I became acquainted with the single-unit drawloom at Joanne Hall’s studio (see Drawlooms in Montana), but this is my first go at it on the drawloom in my studio. Because of the reward that awaits, I will gladly tackle all the tasks of dressing this loom. Weaving rag rugs on a drawloom will be phenomenal!
Joy sees hidden treasure. We go to great lengths to unearth high-value treasure. Jesus did this, seeing us as the reward. That’s what Christmas celebrates. Jesus left his splendor in heaven to come to earth as a baby. He entered this world and endured the worst because of the joy set before him. He did it all for the joy of having us in fellowship with God. We come to him and find that we are the Grand Weaver’s reward.
These waffle-weave washcloths are made out of my linen leftovers. For years, I’ve been saving linen scraps: the small amount left on the tube, quills that weren’t used up, thrums that I couldn’t bear to discard, and skinny warp chains from the times I accidentally wound a few extra warpends.
To make this warp, I finished off about a dozen tubes that had small amounts of 16/2 linen. Putting leftover threads together.
The warp is 16/2 linen. I alternated two colors at a time in the warp, so there are interesting color-and-weave effects that outline the “waffles” in the weave.
Heddles are threaded in point twill for waffle weave, alternating two colors at a time.Afternoon sun is a pleasant sight on a new warp.
The linen for the weft is everything from fine 16/1 line linen to coarse 8/1 tow linen. I am purposely leaving weft tails exposed. I expect significant shrinkage, so I will trim the tails shorter after wet finishing.
Linen “weft-overs” include thrums, end of tubes, and accidental warp chains.
Ideas for this project originated with Clean with Linen, by Sanna Ignell in Väv 2016 No.2, p.6, and Handtowels made of linen, by Elisabet Jansson in Happy Weaving from Vävmagasinet, p.31.
Do you have precious leftovers you’ve saved from your journey through life? Memories we don’t want to lose. And memories we wish we could forget. All these leftover threads serve as reminders that we are meant for more than what we can produce on our own. Here’s the good news. Love invites us to hand over our collection of scraps. Listen to Love. His name is Jesus. He takes our linen discards, and, with nothing wasted, weaves his beautiful story of redemption in us.
Dressing the drawloom the second time is easier than the first time. No slip ups or confusion. Just smoothly moving from one step to the next. (Read to the end to see what to expect for July.)
Winding skeins of wool yarn into balls.
With my first drawloom warp the most challenging part was distributing the pattern shafts. (See Q and A with Joanne Hall and Drawloom Dressing.) This time something clicked and the light bulb turned on. Instead of blindly following steps, I now understand what I am doing, and why. And I am having fun in the process!
Winding the warp on the warping reel, making two bouts.Warp chains of 6/2 Tuna wool, ready to dress the loom.After beaming the warp, the loom bench is moved to the back of the loom for threadingheddles. Pattern heddles first, and then, ground heddles.With the reedsleyed, it’s time to return the ground shafts to the front of the loom and put the reed in the beater.Warp is tied on, and the leveling string is doing its job.Inkle band serves to separate pattern heddles as I distribute the pattern shafts.Pattern shafts are resting nicely on the pattern shaft holders. Their little hooks grab the Texsolv that connects them to the draw cords and handles.Pointed threading can be seen in the arrangement of the heddles on the pattern shafts.Drawloom setup is complete except for tying up the treadles. Treadle tie-ups on a drawloom are refreshingly simple.Testing pattern sheds by pulling some of the draw handles. After a few small adjustments, she’s ready to weave!First sample. 6/2 Tuna wool warp and weft, 4-shaft broken twill on the ground shafts, sett is 5.5 ends per cm, 16 pattern shafts with 1 extra shaft for the edges.
Friends, It’s that time again, when Warped for Good is put on pause for the month of July.
Thank you for sharing in this journey with me!
What’s on my looms: I am near the end of the blue double weave blanket on the Standard, and I am planning a new pictorial tapestry for that loom. The drawloom is dressed and in motion. And the Ideal loom is still sitting ready for rosepath rag rugs. Also, Steve and I have a Casita trip planned that will include some leisurely backstrap band weaving.
What’s on your loom right now? Share with us in the comments.
See you the first Tuesday of August! (In the meantime catch me over on Instagram @celloweaver.)
May your second times be better than your first times.
The plan to keep every loom dressed is easy when there is only one loom. Now that I have four floor looms, it’s a tough plan to follow. The drawloom—check. The Glimåkra Standard, dressed in Tuna wool—check. The two smaller looms are threaded, and just need tying on and tying up. So, I’m well on my way! The end of the first warp on the drawloom is in view, however. That means the drawloom will soon be back in the queue. And so it goes.
Winding a warp for rosepath rag rugs. 12/6 cotton. Spring colors.Warp for cottolin towels is threaded on the little hand-built loom.Opphämta on the drawloom. Pattern weft is 6/1 Fårö wool. The right side of the fabric is seen underneath, as it comes around the breast beam.Threading heddles on the Glimåkra Ideal.Blue and Almond Tuna wool warp is tied on in 1″ sections.
I like to stay a step ahead of my looms. I’m ready to wind a new warp as soon as I finish cutting off. It’s the cycle of weaving. But I have trouble staying ahead.
Twelve shafts. Twelve upper lamms. Twelve lower lamms. Twelve treadles. This is an amazing system.Warp is tied on. Ready to add the leveling string.Loom is dressed. Treadle cords are adjusted. Ready for weaving!End of warp comes near the pattern heddles. This is my first drawloom warp, so I’m waiting to see how far I can weave until I lose a good shed. So far, so good.Closing chapter of my first drawloom warp. I’ll keep “turning pages” until the shed disappears.
We have good plans for our lives. But often, it’s tough to follow those plans. Too many things happen at once, and we don’t know how to stay ahead of it all. The thing to remember is that our plans stem from our inner commitments. When we commit our ways to the Lord, trusting him, he leads us through our days. Trust turns plans into achievements. And those are the plans worth pursuing.
Threadingfourshafts is straightforward because the heddles fit perfectly between four fingers and a thumb. Threading eight shafts is tricky because we don’t have that many fingers! Thankfully, threading eight shafts can be as straightforward as threading four shafts. I like to think of it as four shafts in the back, and four shafts in the front.
Set a small group of heddles apart on each shaft to prepare for threading the next group of ends.
Pick up the next threading group of ends and bring it to the front, on the left side of the separated heddles.
Lace the threading group of ends under, over, under, over the fingers of your left hand, palm up.
Left hand becomes tensioning device for threading the heddles. I like to put my index finger in between the two parts of the cross, as separated by the lease sticks.
Wrap left hand index finger around the group of heddles on shaft one (the shaft nearest the back of the loom), the middle finger around heddles on shaft two, the ring finger around heddles on shaft three, the pinky around heddles on shaft four, and bring the thumb around to hold it all loosely together.
Each warpend is taken in order from between the lease sticks, and then threaded through the heddles in order.
Thread the first four heddles—1, 2, 3, 4.
With the right hand, hold the group of warp ends taut, and open the fingers of the left hand to release the heddles.
Keeping the group of warp ends loosely laced around the fingers, slide the left hand toward you to thread the next four heddles—5, 6, 7, 8. Position your fingers around the heddles on each shaft, as you did for the first four shafts.
Left hand slides toward the front of the loom to thread the next four heddles. It helps to hold the warp ends taut with the right hand while the left hand is repositioned.
After threading the second set of heddles, follow the same procedure as before and slide the left hand back again to thread 1, 2, 3, 4.
Continue sliding the left hand forward and back, until the threading is completed for that group of ends.
Check the threading group for accuracy, and then tie the group of ends together in a loose slip knot.
Always check for accuracy before moving on to the next threading group.
Complete the threading across the warp. And then, step back and admire the beauty of a beamed and threaded loom.
Shafts are raised high for good access and visibility for threading, and for checking for accuracy.
Threading is complete. Cotton throw. 8/2 cotton, undulating (wavy) twill on eight shafts.
May you find efficient methods for the work of your hands.
