Tuesday, August 24, 2010

RE-THREADING: GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

Posted by Peg in South Carolina

THE GOOD NEWS

I carefully checked the threading errors in the draft itself against the actual threading on the loom.  I discovered that there are no problems at all on the right side.  The major threading error in the draft I must have caught while I was threading, because the threading at that point is absolutely correct.    The other possible errors on the right side were not errors at all, at least visually.

In short, the threading errors begin on the left side, a little left of center.  I pinpointed where I needed to start the re-threading, both on the warp itself and on the the draft.  With great confidence, I then cut off the left side close to the fell.  I should always worry when I do things with great confidence.  For that led to

THE BAD NEWS

I no longer had the lease sticks in.  I no longer had a cross.  Once a pulled the threads out of the heddles I would have to way to tell what order to pick up the threads for threading in the heddles.

BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLY BAD NEWS

1. I still had the raddle on the back beam.  There are 15 ends in each raddle section.  That represents 1/4-inch worth of warp ends.  So I could use the raddle to select my threads from.  How would the weaving go?  Definitely better than having no order.  Otherwise, I don’t know.  I would worry about crossed ends, so at least for awhile I would  always be checking the back of the loom each time I moved the warp forward.

2. I have a husband who I think could hold the ends taut and step on the appropriate treadle.  Standing at the back of the loom, I could then insert the warp sticks into the sheds.  The sheds would not be perfect tabbies, as that is impossible on this kind of warp.  And it will not be easy to clear the sheds in order to put in the lease sticks.  But I think it is worth a try.  So tonight I will put him to use. 

QUESTIONS

1. I almost always leave the lease sticks in when I weave.  Maybe 3 times in my weaving life have I removed them.  Why did this have to be one of them?!?

2. Having removed the lease sticks, why didn’t I think to put them in before I cut off the warp?

Rethreading prep

Re-threading: Good News and Bad News” was written by Margaret Carpenter for Talking about Weaving and was originally posted on August 24, 2010. ©2010 Margaret Carpenter aka Peg in South Carolina

3 comments:

Susan B. said...

Having the raddle still in place will help. But yikes.
I know you'll figure it all out and all will be well.
I don't ever leave the lease sticks in but I do leave the raddle in place.
Finally, I am still surprised by weaving surprises!

Unknown said...

treadle as if for plain weave.
open first plain weave shed, insert first leave stick behind the shafts, open second plain weave , insert second leave stick
If your threading don't give you the possibility of plain weave chose two sheds as near as possible to plain weave. If there are only a few threads that are not in the absolut correct order they will give you no problems

Peg in South Carolina said...

Susan, every warp contains, for me, at least one surprise....more often several.
Helga, thank you for your advice. That is exactly what i will do, once I corral my husband to hold onto the warp ends at the front of the loom and hold down the appropriate treadles!