I know this is a pretty basic question but I have only practice with my weaving teacher with 1 end per dent and 1 end per heddle. Now I am at home with my own loom and reading a pattern to start. The pattern call for 3 ends per dent with 30 ends per inch. Does that mean I string those 3 ends per dent through the same heddle? If not, I am going to need more heddles. I am going to work on a project about 35 inches wide.

Comments

Tue, 11/19/2013 - 16:27

jessiesurber

It will be in 10/2 cotton if that matters.

Tue, 11/19/2013 - 16:53

kerstinfroberg

Generally speaking, ends/heddle has noting to do with ends/dent. In my (Swedish) tradition, if you should thread more than one end/heddle, this is always stated clearly in the weave description.

Tue, 11/19/2013 - 16:56

JacRoyce

Hi

So:

3 ends per dent sets up only the density of the piece. The sett combines answers to two questions, 1) how many warp threads there will be to the inch? and 2) given the number of dents per inch in the reed you're using, how do you spread them out evenly?  

Ends per heddle answers a different question: How do you create the weave structure you want? Under the vast majority of circumstances, you use only one end per heddle, because you want each thread to act independently. If/When you actually want adjacent threads to act as one, then they can share a heddle. 

Hope this helps! Have fun,

Jac

Tue, 11/19/2013 - 17:05

jessiesurber

Thanks that makes sense now. I am going to need to get a lot more heddles. I have about 200 on each shaft. Sounds like I am going to need 1000 per shaft! In that case, would anyone recommend getting texsolv heddles over the wire heddles?

Tue, 11/19/2013 - 17:09

jessiesurber

Unless a pattern says otherwise then it is always 1 end per heddle?

Tue, 11/19/2013 - 17:31

Dena (not verified)

If the project is 30epi and 35" wide, total ends would be 1050.  In a straight draw where that is evenly divided between shafts, it would mean 263 heddles per shaft.  For a different pattern, some shaft will have more heddles than others, but either way, an extra 300 should do the trick for you. 

And yes, unless it specifies more than one thread per heddle, assume it's one in each.

Tue, 11/19/2013 - 17:36

Dena (not verified)

One more thing...I am pretty sure you recently posted about buying a used loom.  If that is right and this is the loom and you are fairly new to weaving, I would strongly recommend choosing a different project.  My suggestion is to get to know your loom better with something narrower and with less ends.  Make sure you've really got the process down and your loom is in working order before investing the time and money in a wide project with lots of ends.  I have had many regrets after putting a large warp on a loom I didn't know well only to realize later that there were problems I didn't anticipate.
Tue, 11/19/2013 - 17:37

jessiesurber

Yeah I just realized I was doing the math wrong! haha. Thanks I am just going to order some extra for now!

Tue, 11/19/2013 - 17:46

Queezle

Starting small at the beginning is a great idea.  It can be discouraging to do something "big" and then not be satisfied.  My first project was planned as dish towels, woven with some mill-end cotton.  I nearly cried when my 12-inch width shrunk to about 7 inches.  I still have, and use, that silly skinny towel, and the second one, where I threaded more ends/inch.  Although part of my brain hates sampling (all that wasted yarn!?!), I always learn so much from each sample, and my final project ends up much better.  This is even true when I follow project instructions from a magazine or book.

Tue, 11/19/2013 - 18:55

Sara von Tresckow

It is quite common to use one thread per heddle and multiple threads per dent in the reed. For this reason, it is sometimes easier to think things through winding the warp first on the beam under tension and then proceeding to thread the heddles.

Next sley the reed, grouping those threads, in proper order, into the reed. If you try going the other way - putting three threads in a dent and then figuring out which to put in each of 3 heddles, you are asking for trouble.

Tue, 11/19/2013 - 20:56

La La

That is so funny, it must be a common problem, because the dishtowels I started also shrunk from 12 inches to about 7 inches... That project has changed into a scarf.... I will try again...
Tue, 11/19/2013 - 21:42

JacRoyce

Use the warping method that you are most comfortable with and/or is most appropriate to your loom. Warping front-to-back is not "asking for trouble" unless you don't know how to do it. I use multiple threads per dent all the time.

Tue, 11/19/2013 - 22:00

jessiesurber

Wow that is a lot of shrinkage. I was a planning on 10%. I am starting on a smaller project first. I am doing tea towels which will be a mini verison of the bigger project I plan to do so I can practice.

I have been taught to warp from front to back, until I get comfortable and think doing it the other way would confuse me! I plan on putting up pictures when I get started!

I went ahead a bought 500 heddles. So that will give me a total of 1195 heddles. I hope that is enough. I thought I had 800 but after counting I only have 695.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

Fri, 11/22/2013 - 15:08

sally orgren

If you have a 15 dent reed, that would be 3 per dent—no problem. 

But if you have a different increment reed, you will need to refigure your denting to come out at 30 epi.

Wishing you success! And I agree with all, start small with a new-to-you loom. (I also prefer to use a dark warp for a first warp, in case there are rust, grime, or oil issues with the loom hardware that may come off on the warp.)

Fri, 11/22/2013 - 19:39

ReedGuy

Sally, I know you made a typo there. A 15 dent reed will come out to 45 epi if threaded 3 per dent. Drop down to 2 ends. ;)

If your piece is cotton, I would count on 20%. There is the take-up of the weaving process due to the undulations of warp and weft, before the shrinkage itself from wet finishing.

Sat, 11/23/2013 - 04:36

sally orgren

Thanks ReedGuy! 

You are right, 2 per dent in a 15 = 30 epi.

So to achieve 30 epi with 3 per dent, means using a 10 dent reed.

(Must have been the elevation! Guess I can't do math at 7,000 feet when I am not used to it.)

Sat, 11/23/2013 - 05:19

jessiesurber

I have a 10 dent reed. I am planning on 3 ends per dent so 30 ends per inch. The pattern calls for 28 ppi so I am hoping to achieve this. I don't know if I will have to beat hard to achieve this.

Sat, 11/23/2013 - 05:36

ReedGuy

If there is some patterning to the weave then you'll notice soon whether it's working out by how square it is. If it's suppose to be square that is, like a box, a star shape, a diamond shape, etc. If it's elongated than the sett is either too high (epi) or the beat is too light. Now with that in mind, your not normally using a hard beat unless it's a rug, heavy wool blanket (may require a couple beats) or a tweed for upholstery fabric.

Sun, 11/24/2013 - 01:37

sally orgren

That way, if the sett is off, you can resley as needed, and still have enough to finish your project. Cutting off a bit at the front and washing it (finishing) will give you an excellent idea if everything is going to turn out as planned!

Sat, 12/14/2013 - 20:18

Michael White

If you are using cotton you can figure (ballpark) 20% for the width and 10% for the lenght using plain weave. Now if you are doing a twill you may get a little more shrinkage because you are packing more yarn in. This is for unmercerized cotton now if you are using mercerized cotton.....silk, wool, linen sample.

Michael

Georgia Yarn Company

Sat, 12/14/2013 - 20:35

ReedGuy

Sometimes more than one end goes in a heddle if it's a Pique or Cord weave, for padding, when the warp is all the same yarn. Creates a structural 3D effect.