I've just uploaded a new video clip showing me beaming a 9 meter long place mat warp using a warping valet. For anyone interested, best to follow the link from my blog.  You Tube seems to have changed things and the clip wasn't showing on my channel listings.  The link is too long to paste here so you can go to my blog at http://laurasloom.blog.com and click on the link there.

cheers,

Laura

Comments

Sun, 04/15/2012 - 03:24

laurafry

Oops - my bad - did that before dinner....guess I had my mind on my meal!  :^)

cheers,

Laura

Sun, 04/15/2012 - 18:55

Erica

That is quit possible one of the coolest things I have ever seen! I now have to show that to Oliver so he can install one in the new house! :)

Thanks for sharing Laura!

Cheers,

Erica

Sun, 04/15/2012 - 21:56

michelegirard (not verified)

It is very informative.  I have a 15 foot high ceiling over my loom and a ceiling fan hanging, I'm not sure how I would manage to install a valet.  

You used a reed as a raddle, did you sley it exactly the same as what you will do after you're done threading the heddles?

Sun, 04/15/2012 - 22:29

laurafry

You can mount a trapeze (as Kati Meek calls them) directly to your loom rather than hang a bar from the ceiling. 

In this case I did not use the same reed for rough sleying as for weaving.  I used a 5 dent reed with 4 ends per dent to beam; for weaving I'm using a 10 dent reed with two ends per dent.

cheers,

Laura

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 06:57

Erica

Laura,

When you have wide warps, such as 30+ inches, how many weights would you use? I guess my real question is what is the maximum width you put in one weighted section.

Also does this method work well for table looms or are they too light?

Cheers,

Erica

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 13:21

Artistry

Great video Laura! I can't wait to try this on my next project. I'm interested in Erica's question too, of the maximum width per weight. Thanks.
Mon, 04/16/2012 - 14:13

tommye scanlin

Cathie, 

I've used my Brennan-style plumbing pipe loom as a make-shift warping valet in the past.  I may have posted about that on my blog... can't remember.  Anyway, I put the tapestry loom in front of the loom and proceeded as Laura shows in her video.  The top beam of the tapestry loom wasn't as tall as the ceiling installed bar that Laura has in place but was tall enough to work.  I was amazed at how easy it was, in fact!

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 14:30

kerstinfroberg

It will not work for table looms, unless they are very heavy. What *may* work for a table loom is to rout the warp over the breast beam, down to the floor. Perhaps it will have to be clamped to the table - and perhaps it could be placed on a higher table to give some more length before shifting the weights.

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 15:24

Artistry

What a great idea Tommye! I can get the baby wolf right up close to the Gobelin so it should work beautifully, thanks. The AVL however will definately need the ceiling where it sits!
Mon, 04/16/2012 - 15:26

paulz

Hi Laura, that was wonderful. Only thing is my front to back weaving hasn't been done that way (probably because I'm self taught). Have you got a clip of the stage before the one you showed to see how you got there. I haven't used the bars to sort out the warp but will need to when I assemble my new loom.

Many thanks

Paul

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 16:16

laurafry

Hi Erica,

I usually put no more than 15" worth of warp in a warp chain.  That's the maximum I can wind on my warping board, and it seems to be a good size of warp chain.  So for a 30 inch wide warp I would wind two warp chains and have a weight for each.  I use gallon fabric softener jubs with about half a gallon of water for weight but some people prefer sand, or even weights from a free weight system.  :)  

The big thing is to have each chain weighted the same amoutn.

cheers,

Laura

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 16:17

laurafry

I've actually used the back cross member as a make shift valet (if you have the type of AVL with a high back cross beam).

cheers,

Laura

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 16:18

laurafry

Hi Paul, I'm not beaming front to back, but back to front.  I beam the warp first, using the reed as a raddle, and then once the warp is beamed I thread the heddles, sley the reed and tie on.

Someone asked if they could use a raddle attached to the back beam instead of a reed in the beater - the answer is yes.

cheers,

Laura

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 16:45

TinaHilton (not verified)

Great video Laura.  I thought I understood how to use a warping valet, but loved how you finished it.  When the warp got to the valet rod/beam, I would just do the rest of it by hand (yanking every so often or adding the weight below the beam on the loom).  I didn't like either of those very much but never thought about adding a long cord to continue using the valet like you do. 

I also like your idea of using masking tape on the lease sticks during beaming.  I always try tying them together with scrap yarn, shoe laces, or pipe cleaners, but it was always a bother to get them untied.  I'll try the masking tape next time.

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 22:05

laurafry

Someone wanted more details on the warping valet - how it was attached to the ceiling - and the bamboo blinds I use.  Just posted to my blog

http://laurasloom.blogspot.com

cheers,

Laura

Wed, 05/23/2012 - 01:45

saffrondyeworks (not verified)

Wow! just watched your video and that is extremely cool. Very impressive. I really want to try this. Thanks for posting. :)

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