Double-face Checks

If you aren't already familiar with tablet weaving or double-face, and need more information, there are basic handouts in previous posts, and I am always willing to answer questions.

The basic technique:
To weave double face, your cards are threaded half with one color, and half with the other color.  Start with the color you want to show on top of the band (your guide color) in the two holes closest to you, rotate the cards away from you twice, passing the weft each time.

Weaver

In tablet weaving the thread in the hole that crossed over the top of the card is the one that will show in the band.  Therefore, the two passes shown above (the first card shows the starting position), will result in black on the top of the band, and white underneath.  To keep black on the top of the band, you need to reverse the direction that you are turning.  You ended with the black in the holes furthest from you, so you will rotate the cards towards you, passing the weft each time.

If you want the color to change, you don't change the direction you are turning (continue rolling the cards away from you), and the white will come to the top of the band.

The pattern:
To weave two columns of checks, set up half the cards with black in the holes closest to you, and the other half with white.  Then rotate the cards 2 passes away, 2 towards, 2 away, then an extra set of 2 away, before continuing the sequence (the other color will now be the guide color).

This is where most people get lost, because it is really easy to forget which direction you are supposed to be turning.  You can keep track on a paper pattern, use scissors or a pencil to note which direction you just turned, etc... but sometimes you lose track of those things anyways.  The best indicator of where you are, is looking at your weaving.  When you start or change the guide color, the threads on the band will be slanted.  However, when you change the turning direction, the string on the top of the band lays straight, which indicates it is floating over the band.  In this pattern, you want a line of slants, two lines of floats, then another line of slants.

Counting those lines will keep your pattern consistent, but it is also useful to understand what is happening in the band.  When a thread passes from the top to the bottom of the band, or bottom to top, the weft thread will tie it down.  Otherwise, it will float.

A sideways view of the card rotation, marking only the guide color as T for top, or B for bottom.

How it will look on a pattern draft, using / as rotating away, and \ as rotating towards the weaver.  (gray is sometimes used to note rotation direction, but in this draft, it is just background to allow the stitch colors to show)

The transitions, outlined in red, are the threads that float.  Changing the rotation direction should only occur when the guide color is in the top and bottom holes closest or furthest away from the weaver.  When floats wind up longer, it is because you accidentally changed rotation while the guide color was in the holes at the top of the card.  If you are ever unsure which direction you should be rotating from that position, the correct direction will result in threads from the bottom coming to the top, whereas the incorrect direction will result in the same threads remaining at the top of the band.