Doubleweave experiments

I started thinking about doubleweave. Usually one weaves two (or more) layers of plain or sometimes twill weave and through altering the tie and up, treadling and number of shuttles, one can play with which layer is on top and whether they are joined to form a single double cloth, a tube, two separate layers, etc. But what would happen if the two layer were completely different weave structures? What if they used different yarns, at different setts? 

After some experimenting on fibreworks, I decided to mix plain cloth on one layer with a classic swedish "mosquito" lace on the other. The plain cloth was in 8/2 cotton, whilst the lace was in 20/2 both at 24 epi. Because of the way the weaving progresses in doubleweave with alternating picks in each layer, I figured that the weft density of the plain weave (24ppi) would control the density of the swedish lace to the same number of ppi. With the much finer 20/2 yarn this give an even, open weave. 

The resulting two layers are tied together in the weave at intervals and I hoped this would create a transparent lace cloth with windows to the plain cloth beneath. Rather like a stained glass window.

I used up lots of stash to make a multi coloured plain cloth, but kept the swedish lace white.

warped at 48epi combined

fabric on the loom, the windows in the lace aren't evident until the fabric is washed and finished

the finished cloth

I think there are lots of possibilities with this method, monksbelt springs to mind as another suitable weave structure for one of the layers. One could also fill the pockets formed between the layers with 'objects' as the weave progresses, sealing them in forever once the layers are woven together at intervals. A project for another day.