OK ... here's my dilemma.  I bought a used 1975 collapsible unknown brand floor loom last weekend.  I wanted it so I would have a portable loom to take to workshops.  My problem, at this point, is that it has string heddles on it and I'm not certain they are all the same length?

The lady I purchased it from (she bought it new) had not used the loom for 29 years.  She did give me the jig she originally used to make the heddles.  I washed the heddles, then placed an equal number of heddles on the four shafts.  The fourth shaft (it is a 4-shaft loom with four treadles) hangs much lower than the other three.  Is that normal?

Also, if I decide on making new heddles (which I'm leaning towards), is there a certain type of cord that I need to purchase to make the heddles?  I know I found a site somewhere on the internet - before purchasing the loom - that demonstrated how to make the heddles but now I can't find it!  Everything I've found talks about rigid heddle looms or backstrap looms? 

I've seen the texsolve heddles but am uncertain at this time if any of them would be the correct length?  How do I figure that out, please?  That may seem like a silly question but at this point I'm not certain which of the heddles are the right length?

The lady I bought the loom from said the shafts would "even out" as I added warp and spread the existing heddles out?  To be honest, the holes in the existing heddles are so tiny that it is difficult for me to thread them.  Am I just going through a learning curve here or is there a simple way to do this?

My other loom is a compact Gilmore circa 1930's, I believe.  It has metal heddles on it. 

Thanks in advance for any insight anyone can give me here.  God bless.

MerryMac

Comments

Thu, 01/21/2010 - 13:42

Caroline (not verified)

hi MerryMac, do the heddles have a top and bottom bar to hold them in place, and no side pieces? If that is the case, measure half a dozen of your string heddles and average the length out, and that should be the size you need. The cost of using steel or Texsolve heddles is minimal compared with the agony of having to make 400 - 500 heddles yourself. Ready made heddles are probably cheaper than the cord you would need to buy to make them!

If the heddle frame has sides, then that shold be the size heddle you want - they have to fit properly between the top and bottom bar with no sags.

As for one of the harnesses being lower than the rest - you will need to check how they are fastened, its sounds as if it has not been installed properly.

Does your loom have a makers mark on it? If you can identify the manufacturer, you may be able to find a copy of the instruction book that originally came with it, and this would give you the information you need to replace the heddles, as well as the correct way to tie everything up.

Heddles do have small eyes, but not so small that they are impossible to thread, so it sounds as if the hand-made ones have too small an eye to be useful. You do not want the warp yarn catching  on them, and you certainly need to be able to thread them with reasonable comfort.

Good luck, and come back if you have any more questions. If you can, please include photos, because there's probably someone here who will recognise your loom and know exactly what you need to do and how to go about it.

Thu, 01/21/2010 - 15:05

Michael White

Hi, MerryMac, if you go to the top of this page/right side you will find a search section. If you type in "string heddles" you will find lots of information. If you do not put in the quotation marks you will get (string) & (heddle) hits also. Caroline is right, I think your loom is in need of some adjustment. 29 year old string heddles? I would think they would need to be replaced. I have worked on old looms with strings that old and older, they have a habit of breaking at the wrong time. You also need to check the rest of the tie up strings to see what shape they are in. having not been used for so long they get dry rot.

Michael

Fri, 01/22/2010 - 13:42

merrymac (not verified)

Goodness, thought I answered these yesterday but looks like my reply didn't go through?  So will try again.  :)

First of all, thanks to both of you for info/insight into my dilemma.  I've only been weaving for a few years and am still very much a newbie?  Any and all advice/suggestions are welcome. 

Let's see, I'll try to answer the questions in order:

Yes, Caroline, the heddles do have top and bottom bars with no sides to them.  The bottom ones are basically "free hanging" from the top.  In other words, the string heddles have to be on there to hold the bottom heddles in place.  The bottoms of the bars are connected via cord to the treadles.  No side bars.

I believe the cords attached to the treadles are probably not the same length.  I'll need to measure those.  They appear to be old rope of some kind?  They will definitely need to be replaced.  I'm just not sure, at this point, whether I should do that now or wait until after I get the problem with the harnesses fixed?

My loom does not have any makers mark on it.  I did find out, however, that the loom was made by someone in Arkansas?  The lady that bought it did so on the advice of her then textile instructor at a university in Missouri?  She couldn't remember who she bought it from nor the exact area?  She did tell me that it did not come with an instructor book of any type?

The loom can be "collapsed" into one large piece and carried by two people ... two people because of bulkiness when collapsed in that manner?  It is very lightweight.  Or, it can be taken apart into two pieces and pieces carried individually?  It looks like a basic X-frame loom from the side? 

The loom had rather thick acrylic-type yarn warped through some of the heddles when I bought it.  I pulled that out, threw it away (wasn't sure how old it was?), then washed the heddles.  I believe part of the reason the eyes seem so small is because I washed the heddles plus the fact that they (heddles) are so old? 

I want to replace those, definitely, as soon as I can figure out size, etc?  I'd kinda like to try to make my own heddles for several reasons.  One is to learn how to do so?  Second reason is because I'm thinking - to make my learning curve a bit easier - I would like to use different color heddles on different shafts. 

I know that sounds a bit odd ... and, as I far as I know, no one else has done that.  I believe, however, that would make it a bit more stream-lined for me when warping the loom?  I would be able to clearly tell the harness placement by the color of the heddle?  Does that make sense? 

Again, thanks for the help and advice.  Sure do appreciate you all being here.   Love this web site!  :)

God bless.

MerryMac

Fri, 01/22/2010 - 16:46

Michael White

MerryMac, You can make your string heddles out of 5/2 perle cotton, it is strong and comes in lots of colors. You can find perle cotton here on this web site. Here is how to make the strings heddles. The photo and instructions come from, "Weaving With Foot-Power Looms, Edward F. Worst,  1974 republication of the 6th (1924) edition, Dover Pub. NY, NY

The distance between A & D is the size of your heddle (outside). Double this size and add 6 inches. The distance between b & c is 1 inch (inside). Start by folding your string in half, place the close loop at "A" come down below "b" and make a square knot, bring the ends down below "c" and make a other sq. knot. Take the ends down below "d" and make a other sq. knot. You are done. repeat 25 - 50 times before removing from the jig. 


The frame is 12" x 3" x 1 1/2" Dowels are 3/8" x 4" Round the top and sand. Place the dowels starting 1 1/2" from the end.
Have fun . If you have any question contact me or see www.weavolution.com/node/5566 Robin, (rbratek) I belive has made her strings heddles.

Michael
 

 

Fri, 01/22/2010 - 21:56

merrymac (not verified)

All right!  Hot diggity dog!!!  Thanks, Michael.  I believe I have some of the cotton to make the heddles.  :)

I did get a jig with the loom but I'm thinking the measurements are different than what you have described here.  That may well be the problem with the eye sizes of my current heddles.  I will certainly check it out and see what is going on.

(And ... thanks for not laughing at me about wanting the different colors for the different heddles.  Besides helping me out, I have a daughter and granddaughter who have both shown an interest recently in weaving.  I may well end up passing this loom to one of them in the distant future ... or offer it up to them to learn weaving on once they have a place for one?  I figure the different heddle colors will help the learning curve for them also.)

Thanks ... thanks ... thanks. 

God bless.

MerryMac

Sat, 01/23/2010 - 00:12

Michael White

On my wife's 16h Mac I have placed colored electrical tape on the heddles to show what heddle(s) are up when tieing up the treadles. Everyone has their own little tricks. As far as the size of the hole in the heddles, if you think 1 inch is too big. By all means change it to suit what you are weaving. That is just the size from Mr. Worst. Talking about the eye in the heddle. Since I do know know what type of loom you have I will tell you how to figure the placemean of the eye. on a counter march/ counter balance when you run a string from the warp beam (back beam) throught the eye in the heddle, throught the reed  to the cloth beam (front beam) the string should be in the middle of the reed at rest. On a jack loom, the string should touch the bottom of the reed and the eye of the heddle below the level of the bottom of the reed. It can be even or as much as 1 inch below. On the counter b/m when you step on the treadle one string will go to the top on the reed and the other to the bottom, but not always. On a jack the string should go to the top of the reed. You get to play with the hanging postion of your heddle frames to "make it so". If you will let me know where you live I will give you a list of guilds. You can also find a list of guilds here under resources. Have fun enjoy your weaving.

Michael

Merrymac, I have reread your post. I would start by using the jig you have to determine the lenght of your heddles. Then using nails and a board make 8 strings. 4 to hold up the bottom heddle bar and one or two going in the center. Using the information above see if that lenght heddles will work. Also on the top and bottom of the heddle bars there may be a little groove where the heddle hanging strings go. Once you got the lenght then make a "working" jig and have fun tieing all your heddles.

M 

Sat, 01/23/2010 - 11:57

merrymac (not verified)

Hmmmmmm .... I've read and reread your information concerning the placement of the warp string running through the reed.  I'm trying to remember the placement of my string and it seems to me that the string were, indeed, running higher through the reed on the new loom vs. my Gilmore.

I will have to run upstairs to my "loom room" (just had grandsons move everything upstairs for me this past weekend) and see if I am remembering correctly.  If so, then does that mean I have inadvertently purchased a countermarch/balance loom rather than the jack I thought?  The lady told me it was a jack and I took her at her word.  How goofy of me if this is so?  I'll deal with it.  LOL  :)

If this is correct, I may well have more of a learning curve than I thought?  There are two pulley type ropes slung over a rod bar and each pulley has a chain that runs to different harnesses.  For instance, pulley on one side may have one chain going to harness one while other chain on same pulley goes to harness two.  Does that make sense?

I'm being lazy right now and taking my time sipping my coffee waiting for good light to go upstairs.

Oh!  And, as far as where I am located, I am in mid-Missouri.  There is a guild in Arrow Rock, MO, that I was very interested in but have lost the information I received last fall when I was there.  I was hoping to go to their February meeting but haven't a clue as to when it meets?  Any info you may have on weaving guilds would be most appreciated.

Thanks again.  God bless.

MerryMac

Sat, 01/23/2010 - 16:21

Michael White

MerryMac here are the guilds: fiberarts.org/directories/guilds/Missouri If you have a chain going from one frame to the next you have a counter balance loom. One goes up and the other down. The reason the 4 harness is not level it needs the chain moved in the pulley. . back to strings the strings holding up the heddles do not need a eye in them. What I forgot to tell you is that you need a piece of wood(spacer) to fit inside of the heddle bars. Tie a lurks head knot on the bottom bar and bring the two strings to the top bar and tie a clove hitch knot. Also when making the string heddles "BEFORE" you remove them from the jig run a string through the loops to hold them in place. If you have questions on the operation of a counter balance loom post your question on the weave page. There are lots of people using a CB loom.

Michael

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 14:16

merrymac (not verified)

Ah ha!  Thanks, Michael.  I was suspecting it was a CB loom after working with it a bit.  Thanks for the confirmation.

Another learning curve.  Sigh!  But I'm bound and determined to figure it out.  :)

I measured the old string heddles yesterday then put one of the old ones on the jig that came with the loom.  Boy, was it ever off in size!  Shouldn't have been a surprise considering how old they obviously were.  I also discovered the eye holes were less than 1/2" in size! 

Anyways, I then set myself down and made a few new heddles - using the jig provided - to see how that worked.  That task didn't take long as I only made 16 of them for each harness.  I now have them on and some of the problem seems to be easing as far as the way the harnesses hang.  I'm still getting a horrible shed, though.

Before I forget, did I understand you correctly that I do not need eyes on my string heddles since it is a CB?  That would sure ease my dilemma in the 1/2" size eyes!  I can get a thin thread through but shudder at the thought of trying any thicker type yarn?  If I do need the eye, then my dilemma is rather to enlarge the eye at the bottom or top of the existing jig?  Or try to space out both top and bottom? 

I also still need to figure out the correct length for cording running from the bottom of the harnesses to the individual treadles.  The current cording appears to be roping of some sort that has been tied on.  None of the cording is tied on the same length, either.  (Another huge sigh!)

I'm a bit confused (well, actually a lot) about the wood needed to fit inside the heddle bars?  I just can't wrap my brain around that one.  Sorry.  I will check more on info on CB looms.

Thanks for the info on the Missouri guilds.  I sure would like to find more info on the one in Arrow Rock.  :)

Any and all suggestions/ideas are certainly appreciated.  Thanks for taking time for this newbie.  :)

God bless.

MerryMac

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 16:46

Michael White

The wood spacer, is only used to set the space between the heddle bars, it is then removed. You do not need "eyes" on the outside strings holding the heddles together. If very thing is set up correctly you will let a "full" shed when the threadles are pushed all the way down. The yarn should go all the way to the top and bottom of the reed. This is the shed you are looking for. To get it you are going to have to play with the tie up. For more information on counter balance please post to the weaving page and/or send a message to Sara Von Treschow. All the cords going from the heddles to the threadles need to be the same size. A 1/2" eye is a good size on most metal heddles the eye is not that big.

Good luck
Michael

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 17:31

Sara von Tresckow

 If you have a CB loom and shaft frames as described, the heddle length is not an exact requirement. There IS a size of Texsolv heddle that would work happily in your loom They are all the same length and from my experience give 30+ years of service easily. Yes, they cost money - and are well worth it. For  several looms, I now own 12,000+ of them and wouldn't use any other materials.

For information - get yourself a copy of "The Big Book of Weaving" by Laila Lundell - it is a basic weaving text, extremely comprehensive, and covers the setup and maintenance of CB looms (best English language reference out there).

If you do decide to tie your own heddles, PLEASE consider using seine twine - at least a 12/6 weight for durability. It is also known as Swedish or Scandinavian rug warp - a tough non-stretching cabled cotton. Crochet thread or perle cotton will stretch slightly - giving you uneven eyes over time, and heddles that will wear thin rather quickly. How do I know? In 30+ years of weaving, I've made many a repair heddle - the seine twine ones hold as well as Texsolv and can easily be reused, the ones of thinner 5/2 hold only for a project or two.

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 18:11

Michael White

Hi, MerryMac also needs help in the basic tie up. If I was there I could just show her. This long distance help on a cb/cm loom is not my cup of tea. MerryMac pictures would help.

Michael

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 18:42

Sara von Tresckow

 "The Big Book of Weaving" is the key here - there are wonderful illustrations on how to tie up the counterbalance loom.

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 22:21

merrymac (not verified)

Thank you once again, everyone.  Next time I am in the city I will see if I can locate this book.  It sounds as though it would be a good one to add to my growing weaving books.  :)

This loom seems to have taken on a mind of it's own?  I have now removed all the old string heddles, made a few new ones (until I can get to the city and check out the texsolve ones), replaced the cording to the horses (as I've learned those blocks are called I believe?), and replaced the cording from the lamms to the treadles 

Shafts still very uneven ... heading back upstairs to debate some more. 

Thanks again.  Sorry this has gotten to be such a nuicense.  :(

God bless.

MerryMac

Mon, 07/26/2010 - 01:17

onafixedincome (not verified)

To color the heddles, may I suggest hitting Michael's or a kitchen store for some cake decorating food coloring (Wilton)? Mix up a nice deep batch in water, submerse your heddles until they are the color you want, then hang to dry. I believe you'll need vinegar as your mordant..and maybe some heat. I'm not a dyer, you see... LOL! Luck!
Mon, 07/26/2010 - 11:40

claudia (not verified)

I tried that and it doesn't work on Texsolv heddles.  Texsolv is a combination of polyester and silk.  The only thing that works, I have been told, is a Sharpie.  I haven't tried it yet, your post has reminded me to do so today.

Thanks,
Claudia