tips for weaving symmetry

7/23/2019 Tips for Weaving Symmetry

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tips for weaving symmetryDeJay Mohler elMiércoles, 29 de mayo de 2013 a la(s) 23:07

Since I've recently taken to criticizing the lack ofsymmetry in some of the mandalas posted here, I think I

ought to provide some solutions. So, here's some

pointers, learned from long experience.

1. This should be obvious, but by all means, use straight

sticks! Myself, when buying doweling, I always hold oneend of each stick up close, and point the other end away

from my eyes, so I can get a good perspective on the

straightness. Sometimes, though, I'll accept a stick with

a nice even bow to it, and just remember to place that

bowed stick so the ends bow either inwards or

outwards .... NOT to one side or the other.

2. As I emphasize in my instructions, I carve or file small

notches every one inch along the sticks, not only to hold

the yarn from slipping in towards the center, but to use

for markers, so I can check that the design I'm weaving

is progressing evening along each stick. Now I even

recommend taking a pen or pencil, and markingin

between those notches .... so you can get everything

even at least everyhalf inch (think in centimeters? ....

mark every centimeter!) Note! the further towards the

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bottom of your stacked sticks, the more the design is

pulled into the center, so check the progress along the

bottom sticks extra often, and get in the habit of putting

extra wraps on those parts of your design!

3. If, when weaving a 12-sided mandala, you start with

three diamond patterns for the center of each set of 2

sticks that you are going to join together, make each

diamond larger as it is placed further down in the

pattern. This becomes especially important with 12 or

more sided mandalas. The same thing happens even on

an 8-sided mandala, but not so obviously. On a twelve

sided mandala, I'll add a full three extra wraps on that

bottom-most diamond (square .... one extra wrap on the

diamond one down from the top). The patterns that

follow as you add onto the diamond/squares invariablypull inwards strongly, and shrink those lower down

diamond/squares, to where, if they start off all the same

size, the bottommost one will tend to disappear, or at

least one corner of it will get hidden.

4. Find some way to measure, and keep measuring thedistance between the ends of the sticks to each other.

Keep those sticks evenly spaced, and expect that, even

after they seem to be well placed, they will get pulled out



of whack over and over again. However, you might be

surprised that also, you can adjust those sticks, even

when well along with the ojo. Of course, there will come

a time, often when weaving a complete circle pattern that

binds all the stick together, that the sticks do become

pretty well locked into position. At that point, measure

the distance between the sticks very carefully (or lay the

ojo down on a prepared template). Keep in mind when

measuring, the view of the ojo from the front .... that the

actual distance between sticks that jump from a lower

down stick to a top-most stick should be a bit longer,

because it has depth to cover as well the obvious visual

distance. The distance between the bottom-most stick

and the top-most stick (somehow these two always end

up right next to each other) is your most troublesome

area, so pay extra attention to that space, and adjustoften!

5. While doing all this, always strive to keep the distance

between your rows of yarn even ... not too close together

and bunched up, and not leaving an obvious gap. Note

that most pattern elements require two wraps aroundeach stick, but when you get to the border, only once

around each stick is usually best. Much depends on the

thickness of your yarns, and the thickness of the sticks



you are using as well, so experiment to see what works,

anddon't be afraid to unwind and re-do! You can make

adjustment by making extra wraps where progress along

one stick has fallen behind, but if the progress is TOO far

behind, too many extra wraps will leave gaps and

obvious design unevenness, so it might be better to

unwind a bit and get it evened up right!

6. Look for parts of your design where the yarn crosses

the sticks and should make a perfect squared angle, and

make extra wraps to bring everything to perfection as

needed. Likewise, look for places where certain design

elements stick out past others elements. and make

adjustments to insure that such points are evenly sticking

out in all areas of the design. In other words, when you

are weaving a new part of you mandala, and it is behindwhat you already did, be careful that every new part of

your latest weaving is not only evenly progressed along

the sticks, but is evenly progress past your earlier yarn

weaving.

7. Work out your own methods of keeping everythingeven! Everything I do is from long experimentation, but

everyone can well come up with their own way of striving

for perfection. A good rule of thumb is, if you are not



having fun, you are doing something wrong! Learn to

enjoy the challenge of creating your design, and keeping

everything even and symmetrical all at the same time.

So, if you don't quite understand what I'm trying to

explain everywhere in these hints, don't get discouraged,

just work out your own methods.

Happy weaving!

Jay

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