I am weaving a huck lace shawl with Tencel on a 4 harness floor loom.  The same threads on the right hand selvedge keep breaking close to the fabric.   It is always the same three threads all on harness 1. I thought maybe the heddles were rough so I changed to string heddles.  I thought the weights on the broken threads were too heavy, so I changed those.   I thought there was too much draw in, so I slid the reed over a bit to even it out.  Nothing has helped and it is really frustrating!!!  Cry Any ideas?  Thank you

Comments

Thu, 02/04/2016 - 23:03

sandra.eberhar…

Breaking threads are often the result of tension issues, and too much draw in can cause that.  I'm not sure how sliding the reed over can reduce draw in, usually a temple is used.  How much draw in do you have?   

Fri, 02/05/2016 - 03:16

genieweaves

First of all I have a big white dog who likes to lie on our sofa.  Yes, I thought it was draw in but I don't think it's that much and why would it always be the exact same threads on harness one?  It looks like I have the same amount of draw in on the left and those threads are fine.The threads on the right where they are breaking are a little looser than on the left. Can warp threads which are too loose cause breakage. I don't have a temple.  Thanks so much for you comments

Fri, 02/05/2016 - 14:21

sequel (not verified)

The warps on the right are loose because they are stretched and they break because they are abraded by the reed, both due to draw-in.  Tencel has very low abrasion resistance. 

Gently widen the cloth by holding it to the width in the reed before throwing the shuttle away from the side you are holding.  Leave a larger weft angle than you had before.  Continue this on both sides of the cloth, until you are back to the correct width.  Your fingers create a "temporary temple".   You may need to work closer to the breast beam - many beginners work too close to the reed and cannot make a sufficient weft angle to prevent draw-in.  Pinch the edge of the cloth, not the weft thread!

Once the warp is back to it's complete width, you may want to make a support warp parallel to the outside warps out of polyester sewing thread that matches you warp (it can be removed later).  The poly thread is amazingly strong.  Threaded parallel to you selvedge on a separate heddle and dented with it, you can weight it separately with enough weight to hold the selvedge in position and take some of the abrasion off the Tencel.

Fri, 02/05/2016 - 16:34

genieweaves

Thank you so much.  I will try this.  And invest in some temples.

 

Sat, 02/06/2016 - 02:08

sandra.eberhar…

A substitute for a temple can be made by using a couple of big paperclips opened up and cords and weights.  You hook the paperclip through the selvedge, add a cord and a weight, and hang the cord over the side rail of the loom, or something that runs front to back.  I find a real temple more convenient and effective, but have used this when I needed a temple and didn't have one.