Hello!

I'm having an odd problem tensioning my warp. I'm working with 8/2 cotton, and the warp is 20" across. The loom is a schacht baby wolf.

I warped the loom from front to back. When I tied the warp to the front apron rod it initially seemed like it had completely even tension. I then fine tuned this by weaving a couple inches of tabby before beginning my pattern. Soon after beginning to advance the warp the tension began to change, becoming loosest on the left side and tightest on the right. The change in tension was not so large - it didn't seem to have an adverse effect on the structure of my weave, at least not to the naked eye. I know that it is not perfect though! I wove on it for about a yard, and then convinced that it was causing troubles decided to stop and finish a practice piece. The practice piece turned out fine after a hot water finish. 

I again tied on to the front apron rod, this time adjusting the tension in a slightly different way (I always begin in the middle and work outwards and then revisit to tie the second knot, but this second time I did so without feeling the tension of the warp very much for fear that touching it might have created the original inequality). Again, it started out fine, but as I began to advance the warp the tension began to change. It almost seemed as if the apron rod was bending on the left side? It is just so strange because the tension seems to change in an almost uniform way, getting progressively looser as it goes towards the left. This time, since it hadn't seemed to have any ill effect on my sample, I decided to leave it and weave and see what happened. About a yard and a half in I began to see some bumps in my weft. . . 

 

I'm so confused and can't seem to find this problem addressed anywhere. Help?

Thanks!

Comments

Wed, 09/23/2015 - 20:46

Sara von Tresckow

Could be several things.

It definitely sounds as if you held the warp more tightly on the right side, leading to it being slightly longer on the left - or there was tangling on the right that allowed the warp to wind unevenly on the warp beam. No matter which way you warp, it is helpful to stand as far away from the breast beam as possible to make the spreading of the warp as it rolls on as slight as possible. You need to hold the warp with the same tension in each hand - splitting a 20" warp into two groups as it winds on.

Weaving is an incremental learning experience. Weave this warp until the end - as you have discovered, short pieces less than 2 yd seem to be find. You would notice issues in longer pieces - so make placemats or runners of this and try again, being watchful how it winds on.

You might also consider back to front warping - you wind on first without any additional drag from heddles of reed - and when threading your heddles and reed, you have the warp hopefully evenly tensioned before you start.

Wed, 09/23/2015 - 23:00

Artistry

Hi Emily,

It most likely is as Sara concludes uneven tension as it was warped. However check these easy fixes too:)

do you have your loom completely unfolded? The black knobs all the way down in the grooves to release the loom? sometimes on the ones I own, the knobs  will stick so one side releases down all the way and the other side remains 1 inch higher. 

Do make sure your apron rod isn't caught up in the ratchet, like your instincts tell you :)

good luck and you will learn how to warp with good tension if you keep putting warps on ! It's good method and practice:)

Cathie

Thu, 09/24/2015 - 10:55

sequel (not verified)

Agreeing with everything Cathie said, plus:  If you have an older loom, with the black continuous apron tapes - they may shift if they weren't evenly spread, tensioned and squared up before you tied on.  The same might happen to the rear tapes, or the warp stick or tie-on sticks may be warped.  All of this from personal experience!

Thu, 11/19/2015 - 06:08

Gone

I use a 1/4 - 5/16 metal rod for my apron rod. It won't bend. Not saying that's your problem but you said "it almost seems as if....". Also if I have a continuous apron string I only use the part of the cord that holds the warp. Peggy Osterkamp explains it better than I. http://peggyosterkamp.com/peggys-weaving-tips-special-tricks-tying-apron-rod/

These 2 things plus a good knot should solve any tension issues in the front of the loom.