I want to register for an upcoming exhibition at the Eastside Gallery. The exhibition is titled “Brilliant Vibrant Women” and “showcases vibrantly colourful works by local women artists. The works can be in any style and any medium. Preference will be given to works that feature, bring to mind, or are inspired by, brilliant women.”
My piece for this exhibition was inspired by Rosalind Franklin; the pattern that I created is based on “Photograph 51”.
When I was in high school, I read the 1968 book “The Double Helix” by James D. Watson.  This book describes the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick and is partially responsible for me obtaining a BSc(Hons) and a PhD in biochemistry.
Throughout the book, Watson referred to a woman scientist working at King’s College, London – Rosalind Franklin.  In 1952, she took an X-ray diffraction photograph of DNA, “Photograph 51”; this image played a large part in determining the double helix structure of DNA.

I’ve been wanting to weave something using Echo weave, so I decided to design this piece using the method outlined in Marian Stubenitsky’s book “Weaving with Echo and Iris” by Marian Stubenitsky.

I began by drawing a few design lines on graph paper and transferring these into weaving software (I use WeaveIT). I added the tie-up that Marian recommended for echo weave and TAW treadling. This allowed me to see the basic pattern design. Once I had settled on a pattern, I re-drew the design line with expansion and colours, as described in Marian’s book. I played with WeaveIT and discovered how to make this happen in the .wif file.

Once I had the pattern as a .wif, I was able to quickly change the colours. I also increased the echo 4 pattern to an echo 8 pattern. I also experimented with pattern repeats and start points for the pattern. I took many screenshots and decided to go with the threading and treadling shown below.

I hope that the finished fabric looks like the fabric view on my computer screen!

Warp yarns, all wool:
red – Quality yarns, crimson, 110/2 tex
light blue – Venne organics, turquoise (4007), 28/2 Nm
medium blue – Saxon, turquoise, 2/30 Nm
dark blue – Saxon, cobalt, 2/30 Nm
Weft yarn – wool, Quality yarns, black, 74/2 tex

Warp length – 6m
Total ends – 528 (176 per pattern repeat, 3 pattern repeats in total)
Width in reed – 33.5cm
EPI, PPI – 40
Reed – 10 dent
Sley – 4 per dent
Wind with 4 ends in hand (1 end of each colour) – 132 rotations of mill