Migrated Group Comments

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RuTemple (not verified)

I am so happy to see this group! I love the efficiency notes, comments, and little videos you have up on your website, and have contributed to the conversations in other online weaving fora including your own, Laura.

Last December I found an old Glimåkra table loom (the precursor to the Victoria, whose lovely Swedish name does Not transliterate well in English), and after doing some preliminary weaving on it, am re-doing the direct tie-ups to the levers on the castle to be more in accordance with the scanned bits of the how-to flyer that Joanne & Ed Hall were kind enough to send my way along with much-valued advice and encouragement.  Out of this bit of work, I expect to clear a better shed, even across all four shafts.


 

Martha-Weaves (not verified)

 Is there a way to efficiently tie up my new to me Countermarch loom?  I am new to this type of loom and I have to confess it is a real bear to tie up - not impossible to tie up - but it takes forever!  Any hints for faster and possibly more efficient ways of doing this?

SKSchulze (not verified)

 Hooray!  I'm already rejoicing in how good and beautiful and fassssst my weaving will become.  :-)

I'm almost six feet tall so lots of my questions are around staying comfortable (i.e. avoiding pain and cramps) while threading.  And since I'm about to start threading a new warp with 678 ends I'm highly motivated to continue to improve ergonomically.  

In general I've found that I'm more accurate if I'm more ergonomic, so it's like a double dose of goodness.

 

 

Peg in South C… (not verified)

I just saw that there is a group  specifically devoted to CM looms.  You might be interested in posting your question there as well.

berylmoody

I'm dying to learn lots of new tricks here.  Recently I started warping with a rigid paddle and although I'm not good at using it, I love the mixed thread warps.  Also I have a big AVL with sectional beams.  I have my warping techniques pretty well established, but could always use some pointers on how to make things better.  Glad to be part of this group.

Britt-Marie (not verified)

Hi everyone! I too hope to learn a lot, and who knows, I might even be able to share(!). If any one have any good tips on anything from warping to weaving with silk I'd be interested to hear about it. Never worked with silk at all before and right now I'm waiting for some cones of 30/6 silk - the idea is to make some scarfs but we'll see. I have to finish my linen warp first and that one is a project that has taken forever and probably will take even a bit longer - everything that can go wrong has just about done it... Britt-Marie

Orion (not verified)

 I just discovered a great way to keep track of the number of passes when I'm at my warping board.

It's my old fashioned abacus!

I just rest it on the lower pegs near where I start and subsequently reverse direction (thread 1 going up and thread 2 coming down). Now I automatically slide two beads over each time I'm there and never worry about my count. Of course, I use a counting string but this helps me get to 10 threads so much faster!

claudia (not verified)

I usually avoid threading f2b but with my latest warp have no choice.  I am using a big exercise ball to sit on.  My physical therapist likes the body position I get and my butt doesn't get tired.  Also, it is the perfect size for me to be at eye level with the heddles and I can move around with ease.

Claudia, a life long bad back sufferer

claudia (not verified)

Have you checked out Peggy Osterkamp's book?  I can't remember which book it's in, but I'll look it up and let you know.  anyway, I know I saw ideas in there.

Claudia outside DC

claudia (not verified)

Ok, it's the 2nd book.  "Warping Your Loom and Tying On New Warps", she has an entire chapter on countermarche looms.  Good luck.

Claudia

Dustbunnies (not verified)

This is part of the blurb on Woolhouse Tools website about the 20+ accessory.  20+, to put it simply, adds 20 years of weaving to a weaver's life. The device transfers the Kirsten's countermarch tie-up from under the loom to behind the loom. Each column pair in the peg board is for one treadle. Each pair's left side is for the lower lam tie-ups. Each pair's right side is for the upper lam tie-ups. One cord per pair is pegged with a Texsolv straight peg. The unused peg of each pair is parked in an unused cord end loop to stop the unused cord from slipping back through the peg board. I have several friends that have it on their large countermarche looms  and it doesn't have to be a Woolhouse Loom.

laurafry

Welcome!

 

Wow - over 100 members of the group already.  :D

 

I'm not sure how the Forum is different from the Group, but it would be great if people would introduce themselves and share a little bit about what they do and what they would like to learn. 

 

Cheers - and thank you to the Weavolution design team!

 

Laura

ktweaver48 (not verified)

Because I love weaving a lot, I weave a lot, and am always looking for more efficient ways of doing the joyful work.  One of my favorite tips came from one of Peggy Osterkamp's books (beg, borrow, or steal [not]  one or more of them if you really want a treasury of tips).  Warping back-to-front, after you have threaded the heddles, recreate the cross in front of the castle, and you'll have access to the thread-by-thread warp from which to sley the reed.  This has saved countless hours, and certainly, errors of crossing threads between the heddles and the reed. 

I've been weaving for about a dozen years, having started when my daughter joined a fiber 4-H group.  I weave for pleasure and for sale, and am the member of three local guilds in upstate New York.

 

Karen

Sue Pierce (not verified)

Hi i have been weaving for about 12 years I love learning about my craft and of course hints are wonderful the hint I use the most is when I am tieng onto the front beamjwhen doing the final tighting of the knots I will start in the middle of the warp tighten about 3-4 on either side of the center knot thenuse the front brake and tighten it by 1-2 notches.

continue tieing the knots tighting the front brake

doing this keeps the tension the same across the warp without the retieing of knowts

sue

Alaire Rieffel (not verified)

Get a tie-up kit from Vavstuga--the kind that uses texsolv and knitting needles.  It makes tying up a breeze!  Now my biggest tie up problem is getting back up off the floor (arthritis and all...).  Hopefully I can train my grandchildren to do it for me someday.

deb turner (not verified)

Glad to be part of this group - Hi, Laura. We're always learning - I change methods of warping all the time and am always getting better. After 22 years I should hope so. Now I always warp with tension - I hang full large water bootles from S hooks in an overhand knot. 2 for wide warps and 1 for narrow. Periodic "tugging" in 2" groups helps. I also agree that Peggy Osterkamp is a great source for info.

Ludmilla (not verified)

I have been weaving for about 3 years but I am quite adventurous and have done a lot of different types of weaving. However, I work 2 jobs and fit in weaving whenever I can. I have warped btf and sectionally and am always looking for ways to both speed up the process and eliminate errors. I am always learning and am hoping this group can keep me learning new things.

Nancy

fireflytex (not verified)

Perpetual-beginner weaver needs advice on assigning treadles --

I can't figure out how to start a thread, so I'm not sure where this will appear.

I am preparing to weave a 4H pattern requiring only 4 treadles (no tabby needed) on an 8H loom with 10 treadles. It seems easier to reach the treadles in the middle, but perhaps easier to hit the right treadle using the outside ones. What's the best approach?

Deanna (not verified)

When I only need a few of the treadles.  I pick the ones that are where my feet fit the best.  Usually for four treadle patterns, I skip the center two and use the next two on each side off the center ones.  My legs and feet fit there well and it is comfortable for me to weave.

Deanna

Deanna (not verified)

How do you keep the tools that you need to use close to the loom.  I have been thinking of a basket, bucket, a tied roll, or a plastic carrier.  I have looms in several different rooms and I want to have the tools I need by the loom and not floating between places.  I hate to have to stop to go find the needed tool.  I do keep the warping tools with the warping board and they only appear at the loom when needed, but there are several items that are needed repeatedly and I want to have them at the loom in a tidy way.

Also how do you take the tools to a workshop/class?  What do you take, do you have a special device to hold them?

Deanna

Deanna (not verified)

My new tool

Some months ago on weave tech, a weaver found some great paper clips in a japanese office supply store to hold the heddles back  so they don't walk to the weaving heddles.  I have not Japanese office supply close and decided to roam the office stores to find something...I did.  A great paper clip.  It's called "Supaclip" by a company called Rapesco.  I found it in Office Depo.

Its like the bullnose paper holders, but without the handles to open them and it's very small.  I comes with a dispenser to put them on and they just fit the metal heddle rods on my looms.  They are easily put on with the despenser and come off just as easily.  They are reusuable, you just relear the dispenser and put them on again.

I will try to get a picture of the package and the clips in use.  (I need a little direction from my computer helper to get pictures on.)

Deanna

Lodi_Weaver (not verified)

I have a small rolling cart next to my loom.  It has a couple of wire drawers that I use to hold shuttles and bobbins/pirns.  There are also two shelves that I can stack other items on so they are close at hand.

I also have a magnet on the castle that I use to hold pins, scissors, etc. for ease of reach.  I can also use it with a small metal clip I got at the hardware store for holding my draft & notes as I weave.

I haven't really done any workshops so I can't speak so much to that.  I would probably use a small plastic storage tub and just try to organize things in there as best I could.  A cheap plastic tool box or tackle box might work well if you find one large enough to hold shuttles below and the little separated sections for holding your sundries.

laurafry

It's a little bit fiddly to get photos posted - you have to upload an image to the website, then put the file name into the edit box that appears after clicking on the yellow icon with the mountain/sun. You should also re-size the image - as you can see here, I didn't and the photo is too large. :( Cheers, Laura

loomweaver03 (not verified)

I use Lee Valley magnetic paint brush holders

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=1&p=60019&cat=2,42194,40727

They will clip onto a harness to hold scissors or reed hook while threading; or onto my bench to hold scissors, pins, needle for hemstitching,a pen, etc. while weaving. The only draw-back is that they don't open as wide as I'd like, limiting their use to clipping onto narrower things.

Lodi_Weaver (not verified)

Now those are slick!  Great idea!

Cay (not verified)

That sounds quite interesting, I always warp front to back, what loom do you have that an exercise ball is the correct height for?

laurafry

I just posted to the group's Forum because the website said it was too long for posting here.

Cheers,

 

Laura

crosstownshuttler (not verified)

What a great group! Thanks, Laura, for starting it.

I've been weaving for about 25 years as time permitted and my favorite part of weaving is the endless learning. 

I have 2 floor looms in an alcove of my living room so everything must do double duty. I keep a shelf board between the breast beam and beater of each loom as cat-proofing and a place for the bobbin winder, current yarns, sewing machine, etc. My Artisat works very well as a desk and sewing table. Wound bobbins, scissors, tape measure, etc. are on a folding tray table that I put next to whichever loom I'm using. 

Oddly enough, I get more weaving done now in this well organized small space than I did when I had three times as much space.

Alaire Rieffel (not verified)

 

My favorite tool is a blue plastic clamp usually used in hospitals to clamp off iv cords.  They are available retail from Dravon at 1-800-654-1976.  Although they are plastic, I have never known one to break.  They can be pricey in quantity, but sharing a large order is a great thing for a guild to do.  I wish weaving retailers would carry them too.  Believe me, you will want lots of them once you try them!  (I have no relationship with this company except being a devoted customer.)

Essentially they work like scissors, except when you close them around a group of yarn/threads, they stay closed until you release them.  I use them to replace almost all my overhand knots when threading and sleying.  I also use them to clamp onto the texsolv below a treadle to hold the  treadle up so I can adjust the cords.  I

 

 

Alaire Rieffel (not verified)

 

In response to your request to introduce ourselves, I am a 63 year old retired lawyer now working as a lactation consultant and patient care technician at DC's Children's Hospital.  (I  think of it as being a recovering over-achiever!)  My husband and I have lived near Dupont Circle in DC for 35 years.  We have 3 grandchildren and hopefully there will be more to come.  I weave on an 8S Glimakra and a 4S Reed, plus an 8S tabletop Voyageur.  I especially enjoy dyeing my yarn

Currently I am looking for DC area weavers who want to get together in areas accessible to public transportation.  If you know of any, I can be contacted at [email protected].

dorothystewart (not verified)

 Hi there ! I live in the south west of Scotland and have been weaving for about 5 years, since I retired !

I brought a Harrisville loom home from New hampshire and then built it up here in Scotland. My weaving is all self taught and I have learnt a lot from Laura's blog just recently and from the on-line groups.

I have just finished a scarf project using Shetland yarn. I tried Laura's suggestion of basket weave edging with a twill draft instead of floating selvedges. I was very pleased with the result once I learnt to leave it alone and not fiddle ! A couple of questions for Laura if I may ? 

Do you ever use a wider band of basket weave on the selvedge and can this technique be used with any draft, not just twill ?

Looking forward to being part of weavolution and this group

Dorothy

laurafry

You can use as wide a selvedge as you desire. :)

As for other weave structures, I'd do a draw down and make sure that it will work.  On some weaves - Bronson Lace, for instance, a plain weave selvedge works best as it doesn't require any additional shafts.

Cheers,

 

Laura

RuTemple (not verified)

O Help?

What, O dear efficient weavers, is the best way to deal with having counted out (and beamed on) too few threads of warp yarn? I misouncted my supplemental warp and have (*ahem*) over ten necessary threads to warp Somehow.

What's the collective wisdom for whether I should roll off and re-beam with the correct count of warp threads, or add them in with weights over the back beam? It's an 18-foot warp, mostly heddled up at this point.

*blushing* but hopeful...Ru

Sharon (not verified)

It sounds to me as if you are describing a hemostat.  You can buy them on line from www.firemountaingems.com  Just put hemostat in the search.  If purchased in quantity the price per piece goes below $1.50 each. 

   I mainly use them for repair threads--they would solve Ru's problem nicely--because I tension the replacement/repair thread the same as its neighbors and clamp it to about 1/2' worth of warp as close to the warp beam as I can.  I can weave for some time before having to get up to reposition it.

   The clamps grip very, very well having been designed to keep small blood vessels from leaking in a surgical field.

   Sharon

laurafry

I think I would try winding the needed threads into a mini-warp chain that would be tensioned separately and hung off the back beam.  I would thread them 'inside' rather than right at the selvedge just in case you don't get the tension perfect.

Good luck!

Laura

KokoSam (not verified)

Laura thanks for setting this up, great, but what is the difference between here the groups and the forum? and will we need to switch back and forth?

laurafry

I believe that Tien mentioned that it's a 'bug' and they are working on a priority basis to get it fixed.  :)

Cheers,

 

Laura

KokoSam (not verified)

I am in a Muddle ...that's Muddle with a capital M!!!

I hope someone may be able to help me get out of my Muddle efficiently, quickly and without too much pain. ggg  I am about to weave a fine cotton and rayon stripped material for a blouse. It should be about 35" wide and about 60" long, set at 34epi. I have several different merc. cottons and a rayon boucle these are to be in stripes of 8 and 13 ends across the width. Now my problem:  I very stupidly forgot and wound each chain in groups of 100 instead of stripe ends!!! I thread from back to fromt....so you can imagine the mess at to back!!!! I can normally manage to have a muddle at the back of the loom, but this...  A friend suggested winding on from the front I have never done this and with this very fine warp along with the rayon, I'm not sure that this is the warp to learn on!

Any help would be apprecialted Cheers Judy

laurafry

Since I'm not a big fan of front to back warping, I wouldn't go that route anyway, but especially not with a boucle in the mix. 

:(

Do you have enough yarn to wind another warp?  If not, I'd change my mind about what I wanted to do.  :)

 

Sometimes it's just faster and easier to redesign the project than fight with the given situation.  I just had a broken end in a chenille warp and instead of trying to fix it, cut off what I'd woven, rolled the warp forward and am about to start over.  Will only get one scarf off this warp, but I've tried to needle weave chenille before and I am so not into doing that!  :}

Cheers,

 

Laura

KokoSam (not verified)

Hi Laura,

Thanks for your help, no I don't have enough yarn to wind another warp, so I really would prefer to find a way to salvage this one, if I can.  I certainly understand that it is sometimes more cost effective to waste the warp and wind another, except this one has some very special (not to mention expensive) yarns in it.  What if I cut this end of the warp configure them the way I need and then just tie them together? It would probably mean that I would lose the cross, but I should be able to work it out later, and it wouldn't be the first time I have threaded up with out a cross. As I see it - it would also mean unchaining and removing all the chock ties. Does that sound feasible?

Thanks again for your help and I am really pleased to hear that you are regaining your health.  Cheers Judy

 

 

laurafry

Hi Judy,

Since your warp is so short (I'm assuming no longer than 3 yards?) I'd try front to back.  I've heard that you can distribute the threads in the reed where you want them, then thread the heddles, tie the warp together at the back apron/rod and then carefully (very carefully!) beam. 

Let us know how it turns out.  :)

Cheers,

Laura

laurafry

New post on the Forum.

cheers,

Laura

trishSA (not verified)

I second the motion to warp front to back - but I warp that way 90% of the time. Hopefully you have one cross still  on the far end of your warp chain. You can use that one for easy sleying. Just wind carefully when it is time to beam your warp on - make sure there are no tangles in front of the reed and that the threads are moving smoothly through the heddles . Wind on a small amount - then stop and check for tangles.  I think you can be successful and get the warp you want going front to back. Good luck!

Maisyandme (not verified)

Laura,

I'd love to know more about basket weave selvedges. Do you have a resource handy that would give me the lesson that I need?

Thank you,

Avery

laurafry

The number of people who have joined this group is significant, but we seem a little tentative about getting disucssions started?

Feedback?   Suggestions for how we want discussions to happen?  Shall we wait until the group/forum 'bug' is fixed?  Or do we dive in?

Personally I am struggling with way too much stuff and too little space.  My answer for the last couple of years is to try and weave up as much of my stash as possible - on the theory that textiles folded flat and stacked will take up less room than coned/skeined yarns.  :}

Do people want to share pics of their studio/storage answers?  (Personally I really don't want to go public with my mess, but...........)  :^)

Cheers,

Laura

kerstinfroberg

You asked:  Suggestions for how we want discussions to happen?

Well - if you ask me, I vote for doing all the discussions on the group forum. The BIG advantage of doing it on the forum is overwiev: in a forum you can find a thread that looks interesting, whereas (IMO, of course) in this "comment" area, it is near hopeless to see if someone has "commented" on an old topic. Perhaps it is OK now, but in a month's time...

Just my 2p...

Kerstin in Sweden

laurafry

I agree, which is why the Weavolution team are working to get the bug re the groups/forums fixed.  :)

Cheers,

 

Laura

kalama (not verified)

I like warping front to back. I can rearrange stripes or not even worry about   winding the warp in the stripe sequence. Just sley it in the order I like. You do have to be a little more careful beaming, but there is always a trade off.