Hi all -
I'm about to embark on the weaving of those gorgeous scarves in last month's Handwoven, and I've got the loom dressed and ready to go. Before I go to the next step, tho', I realized that while I left dual selveges on each edge as described, I don't know what to do with them! Do I go around both, treating them as one warp thread, or weave between them like a little tabby weave on the edges? And given the fiber (JaggerSpun Zephyr), with what do I weigh them down to make the tension even with the rest of the warp?
Advice eagerly sought so I can do the next thing!
-heather f.
Hi Heather,
Which scarves from Handwoven? Did the pattern call for 2 floating selvedge threads on each side?
When you add a floating selvedge you need to decide how you want to weave them and then be consistent. I prefer the over/under version. I place my shuttle over the floating selvedge as I enter the shed and make certain I duck under as I exit the shed. If you continue the over/under your selvedges will serve the purpose of giving you a clean edge. There are other ways to accomplish good selvedges without the floating selvedge (I assume you are weaving a twill structure) but since you are all set to use them, I have done the over/under on many scarves and shawls and it makes a nice edge.
Happy weaving,
Claudia
The draft came out of last month's Handwoven, the scarves that are on the front page.
I was just testing the warp and found several errors in the last quarter I tied on. I will have to pull those and redo, which means a bit of impromptu back-to-front learning. I think I got off by one somewhere and it's thrown off the whole last bit. I'm happy that I found it before I started weaving, but am really too tired to deal with it right now. Fixing it will be a weekend project when my eyes are more rested! A black 24epi warp in a 12 epi read is really hard to see.
-heather f.
Hi Heather,
I looked at the article with the scarf you are talking about. The doubled floating selvedges act as one thread. If you wound them on with the rest of the warp, just tie them on the front with the rest of the warp. As you weave, if they seem loose, you can put an S hook around the doubled floating selvedge and slide it over the back beam and down until it hangs directly under the bottom of the warp beam. It will stay there without you having to do anything through the rest of the weaving. If they are still too loose, you can hang weights from the S hook.
If you are adding the floating selvedges after you've beamed the warp, you can wind them around a film canister or pill bottle and hang them off the back of the loom after you've tied them onto the cloth beam. Place coins in the containers until they are the right weight.
I have found a way to keep using floating selvedges from being a nuisance. I fasten a 1/2 inch thick piece of wood, or whatever is handy, on the back beam under the floating selvedges. This puts them at just the right height so I don't have to pay any attention to them when I'm weaving. This works on an Artisat loom. It works better with my Schacht end feed shuttles than it does with my LeClerc boat shuttles, maybe because of the height of the points on the shuttles.
I hope this helps. Good luck with your weaving.
Carie
Thanks much! That helps. I'll post pictures when they are all done.
