I am new to weaving, and have a Leclerc counterbalance loom. Are there any special tips or rules to follow when reading drafts? I think most are designed for jack looms that have a rising shed. If the draft has harness 1 going up, does that mean I need to move 2, 3 and 4 down on my counterbalance loom? Or will the pattern just develop on the underside of the weave as I go? For my first sampler, I depressed 2, 3 and 4 when it said 1 should be up, and it was tricky to remember and work. Maybe there is an alternate tie up method?

BTW, weaving is awesome!!

Comments

Sat, 03/10/2012 - 19:04

Anja (not verified)

Hello SKessel!

In the drafts, that I have seen by now, the lifting of the warp is marked (e.g. by a cross). When pushing down a treadle of a counterbalance loom, you bring the connected shafts and their warp threads DOWN, so this is just the opposite and therefore, the pattern will develop on the underside of the weaving.

In order to avoid this, you can tie up the unmarked fields of the draft, not the marked ones.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 01:09

Sue Kessel

Thank you Anja. I'll give that a try. Just finished warping my loom and was hoping someone had offered their advice before I started weaving. It seems like a very logical and easy solution.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 09:27

Anja (not verified)

Don't forget to show us some pics of your weaving! :-)

(btw: there is a german weaver's group here in weavolution that you could join... as far as I interpret your username right)

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 01:27

Sue Kessel

Here is the project. I tied the treadles to the opposite harnesses in the draft, and it worked! The pattern shows on top. Thank you Anja. I'm not thrilled with my yarn choice, but that is okay. I'm still learning.

(You are right with the German name, it is my husband's name.)

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 02:06

Joanne Hall

I am glad that the weave and tie-up worked for you. 

Remember when reading traditional European weaving drafts and drafts from older American books, that the mark in the tie-up draft means that the thread will be down and the weft will cover it.  In Handwoven magazine and some new books, you need to read the introductory information they hopefully supply, as they intend for you to translate the mark as a thread that goes up and will then result in the warp showing.  Part of the reason for this change is the popularity of computer operated looms.  With so many shafts, numbers are now put into drafts.  And most computer operated looms are jack looms, so the numbers in the tie-up draft indicate that the warp thread will rise.

Joanne

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 09:01

kerstinfroberg

many *old* European drafts show "warp up" - as do many (all?) "industrial" drafts... So the trick becomes: use either pen and paper or some computer software, enter the first few picks - then you can see for yourself which convention is used.

Tue, 03/13/2012 - 23:38

Sue Kessel

Kerstin, you answered the question I was going to have for Joanne. In knitting, I can make up a small swatch to figure out patterns. Warping a loom just to test a pattern is no easy task! Experience will help, of course, but the computer software will be a good aid in the meantime. I also saw in a book to wrap the warp around a book and thread the weft in pattern through to see how the pattern and yarns work together.

A quick question for all - what would be a good first purchase of yarn to start my weaving stash? Black and white warp yarn (3/2 or 8/2 or ?), and what else? What would be good weft to have on hand? I have knitting yarn that could be used for weft, but not sure about size comparisons to weaving measurements.

Wed, 03/14/2012 - 02:27

Sara von Tresckow

Rather that starting a "stash", in weaving you will tend to pick yarn for each project based on the look and feel of the result. The leftovers from those will form your stash naturally.

Wed, 03/14/2012 - 10:40

Ellen (not verified)

What sort of yarn you should get for a "stash" depends on what sort of weaving you would like to do! Fine or thick quality, cotton or wool, silk or tencel. There are so many possibilities that it is impossible to give advice.

Sat, 03/17/2012 - 14:38

Sue Kessel

Thank you everyone for the great information. You are right, my stash will build itself naturally. You all have been so welcoming. Fiber arts folks are the best!