I'm setting up for my first all-linen project, four bread cloths in a Swedish Lace draft. I'm using 40/2 linen sett at 30 epi.

Two questions for those who know a lot more about this than I do!

Will plain tabby hems work?  I have noticed when weaving huck, in cotton or wool, that a tabby hem doesn't work - it flares, even if I used sewing thread as the weft.  I have never done Swedish lace - it has a lot more areas of tabby.  So, tabby hems ok?

 

I'm using a Louet David loom, a "sinking Jack" loom.  Do I need to weight the floats, or any of the selvedges?  I have also noticed with huck that there is a lot of lenghwise take-up and on my last project the selvedges were a little wavy.  I don't want wavy or flared ANYTHING!  I've looked through all my books and can't find any rule of thumb for separate weighting.

 

Any and ALL tips would be helpful.

 

Thanks!

Comments

Fri, 04/15/2011 - 23:37

Joanne Hall

If you beamed your warp tightly, like with weights so that it was actually hard to turn the warp beam handle, then you will have a tightly wound warp.  Then you should not have any problems with your selvages.  If you wind the warp on less than this tight, be sure that you put some sticks in the last few rounds of the warp to keep the warp beam a perfect cylinder when you tighten the warp to weave. That will help. 

But if it is not tightly beamed with weights, then be careful not to handle the selvages.  If you pull on them or handle them, they may loosen.  Then you will have problems with your selvages.  Also, if you throw the shuttle quickly, the weft will be pulled snugg up against the selvage warp threads, then you will not find the selvage threads loosen.  But, you will need a temple to be able to get your weft turns snug around the selvage warp threads.

Joanne

Sat, 04/16/2011 - 02:48

stseraphina (not verified)

Hello Joanne, thanks for answering.  I have never heard of winding my warp with weights!  Can you tell me more about this?  I did wind it with a lot of tension, however, as I had a partner helping me.  So it is wound quite tightly and is spread across the warp beam very evenly.  Right now I am threading.

I do always use a temple.


I am making a 4 shaft Swedish lace.  If I weave the hem allowance in tabby will the hems flare out?  Do I need to use a finer weft thread for the hem allowances?  I am weaving with 40/2 half bleach linen.  THANK YOU!

Kristine

 

 

Sat, 04/16/2011 - 11:05

lkautio (not verified)

I use plain weave hems for Swedish lace and other laces without problems as do most people. I've woven a lot of laces and a lot of 40/2 linen. The key to avoiding wavy selvages is to have plain weave going around all four sides.  That keeps the lace from collapsing in and having so much dimensional change weft-wise.  Even a half inch at each selvage will help, and you might go wider (an inch) on a wider piece. The lace will still open, but the selvages stay good. Swedish lace may or may not have more plain weave than any given piece in huck or another lace - just depends on the pattern used. 40/2 linen is great for laces!

Laurie Autio

Sat, 04/16/2011 - 11:21

lkautio (not verified)

You shouldn't need to weight the selvages.  If the pattern threads loosen as you weave (common in laces) you can slip a dowel under the loose threads (put it between the back beam and the warp beam) and then weight it as needed.

Laurie Autio

Sat, 04/16/2011 - 15:49

Joanne Hall

Hi Kristine,

Laurie is the lace expert, so follow her recommendations.  Swedish lace is easier that some other lace weaves, so it should not be a problem. 

To answer about the beaming weights,  one time years ago, two sisters said that they would come over and hold a warp for me.  They do not see each other very often, so they were having a great time together.  They were actually not paying much attention to holding the warp and it was not working as well as I had hoped.  They were just having too good a time together.  So, I said, "It's time for coffee".  When they left, I put the warp bouts on the floor on towels and put heavy weights on top.  I then finished beaming my long warp with the weights.  The weights worked 100% better than the sisters.  This is what I do all the time now.  I describe this in my book, Learning to Warp your Loom.

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Sat, 04/16/2011 - 15:54

Alison (not verified)

Joanne,

That is too funny, and all accomplished with such tact and kindness!

Sun, 04/17/2011 - 05:07

stseraphina (not verified)

Thank you.  I did plan for plain weave at the selvedges - one half inch on each side before the lace blocks begin, and now that you mention it, some plain weave below and above the pattern panel would be nice too.  GREAT IDEA!  Thanks for the encouragement!  This is the first time I've used 40/2 linen.  Do you use a bobbin shuttle or an end feed shuttle? 

 

Kris

Sun, 04/17/2011 - 05:10

stseraphina (not verified)

Thanks for describing how you weight your warp.  That's much better than my method  - I pass the warp chains over the breast beam and back under the loom to where Im sitting at the warp beam.  I pull on them from there, toward the back, and it puts a lot of pressure on the warp, but your method is so much better!  I even have weights.  Thanks,

Sun, 04/17/2011 - 11:15

lkautio (not verified)

Thanks, Joanne!  I have been fascinated with lace weaves for over 20 years and still learning.  While the published 4S drafts for Swedish lace are usually very simple, I find that it is the most complex (and interesting) of the laces to use on more than 4S.  You get patterning options in plain weave, weft floats, warp floats, huck lace texture, Lace Bronson texture, and hybrid huck/LB.  Each of those can be controlled to produce layers of different patterning or integrated into a single pattern. Then add some color or yarn complexity (I like alternating yarns of two different reflectivities but similar hue/value) and it can really head into interesting possibilities.

stseraphina, I use a boat shuttle without difficulty.  Others like an end-delivery (end-feed) shuttle.  If this is your first time weaving linen you may be surprised by the springiness (energy) of the weft.  Watch your selvages carefully for loops. Consistent shuttle handling is key. If it is being difficult make sure your room is humid, spray the warp with water, and/or soak the bobbins in water for an hour before using (they will keep in the fridge a few days but not long).  You don't want to wind  a wet cloth onto the cloth beam and leave it as linen can mildew.  I live in damp New England (very damp at the moment) which helps.

Joanne's weight trick is a good one to remember.  Most of us don't have helpers and when we do, they are often not the most helpful or skilled!

Laurie Autio

Sun, 04/17/2011 - 14:40

Joanne Hall

I live in a dry place, but even here a two ply linen warp weaves just fine.  I don't bother to dampen the warp, but making it a little damp will give you a tighter weave.  You may not need that with a lace weave.

I hold a damp cloth in my hand when I wind my quills.   I let the linen move over the cloth as I wind.  It adds just enough moisture.  Having the weft damp is easy to do and makes the weaving easier.

I use quills rather than bobbins as they are more quiet and they don't create extra drag on the weft like bobbins do.  You can recognize someone who regularly uses plastic bobbins, as they usually let out extra thread from the shuttle before throwing it, usually by adding the extra motion of pulling the shuttle away from the selvage several inches before throwing it, as if they are taking aim from a distance.

Joanne

Sun, 04/17/2011 - 14:43

Joanne Hall

PS  I forgot to say that I use boat shuttles.  And if you experience little loops on the selvages on a narrow warp, you will see them dissapear when you start weaving faster.  Throwing the shuttle faster will eliminate them.  It is not a problem on a wider warp.

Joanne

Sun, 04/17/2011 - 17:51

lkautio (not verified)

I find that the 40/2 linen I use (from Webs usually) is strong and does not need dampening or dressing (I wind my bobbins dry).  20/1 can be more persnickety.  However, first time user is apt to have more issues with linen than someone who is familiar with it.  In addition to shuttle throwing speed shuttle weight can make a difference to the edges.  Have fun - it is not as difficult as it may sound by now :-)

Laurie Autio

Mon, 04/18/2011 - 03:02

stseraphina (not verified)

Thanks for all the great advice.  I all helps.  I usually use a paper quill so soaking the bobbin wouldn't work but I can run the thread over a sponge or wet cloth as I wind. Great idea!  I guess I will try both a boat and EFS just to see which I prefer.  I also am very interested in lace.  BTW, I also "take aim" even when I'm using a bobbin with a quill :-)  I get much nicer selvedges without touching them or fussing at them.

I will get the loom sleyed in the next few days and report back on how it's going.  Thanks to everyone.

KRis