The second rod allows you to tie on more easily because the rod is not held tight up against the apron and you aren't trying to tie through little spaces in the apron, so you can tie as often as you need. Also when you are tying on a narrow warp you can easily undo the ends of the rod which are not supporting the warp, which helps prevent the rod from bowing and results in a smile, or frown, depending on how you view it, in your weaving. It is worth the time it takes to put it on, because in the long run it will save you a lot of time.

Go Back

The Lashing method - use lashing material (such as nylon selvedge from LeClerc) that is 4 -5 times the width of the warp - a continuous length of material. An overhand knot is tied on 3/4 inch to 1 inch bouts depending warp, taking care to use even width of bout, even warp tension in each bout and keeping knots at about the same place. The cord is fastened at the left and the plain weave shed is opened. The lashing cord is consistently wound over the rod in the same direction and through the shed in the bout. Never go under the rod between 2 bouts then over the rod between the next two. Always in the same direction. Then the cord is tied off on the right. Checking for even tension, instead of just walking my hand over the warp, go from left to right then right to left adjusting the cord tension slightly, then do the walking.

A Surgeon's knot - is just like the beginning of the bowknot you use to tie your shoe, except you go over (or under :) one more time. It holds much more snugly, but is readily adjustable when fixing your tension. A verbal description of the knot: Pass the two halves of the group you want to try over your rod, then under, bring the halves up along the outsides of the group, so that the left and right halves are now sticking straight up on either side of the group they're from. Next, bring them together over the group of threads, and criss cross them in an X. Then take the top group of the X under the bottom group and through the 'legs' of the X--you now have the beginning of the bow knot used to tie your shoes. Finally, repeat that last motion so that the group that already passed over and under the X does so again. Voila, a surgeon's knot! Tie the edges of your warp with the surgeon's knot first, then go to the center and work back and forth, one side then the other, until all groups are tied. Doing the edges first stabilizes the tie-on rod so that it doesn't wobble, particularly with wider warps. With the surgeon's knot, one can just snug them up again without having to untie anything. Depending on the type of warp, the thickness of the threads, etc, it may take several passes to get the entire warp width evenly tensioned.

Is this the Nyquist method? Not sure

1. Cut an 18 inch piece of strong smooth cord (or shoestring) for each 1 inch of warp width. Attach these to the apron rod with a lark's head knot. This takes a bit of time to set up the first time, but these cords will be re-used for subsequent warps.
2. Tie the ends of each 1 inch section of warp into an overhand knot
3. Fashion a 1 inch knotted section of warp into a lark's head and pass one of the cords through it, pulling the warp bundle so it is snug around the cord
4. Tie the 2 ends of the cord into half a square knot, snugging the knot up against the warp lark's head knot
5. When all 1 inch warp bundles have been thus attached, tighten all to consistent tension simply by pulling the cords through the lark's heads and snugging the half square knots up against the warp lark's head knots once more. Smooth cords will slide easily through the lark's head knot for tightening but the half square knots tied in them will prevent their slipping back and loosening up

A simple method - Take about 1 inch of warp for each grouping. Split in half and pass the two halves of the group over your rod, then under, bring the halves up along the outsides of the group. Tie 1/2 square knot for each 1 inch warp across the full width of the warp. Now, go to the center of the warp, snug knot to rod and tie the other 1/2 of the square knot. Quickly do both grouping on both sides of the center one, then go one click on your pawl & ratchet system. Continue working both sides off the center, 2-3 knots on each side, then do one more click on the pawl. Continue this tying of knots and another click. End result is even tension across the warp. This method does not work on friction brakes, worm drive systems.

Go Back

Frayed threads

• Use beeswax on the area of the thread. Can find in sewing notions at fabric store.
• Use a water-soluble glue stick. Dab on. Let dry. Continue weaving. [quilting stores, fabric stores sell them]
• Use hair spray (but be careful where you spray it)
• Make a thin paste of starch, dab on and let dry.

Broken threads

• Use a 'weavers knot' to secure tying of a new thread to the old broken thread. An overhand knot can be too bulky, and will fall apart from constant abrasion of beater and heddles.
to the woven area
• Be sure to re-thread through heddles or reed, as necessary before securing fixed thread.

Go Back

A nice and cherished way to share a little of your handwoven (samples or mug rugs) is to give in cards with a view, such as die-cut cards. These cards can be made for any special occasion, such as Christmas cards. A quality cardstock is needed to provide support for your sample. The woven items should not be thick, thinner is better. Size depends on what size card you are making.

• One can emboss, stencil, print, stamp, or paint your cardstock. Keep it simple so not to distract from the handwoven item
• Design and print the cards on the computer and make die cuts where one needs them using an Exacto knife
• Can buy diecut cards at sewing stores or print shops, can be expensive, but worth it for large amounts
• Scrapbook stores sell templates (such as diamonds, ovals, round shapes) and cutters to make your own diecuts for your view window in your card
• Use tri-fold cards, or make an extra cardstock insert for backing of sample
• Many use a serger to finish edges of samples for cards. Ok if its not going to be used for another purpose. It would be neater to just hemstitch them though
• If sending mug rugs, finish accordingly - such as fringe it or hem it. Also send fiber content, washing instructions, etc.
• Secure sample to card by using water-soluble glue stick, basting with clear thread at 4 corners, or double-sided scotch tape. The latter may leave a residue. If basting, this can be hidden if incorporated into the design.
• Make or buy envelopes for your cards

Go Back

Many pick variegated yarns as they are so beautiful, but then they get home and don't quite know how to utilize them in the best way. The following are just a few suggestions:

• Variegated or colorway yarns are "safest" in the warp, but there are ways to make it effective in weft
• One gets a "stripey" look if used as one shuttle of variegated yarn for weft. But try using 2 shuttles, alternating throws.
• If using variegated yarns, say 3-5 colors, in the warp - pick one color from the grouping and match with a solid color for weft. This can make a range of colors. Change the weft color for different affects on same warp
• Using variegated or space-dyed yarns as weft on overshot threadings. The colors "come and go" and do not show a striped effect.
• Or try using variegated yarns in both tabby and pattern weft in two shuttle weaves. Interesting!
• A method to keep the colorway pure - wind all the bobbins at one time from the center of the ball. Number the bobbins. The start weaving with the last bobbin you wind. Sometimes, if this is done, you will have a color track in spot that almost looks like a flaw.
• To keep your color sequence going in the same direction, wind all the bobbins/pirns you'll need, lay them out in sequence, and use them in reverse order (use the one you wound last, first). Otherwise, you reverse the color sequence everytime you change bobbins -- because the end of yarn that was attached to the end of the weft on one bobbin ends up on the inside of the next bobbin.
• If you can figure out the length of the color repeat, and the length of weft in a pick is slightly more or slightly less than the length of the color repeat, you will get the tapestry-like effect of shifting colors. Note - that length of weft in a pick is not the same as the width of the fabric!
• Another option with varigated yarns, especially commercially produced where the length of the colored sections is very regular is to 'walk' the warp. That is, if the color repeat is 2 yards, then make your warp in increments of 2 yards (you may have to fiddle on your warping board to get this to work as you like) this way, you can make stripes or sections of color where you want them. By 'walking' more than one set of warp ends you can do interesting window like effects and other designs even using only a 2 shaft loom.
• Depending on the yarn, use variegated warp w/same variegated weft to create a mottled plaid effect
• Use variegated yarn as one of the two yarns for clasped weft. Use one of the colors as a solid for other half of clasped weft.

Go Back

When dressing the loom, use a head lamp. It is like a miner's lamp or a flashlight that has a soft band that goes around your head with the light sitting on your forehead. It leaves your hands free and directs the light on the threads that you are working on.

Go Back