Process Review: Drawloom Weaving without Errors

I found a way to practically eliminate draw cord errors on the single-unit drawloom. After making one too many mistakes while weaving this rag rug, I resolved to find a solution. True, I will still make mistakes, but now I expect them to be few and far between. (To view the first rag rug on this warp, see Stony Creek Drawloom Rag Rug.)

My most frequent error is having a draw cord out of place, either pulled where it shouldn’t be, or not pulled where it should be. And then, I fail to see the mistake in the cloth until I have woven several rows beyond it. I determined to find a way to eliminate this kind of error. (For an example of this kind of error, see Handweaving Dilemma.)

Test 1. Double check my work. Pull all the needed draw cords for one row and then double check all the pulled cords.
Results: This bogs me down. And I still fail to catch errors.

Test 2. Double check my work little by little. Treat every twenty draw cords as a section—ten white cords and ten black cords. Pull the cords in the first section. Double check. Pull the cords in the next section. Double check. And so on all the way across…
Results: Easy to do. I quickly catch and correct errors.

Now, I am implementing this incremental method of double checking my work on the little bit of warp that remains. With a Happily-Ever-After ending, the short Lost Valley piece is completed with NO draw cord errors! (Lost Valley is the name we’ve given our Texas Hill Country home.)

Woven Rag Rug and Lost Valley process in pictures:

May you learn from experience.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

16 thoughts on “Process Review: Drawloom Weaving without Errors

  1. Your work as always is stunning. Forgive me if you have mentioned your weft material before. The materials look shiny. Could you share what you use for weft. Thank you
    Loyanne

    1. Hi Loyanne,

      The weft is 100% cotton fabric cut in 1 cm strips. It has some variance to it because of the way the strips turn in the shed, and because I alternated 2 different fabrics for each color block area.

      Thanks!
      Karen

    1. Hi Nannette, I don’t think any of us enjoy doing the rework. There’s usually a solution to a recurring problem if we take the time to think it through.

      All the best,
      Karen

  2. Oh, Karen, after seeing only a little bit at a time, how exciting to see your rugs off the loom and finished. Beautiful work.

    1. Hi Barbara, I’m with you. Even being the one at the loom, I have to wait to see the whole thing. It’s always an exciting moment to unroll it!

      Thank you,
      Karen

  3. I found that I made less errors by outlining the pattern areas with a dark black, thin marker. That line made all the difference for me.
    Your rug is Gorgeous!

    1. Hi Karen, Thank you for that helpful tip. I will try it. I definitely found that my chart must be clearly in focus and have adequate contrast for the pattern areas. I reprinted my chart a couple times to make improvements. You have my wheels turning now. I may be able to add that outline on the computer in Affinity Photo where I make the chart. I will test that out!

      Many thanks!
      Karen

  4. Hi Karen
    Love your work. I have woven and owned both a Glimarka Single and an Oxaback combination drawlooms. They both have overhead draw systems. When I designed repeat patterns for the single unit, I always wove a sample of the design first. At the same time, I would add leashes to the cords for pattern selection. If design was a complete repeat, I would just push the leashes back and start over. If the design was on a point, I would weave to the point then return reverse pulling the leashes. I don’t know if this is possible on a Myrehed draw system?
    I also use a highlighter every ten squares on my design paper to correspond to the 10 dark thread in the draw warp.

    Have lots of fun

    Marie

    1. Hi Marie, The overhead draw system sounds very useful. I have seen pictures of them. I don’t think the Myrehed system has the capability to save leashes, at least I am unaware of it.

      That’s a great suggestion to use a highlighter to mark the design paper. Anything that makes the chart more readable is a great idea! Thanks so much.

      All the best,
      Karen

  5. What a beautiful result, as always, it is so intriguing what you are able to create on your drawloom! And what a great idea for the short warp you had left.
    Double checking your work little by little is a great idea! It is far from comparable to this, but I divide into “twenties” when casting on for knitting, placing markers as dividers. Like you said, it is so much easier to catch errors. I never thought about it for weaving, but now I know 🙂

    1. Hi Elisabeth, We use this concept of double checking many times in the weaving process–in winding the warp, threading, sleying, and even in making calculations for planning a warp. It only makes sense to use the same concept in other processes.

      Thank you,
      Karen

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