I am still in the researching stage - still saving for my first loom.

Deborah Chandler suggests in her book "Learn To Weave" that one makes an 8" x 8" sample to determine the how the yarns will work. Do you make a small warp for this? Do you use a small hand loom? Or do you just make a separate warp for the sample? What do you do?

Thanks.

Comments

Mon, 06/02/2014 - 01:29

sally orgren

Before I had a table loom, I would do a needle weaving. I think the Chandler book explains what that is.

Now I use a table loom and make a small sample. I also allow extra at the beginning of the actual project warp for further experimentation. Sampling in my book also includes cutting off the sample and washing it.

Sampling is never a waste of time, I always get a better product than I would without sampling, and the samples are great resources for future projects.

When I "outgrow" the samples, they can be made into small items like pincushions, tissue packs, eyeglass cases, coin purses, etc.

Mon, 06/02/2014 - 06:51

laurafry

Depends on what I'm doing.

If it is a completely new-to-me yarn I generally wind a warp 3 yards long and 10" wide (easier to figure out % of shrinkage), weave some plain weave, then some twill and wet finish.  Then I may adjust epi or weave structure or weft colour and weave some more.

If I'm working with a familiar yarn I may just wind an extra bit on my warp to test for weft colour and weave structure.

cheers,

Laura 

Mon, 06/02/2014 - 19:12

Queezle

I usually wind a warp about 8 inches wide, and about 1.5 yards long - or something to give me about 2 feet weaving length.  I then test out different colors and treadling.  Like Laura implied, when I remove the sample I make careful measurements before and after wet finishing, and along with my measurements of the initial warp, I can calculate take-up and shrinkage.

My best projects typically involve making 2 or 3 samples.  I start with an idea, make a sample, and inevitably, weaving off that sample gives me ideas for improvement.  Then if I can muster the self-discipline, I made a second sample to test these new ideas.  I think that for every time I've done this, I improve each round, and my final project is much better. 

In reality, sometimes gift-giving deadlines makes me short circuit the sampling stage, but I am most satisfied intellectually when I fully sample.

All this said, as a beginner you might want to try following some project instructions, e.g. from handwoven magazine.  My very first project was intended to be a dish towel. I didn't want to waste the yarn by sampling, and I knew nothing about my newly acquired yarn (a mixed lot of mill ends).  Though intended to be 15 inches wide, after finishing those dish towels were only 8 inches wide!  I still have them, and when they turn up at the bottom of my stack of dish towels, I get a good laugh.

Mon, 06/02/2014 - 19:07

Erica J

You may also find it useful to try a variety of setts. I also recommend cutting your sample in quarters, zig zag or otherwise secure the edges. Then you can leave one off the loom, one wet finish with minimal aggitation, one with more vigorous aggitation, and chuck one in the wash! Then keep them for reference and consider which sett and wet finishing combinations woukd suit which purposes.