The Enigma of Shadow Weave Illuminated : Understanding Classic Drafts for Inspired Weaving Today

Shadow weave is a unique weaving technique that creates beautiful works of art with a play of light and dark colors. This guide provides insight into the history and development of this technique by Mary Meigs Atwater and Marian Powell. It also explains how to create your own shadow weave drafts using Powell’s method of weave drafting.

Rebecca Winter, a master weaver, shares the intricacies of shadow weave with a focus on its weave structure and how it functions as a color-and-weave effect. This book is a continuation of Marian Powell’s 1976 classic, “1000 (+) Patterns in 4, 6, and 8 Harness Shadow Weaves,” with a modern approach that includes translations and explanations. In addition, the book includes valuable resources that bring history and today’s weavers together, such as the drafting system developed by Mary Meigs Atwater, the drafting system developed by Marian Powell, and how the Powell method functions within block theory.

This guide includes original drafts developed by Mary Meigs Atwater in 1942, as well as ten original drafts developed by the author. Handweavers of all levels who are interested in pursuing shadow weave on eight or fewer shafts can use this book to advance their skills and expand their knowledge of this technique. The book also includes six projects to get you started.

With 350 color images, diagrams, and drafts, this hardback book is a comprehensive resource for handweavers who want to create beautiful shadow weave fabrics that shimmer and glow with color.