I could use a little help thinking this through. I am a production weaver and just came up with a new plaited twill shawl that I have added to my line that is selling like hot cakes. I am using the draft from Strickler's eight shaft pattern book, p.101 #360. I weave very fast and have gotten it down to a great rhythm, but the fact that my right leg is responsible for eight treadles and I am stretching it so far is causing me knee problems. It doesn't make sense, from a production point of view, to change the tie ups (plus, it would make me NUTTY).
While I am lusting after a dobby, and I did spend plenty of time yesterday searching for one, unless the perfect one comes to me soon and at a great price, it's not a realistic possibility.
I have been looking more carefully at the plaited twills and was thinking of trying one that is a double 2-tie structure, but it seems to me that it would create a fabric that may not have the sensational drape that the others do. Has anyone explored this? I will do some sampling, but I find that until I weave something in it's entirety, it's hard to get a real sense of what the drape will do and my next craft show is coming up quickly.
Thanks!