I'm in a real bind.  I've threaded my RH with 2 heddles for the first time.  All one color warp (white).  Need to have it ready for a demo tomorrow, and I AM STYMIED!!

I have used both Betty Davenport's book and the Schacht manual, and I'm positive the heddles are threaded correctly (3 threads in each slot, if a thread goes through a hole in 1 heddle, it goes through a slot in the other).  All I want to do is plain weave.  

Here's what the Schact manual says..."To weave plain weave, just hold the heddles together and weave in the up and down positions as usual. You’ll hardly know the difference between using one vs. two heddles."

THIS ISN'T WORKING FOR ME.  When I hold both heddles in the up position, I have two threads up, and ditto in the down position, but they weave like basket weave, not plain weave.  That is the two up threads are right next to each other and the two down threads are right next to each other.  So it's 2 up and 2 down, not 1 up and 1 down, which I want.

WHAT AM I MISSING?  

I'm sorry I waited till the last minute - but I've been messing with this since early afternoon, and just can't figure it out.  I've looked for a youtube video, thinking that would be the easiest for me to learn from, and could only find one for doubleweave with 2 heddles, so they're not trying to do 1 up 1 down.

Comments

Fri, 12/02/2011 - 00:25

endorph

Jane Patrick's book "The weaver's idea book" or her video from Interweave press - I found it the easiest to follow for setting up for plain weave with 2 heddles. I direct warp so heddle two is threaded first with one thread in a hole (starting with the hole on the right of the first slot with threads in it) and three in every slot. Then for the front heddle the hole thread goes in the slot to the right along with one of the slot threads, another of the slot threads goes into the hole in the front heddle then the fourth thread in the next slot in the front heddle. If threaded right, except for the firt slot which will have two threads in it , you will have one thread in each hole of the front heddle and three threads in the slots. Be careful not to twist the threads. If everything is threaded right both heddles up then both heddles down should do a plain weave. Don't know if any of this helps or not. Good luck
Fri, 12/02/2011 - 00:49

Peg.Cherre (not verified)

or video but I'm absolutely positive the first heddle is threaded correctly.  I've threaded the 2nd heddle several times, taking care each time, and having the same result each time.

Here's the process. We'll call 1st heddle H1 and 2nd heddle H2.

Take thread in hole #32 on H1 and put it in slot to left of that on H2.  Take 1 thread from slot left of hole #32 on H1 and put it in hole #32 on H2.  Take remaining two threads from slot left of hole #32 on H1 and put them in same slot on H2.

What am I doing wrong?

Fri, 12/02/2011 - 01:13

Peg.Cherre (not verified)

more carefully, and am re-threading H2 again.  I'm also trying to download Jane's ebook.

 

Fri, 12/02/2011 - 02:18

endorph

I usually go from back to front but. . . Working from right to left - take thread in hole #32 on H1 into slot to right on H2. Take one thread from slot to left on H1 and put into same slot on H2 as the hole thread from H1 - Take one of the remaining slot threads through hole #32 on H2 and the last thread from H1 to the slot to the left of hole #32 on H2 - So from each hole and slot on H1 the hole thread and one slot thread goes into the slot to the right of the H1 hole on H2, one thread from slot goes into the next hole on H2 and the last slot thread from H1 into the next slot to left on H2 - look at the illustration on pg 67 of Davenport's Textures and Patterns for the RH for 200% density and double weave. There's a similar illustration on pg. 99 of her Handson Rigid Heddle book.
Fri, 12/02/2011 - 02:23

Peg.Cherre (not verified)

but it should be the same process.  

I followed your original directions carefully, and have made progress, of a sort.

Now I have 1 up & 2 down, or 1 down & 2 up, instead of 2 & 2.  But still not 1 & 1.

I don't have Davenport's Texastures book, but have been using the Hands On Rigid Heddle book.  I've looked at the diagrams, but I have to say I find them not all that helpful.  The text was moderately helpful.

Patrick's book is apparently only available in hard copy, and her short video isn't about using 2 heddles.  

I did view the youtube video on doubleweave on an RH, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M77ApTPhEqc, and although the picture is quite out of focus when she's demonstrating plain weave, it looks to me like she has 1 red & 1 blue together up, 1 red & 1 blue together down, each time...like she's doing 2 up & 2 down and calling it plain weave.

Fri, 12/02/2011 - 03:18

endorph

has a long video that accompanies her book that cover a little bit of everything rigid heddle including using two heddles - its about a couple of hours long. I just finished a chenille scarf that I used two heddles on to get 16epi. It was woven in plain weave - when both heddles are up you should have a thread in every slot and hole and then the same when both heddles are down. To check that everything is right put the heddles in up position and slide a pick-up stick between the shed behind the heddles - you should have half of your warp up and half down - if you don't then something is wrong with the threading on the warp and you may need to start over - carefully take the warp out of the front heddle and try again - back to front - the hole thread from the back heddle goes into the slot to the right in the front heddle. 1 thread from the slot in the back heddle goes into the same slot as the hole thread. One slot thread goes into the hole to the left in the front heddle, the the last slot thread from the back heddle goes into the sllot to the left. Work right to left. Once everything is warped you should have two threads in the first slot to the right in the front heddle. one thread in each hole and three threads in all the slots until the last slot which will only have one thread in it. Its so hard to try and explain without visuals! Good luck
Fri, 12/02/2011 - 03:26

Peg.Cherre (not verified)

for all your encouragement, Endorph.  There's no way I can see a 2 hr. video - my internet speed isn't particularly fast.  I will try to rethread again - but not tonight.  I have to go to bed.  It should be so straightforward, I'm sure I'm making it harder than it needs to be.

I'm also confused because I'm working with pearl cotton, but it's REALLY sticky - I have to manually play with every single shed.  This is so not worth it.  

I will sleep on it, but I may end up just cutting the whole warp off and doing something completely different for tomorrow - time is of the essence.

Fri, 12/02/2011 - 03:43

Peg.Cherre (not verified)

Before I put on my jammies I just had to try your suggestion with the pickup stick behind the heddle thing, and lo & behold, everything is fine.  I get a good 1up, 1 down shed with heddle both up & down.  (It still requires fiddling with the warp thread every time though.)  So clearly I'm threaded correctly.  

So I guess the question is...am I willing to screw with the warp threads for every single shed?  Is this worth it to me?  I know it's not because my warp threads aren't under enough tension - they are TIGHT!  And quite consistent.

If I made string doups (which I've never done), would it help clear my sheds for me?  Do I want to try ONE MORE THING I'VE NEVER DONE right now, when I'm on the spot for time?  I don't think so.

Now I'll have to go to sleep & really think on this whole problem.

Fri, 12/02/2011 - 04:20

Karren K. Brito

I agree that the clearest diagrams are Jane Patrick's.  The other idea that me helped is this:  I think in a 4 thread unit that is repeatable. To work as 4 independent ends each must have a unique path thru the 2 RH; if two threads have the same path they will weave the same  and look more like basketweave or just a doubled end.  In the first heddle thread1 in the eye and 3 threads go thru the slot. Line the two RH's up so that the eyes and slots align. The 1end in the eye of the 1st RH now goes thru a slot in the other RH, and lets say I chose the slot to the right of the eye. Now I have to move always to the right in the 2nd RH to avoid crossing threads. Now 1 of the 3 ends that went thru the slot in the 1st RH can go thru the eye of the 2nd RH.  There are now 2 ends left that go thru the slot in the 1st RH, they both go thru slots in the 2nd RH but they have to be different slots, one to each side of the eye you have threaded on the 2nd RH. To check:  1st RH-you will have 3 ends in a slot, one end in and eye; just using one eye and one slot.  2nd RH-one end in a slot, one end in the next eye and then 2 ends in the next slot. You will have threaded 2 slots (one slot will be to the right of the slot in the 1st RH) and one eye in the 2nd RH.

Repeat. When you do the second unit of 4 threads one end will be added to the slot that already has 2 threads.  Most slots on the 2nd RH will have 3 ends; the first threaded slot on  this RH will have one end and the last slot will have only two ends, all others should have 3 ends.

Fri, 12/02/2011 - 05:13

Peg.Cherre (not verified)

I stayed up another hour.  I reestablished the cross, and unthreaded both heddles, and rethreaded making sure that I kept the threads in the correct order from the cross.  Tied on to the front apron, and my threading is correct, but still sticky warp.  

Now I'm REALLY going to bed and will decide in the morning if I'm going to cut the whole thing off and do something completely different.

Fri, 12/02/2011 - 14:32

Peg.Cherre (not verified)

Ok, this morning I tried last night's midnight handiwork regarding re-threading the loom, and IT'S TOTALLY WORKING!

Thanks so much for all your encouragement.  It'll never be a mystery again.

Fri, 12/02/2011 - 14:38

endorph

So glad you got it worked out. I will say on the chenille scarf I just finished I occasionally had sticky warps that I had to look out for - with such a dense warp it is sometimes hard to see when a thread is out of place - thank goodness I am getting proficient an unweaving!

Tina