Sleying of the drawcord warp reed has begun. The 12 dent reed is being sleyed in groups of eight threads, alternating two colors, with an empty dent in-between colors to make finding and pulling individual cords easier. Graph paper (or computer generated designs) will be color coded.
This reed sits overhead on a single unit drawloom with the cords sleyed through it. The cords are pulled individually according to the design being woven. Each cord controls a unit or group of threads on the pattern heddles on the pattern harness. The reed, as shown above, is positioned for threading, it is not in its final position here.
This view is from the back of the loom which has a long extension on it. My loom bench is sitting just inside the front of the loom, and I'm sitting facing the fireplace for threading the reed. Is this the traditional Swedish method? No. I'm trying to be a bit creative, inventive with the processes, trying to work out methods that will work and that I can do alone, as much as possible. A warping trapeze is in the not too distant future.
These two pairs of socks are for weaver Nastche Milan. Though she lives in CA, I'm hoping she will enjoy the socks on cool spring, fall, and winter nights.
3 comments:
So a drawloom has 2 reeds and 2 warps? Well, I don't mean to ask too many questions.....I figure if I keep following along I'll understand it as it all comes together. You're making good headway on it!!
Love the color of those socks!!
Sue
Actually there are three reeds on the drawloom, one overhead for pulling cords according to your design, one over the pattern heddles, which the cords pass through and are attached to each individual pattern heddle, and the usual reed in the beater.
Two warps, one overhead, again for
drawing cords for design, the other the warp you are weaving up.
It takes awhile to set up, balance
everything for good shed, etc., and the shed on a drawloom is not as big as the usual loom. Because of that, lower profile shuttles are used. I'll try to remember to take a photo of a regular boat shuttle and a damask shuttle so you can see the difference.
You usually put a long warp on so you're not re-warping often. The drawcord warp is used over and over again, unless you go finer and need more cords and pattern heddles than you originally set up for. I'm hoping this will last a good long while.
What can I say, I find the whole thing fascinating. I'm sure there will be moments of frustration coming up, too, but it's all worth it with the weaving that can be done.
Aren't the socks fun? Love trying out various color combinations. I've done over 85 so far and still try out new ones.
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