The old pro weaves - Chpt 3

Chpt 3, rolling on the warp.

So here is your new warp, all tied on and ready to go, with the reed set up properly into the beater. Push the beater forward with one hand, and gently push and lift on the taunt dummy warp behind it to work the knots through the reed.


Here the knots are between the reed and the heddles.






Now go to the back beam, take a handfull of dummy warp, cut it loose from the knot, and pulling with one hand, work the new warp through the heddles with the other hand.




Tie a knot in the dummy warp, and tie it onto the back beam. You should have a lot of loops stapled onto your back beam. You don't? Go get some sstrong cord and a heavy-duty stapler.



Reperat untill all the warp knots have been pulled through and tied on to the back beam. YOu will notice they aren't even. Don't worry.

Now, you will need something to keep the warp trhreads from settling among one another as the warp isrolled onto the back beam. If you are a meticulous typer person, you can take butcher paper, cut it four inches wider than your warp, fold up 1 inch borders twice, and place it under the warp as you go. Or you can use dowells, or lathes or anything relatively rigid that will keep the layers seperate.

I use venetian blind slats.
Keep rolling on the warp and slipping the seperator layer in as you go. When you feel resistance, stop and go comb out the warp at the breaast beam.


When it starts shifting the beater and reed, it will look kind of like this.








Unchain a length of the warp,
take your wide-tooth comb, and smooth those snarls.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

New weavers are often taught to warp under tension. I'm not sure why. It isn't necessary. As long as the tension is even across the width of the warp, it doesn't matter if it's tight or not.

This technique is not good for long warps. The length of this warp will be determined by how many yards you can set up using the loom and maybe a few extra sticks tied to nearby chairs or tied upright to the loom frame itself.

Tomorrow, tying the warp to the breast beam and starting to weave.


Kitties like hot laundry right from the dryer.