Very Long Ship

This pattern was inspired by work done by Shelagh Lewins on a band from the Oseberg ship burial (buried in 834 CE). It's a simple threaded-in pattern and is woven by turning the tablets continuously forwards (or by turning the tablets continuously backwards to work out built up twist). It's reversible, so the pattern appears on both sides of the band and would make a great selvedge pattern as part of a larger band.

This is an easy weave, as the tablet threadings produce the pattern so there's no need to make turning direction changes or keep count of numbers of turns. A perfect pattern to work on if you're new to tablet weaving.

When I was photographing the sample band, I decided that one way up it looked like a bobsled team with many members and the other way up it looks like a very long longship with oars trailing into the water.

You can download the TDD file for this draft by clicking here.

The text version of this draft is as follows:

• Threading:

1. Z threaded tablet
   1. Red (#ff0000)
   2. Red (#ff0000)
   3. Red (#ff0000)
   4. Red (#ff0000)
2. S threaded tablet
   1. Yellow (#ffff00)
   2. Yellow (#ffff00)
   3. Yellow (#ffff00)
   4. Red (#ff0000)
3. S threaded tablet
   1. Red (#ff0000)
   2. Yellow (#ffff00)
   3. Red (#ff0000)
   4. Yellow (#ffff00)
4. S threaded tablet
   1. Yellow (#ffff00)
   2. Red (#ff0000)
   3. Yellow (#ffff00)
   4. Yellow (#ffff00)
5. S threaded tablet
   1. Red (#ff0000)
   2. Red (#ff0000)
   3. Red (#ff0000)
   4. Yellow (#ffff00)
6. Z threaded tablet
   1. Yellow (#ffff00)
   2. Yellow (#ffff00)
   3. Yellow (#ffff00)
   4. Yellow (#ffff00)
7. S threaded tablet
   1. Yellow (#ffff00)
   2. Yellow (#ffff00)
   3. Yellow (#ffff00)
   4. Yellow (#ffff00)
8. Z threaded tablet
   1. Red (#ff0000)
   2. Red (#ff0000)
   3. Red (#ff0000)
   4. Red (#ff0000)
9. S threaded tablet
   1. Red (#ff0000)
   2. Red (#ff0000)
   3. Red (#ff0000)
   4. Red (#ff0000)

• Turning:

1. 9F
2. 9F
3. 9F
4. 9F
5. 9F
6. 9F
7. 9F
8. 9F

As with all of the free patterns on this site, you are welcome to weave them, sell bands woven using them, and use them to teach other weavers, just as long as you state where you found them.