Looking for any info on how to prepare a warp for a fine (60/2) silk weave. I only have experience in cotton and rug weaving, hoping to make a small sampler in silk.

Comments

Fri, 07/17/2015 - 17:59

MMs-and-OOs-Ha…

You could look at my mentor's web page, Lillian Whipple, to get an idea of how she handles her fine silk warps, http://ca.astound.net/~whipplelg/. Lillian has equipment we both had at one time. I have done sectional beam warps with a 1" sectional with up to 72 epi because that is the size of my creel. If you can get a nice even warp on your loom then you will have success with silk. In super dry climates you might have a problem with static electricity. 

Fri, 07/17/2015 - 19:05

Alison (not verified)

There are some Handwoven articles on weaving with fine silk.  Sorry I don't have specific references.  At least one of those was written by lovely Lillian.  I have warped and woven 120/2 silk.  For the warp I used a sectional beam and a warping wheel (AVL).  I put the silk skein on a swift.  The result was very even tension and not a single broken thread.  I did have issues with static and used Static Guard.  After each spray, I waited for it to dry.

 

Mon, 07/20/2015 - 08:20

Woodburner

I found this thread, looking for information about fine weaving.
I need to do some very fine weaving one day, to show just how fine the Anglo-Saxons could weave (100epi in linen!). (I'm not sure I can get any linen fine enough actually! The finest I have barely gives 100wpi never mind a sett of 100epi!) But I digress; both in that link (very useful, thanks), and on you tube videos of preparing a warp for saris, I notice the lack of warp sticks. How do the threads not bed into the previous layer?

Mon, 07/20/2015 - 15:29

MMs-and-OOs-Ha…

You do not need warp sticks or packing to get a good warp. If your warp beam is slotted and you use flanges and your warp is on tightly it will not cut down to the lower layer. Also raddles can pivot. If you have a helper you can pivot the raddle slightly and that overlaps the layer below. You can also make a pivoting raddle. A larger diameter warp beam also distributes the tension more evenly - less layers.

Mon, 07/20/2015 - 23:33

Sara von Tresckow

When considering recreating fabrics from periods where warp weighted looms were the norm, note that the warp density to picks per unit was so methin like two to one. Linen warp at 100 epi workedwith about 50 ppi.