.

I am currently obsessing over shadow twill, so have been playing and plotting a way to use up a warp already on a 4-shaft loom here and I'm really rather pleased with the result.