Using your loom as a warping board

When I was weaving samples for the fabric designers at Pendleton Woolen Mills, time was money, so we learned the FAST way to do things. If, for example, you already have the draw that you want on your loom, then you can tie the new warp on to the end of your previous warp. Use rulers or leashsticks ot whatever you like, to count the thread in your new pattern and layer them. If, for example, you want a warp that has seven blue, seven white, four red, and seven white ends per pattern repeat, count your warp threads and pick up the ones that will be red on top of a ruler. Then take another ruler and pick up the threads that you want to be blue, and slide the second ruler under these threads AND the threads alread picked up to be red. Leave the biggest segment, the white just sitting there.

How long do you want your warp to be? Take a tape measure and start wrapping it back and forth around your loom. You may want to add some extra sticks to give you more lengths. My loom is a meter wide, and I added a stick (a long shuttle) to give me two more meters of warp.

Then, holding your clippers, pick the first of the top layer of threads, and begin to tie on. Clip the existing warp, Pick up,

clip and hold both threads between thumb and forefinger.



wrap them together around that index finger and roll the ends through the loop.



And pull the knot snug.

then start moving your arms loosely from the shoulders to wrap the warp around your loom.





It's like a dance the way your hands pass the thread back and forth. It's a kinesthetic skill which means it takes a while to learn, but then your muscles will remember and your brain can go play elsewhere.









Tomorrow. rolling all this onto the warp beam.