Hi! I am a beginning weaver in Canberra, Australia. I've taken several weaving courses and just purchased a Mighty Wolf loom. In the middle of warping it for the first time, I had a new problem with my vision which prompts me to ask any of those out there for tips and tricks for the visually impaired. I have kerataconus, which is a congenital deformity of the cornea. I have grafts in both eyes but I am reaching the age where I am developing cataracts. I have blurred and double vision and one eye is corrected (with contact lenses; glasses don't work) for reading and the other for driving, so distances are important. Until and unless I can get surgery for cataracts, I need assistance in doing things like seeing the heddles well enough with limited depth perception to thread in proper order, etc. I've heard some things about using nail polish to identify which shaft heddles are on and other tips. Anything that anyone knows about to help me find my way around this beautiful new loom would be of great interest and help. I'd love to hear how other weavers with vision problems cope. I think I'll be staying away form fine yarns for a while!

 

Carol

Comments

Fri, 04/05/2013 - 04:17

sarahnopp (not verified)

Does a magnifier help at all? My husband has a really nice full spectrum light with built in magnifier that helps him to see into the innards of computers, for his work. I have thought about getting one for weaving too. Also, do you think hanging a sheet of paper or cloth behind the heddles, something to contrast light/dark, would work? I assume since it is a Mighty Wolf that it has metal heddles? I assume those are easier to thread, but maybe I am wrong. Have you tried other kinds of heddles?

Fri, 04/05/2013 - 06:23

louiseinoz

Hi Swanknitter When I'm not weaving I'm an optometrist and have worked in a low vision clinic for a very long time. If your contact lenses are set for reading, usually about 40 cm, and for long distance, then you don't actually have any correction at around 55 cm where your heddles probably are. Not only that having one eye corrected for distance and one for near doesn't help your depth perception either, even though it probably works well for lots of every day tasks. It should be possible to make you a pair of weaving/threading glasses to wear over your contact lenses, designed to give you a longer working distance in the the reading eye and a shorter working distance in the distance eye. Measure the distance from the outer corner of your eye to the middle of the heddles and take the measurement with you when you go to see your optometrist. Anything you can do to make the task brighter - really good lighting and close to where you're working - and bolder - I wonder if inserted eye heddles would be easier to see than Texolv, if they will fit on your loom, will also help That said, I seem to be getting much better at threading by feel without a threading hook If you need any more information, send me a message, I'm in Melbourne, so not as far away as you might expect
Fri, 04/05/2013 - 08:42

Yvonne K

I went back to my optometrist when I got a sixteen shaft loom and improved my glasses but I still need extra strategies to help me thread with accuracy. I have labelled each shaft with its number on a few places along each heddle bar. I use one hand to hold the shaft that I need. I hold the shaft forward a little to make the heddles on that shaft more visible and use my other hand to move one heddle from that shaft into my threading zone. I then hold the next shaft and place the next heddle. I usually line up three or four heddles, then thread that little sequence.
Sat, 04/06/2013 - 02:47

Swanknitter (not verified)

Thanks for those ideas. I had a special pair of glasses for computer work when I did that full time so I should investigate a special pair for weaving. I have reading glasses I wear over the contacts  but they are for closer distances than the heddles.

I've heard of putting a contrasting background up and had forgotten it. I will try that. I have a bright LED clip on lamp that lights up the area but I don't have a magnifier (yet).

I have insterted eye heddles which have nice big eyes. I'm glad I didn't choose Texsolv.

Keep those ideas coming! I need all the help I can get!

Carol

Sat, 04/06/2013 - 03:31

Sara von Tresckow

Don't rule out Texsolv heddles - they can easily be threaded by touch - identify the shaft, locate the flexible eye and support the threading hook on your finger - I hardly look when threading mine.

A good reed hook will also help. We sell a German made reed hook that is constructed like a paring knive with a deep slot in the blade. When the blade is inserted into the reed, the threads are put into the slot without looking - just run the threads until they drop into the slot and pull forward. Have never had them slip off.

Much of weaving can be done by either sight OR touch - each weaver needs to try methods that offer ease of use when warping the loom or weaving.  The fact that there are many weaving workshops serving vision impaired weavers should give you some positive inspiration.

Sun, 04/07/2013 - 02:24

Swanknitter (not verified)

I'm in Australia, so I'm pretty isolated. Those workshops might have handouts if you can share where you saw them.