Under Tension

 

Warping Valet

First thing this morning I logged onto Facebook and immediately saw two posts by two 'new' weavers, each one complaining about nasty, snarled, tangled warps.

I didn't read the answers being given.  Each person was giving their best answer - and most of them had pearls of wisdom in them.

However.

However.

If you don't address the reason those snarls and tangles developed, it will be hard to get rid of them appearing.

Usually it is some sort of 'tension' issue.  Where and how it happened will depend because if the warp isn't controlled in some way, which can be easily done by the application of the appropriate amount of tension, problems will appear.

So, the where/when question.  It is a lot more difficult to diagnose the issues when you have little experience.  

Problems can be introduced right from the warp winding, and at several points along the process.

Generally I suggest that people wind 2 warp ends at a time.  I put my index finger between the two threads to discourage them from trying to twist around each other.  Some people say it doesn't matter.  Try it, see which way 'works' for you.

I try to wind under light tension, keeping the threads pushed as far to the base of the peg as I can.  I don't lay them over the previous ends, but lay them parallel, and after a few passes push that bundle towards the peg.  There should be enough tension that the threads do not sag between pegs.  There should NOT be so much tension that the pegs bend inwards.  You are building tension issues in as you wind if you let that happen.

I use a counting string, and bundle each 1" (see other posts* on warp winding for more info) and tie the cross in 4 (the arms of the X) places.  By tieing the cross like that, the cross is very quick and easy to find to insert the lease sticks.  Once the lease sticks are securely holding the cross, untie the 4 arms of the cross so that the threads can move freely to fill the raddle or rough sley the reed to establish the width in the reed during weaving.  No, I don't wind a chain for every inch.  If the warp is less than 15" in the reed and I'm using Brassard's 2/8 cotton, I will wind the entire chain at once.  If it is more than 15" in the reed, I will wind two chains, 8" worth.

Before I remove the warp from the warping board, I tie the cross, then a secure 'choke' tie about 18" from the cross.  This is a very tight tie that I figure 8 around the entire warp (but I make two twists, not just one, more like handcuffs than the figure '8') and using a somewhat thicker and study cord, make the choke tie quite tightly.

Then I make 'gathering' ties about every 2 yards/meters.  These are not uber tight, but hold the warp threads in a bundle.  These get removed as the warp gets beamed.  None of these ties are tied with 'knots' because they will need to be removed, so a single tie and bow is all that is used.

Then the lease sticks are set up in some fashion (different people do different things because of their particular circumstances/physical space requirements) and the warp is 'rough sleyed'.  Since I wind two ends at a time, I will take one loop (equal to 4 warp ends) and put it into the reed such that the intended density is achieved.

The lease sticks are then moved to the other 'side' of the reed so that the cross can be transferred (after beaming) to the front in order to thread the loom.

I have a video on You Tube that shows how I use a warping valet, which might be helpful.  See other posts on this blog, under 'rough sleying' or 'reed as raddle'.

Using a warping valet (or warping trapeze) means that the warp will go onto the beam under tension.  I use a 'firm' warp packing of bamboo or wooden blind material.  Some people don't like that because their loom may not have much room to wind it onto the beam.  My Leclerc Fanny can easily beam a 11 meter long warp *with* warp packing.  YMMV.

By keeping tension on the warp as it is being beamed, it will be wound onto the loom under consistent tension.  The firm warp packing will behave better than long rolls of paper/cardboard.  But again, do what you prefer in order to get the result you want.

However, if you want to beam an 9 meter long warp in under 10 minutes, no snarls, no tangles, maybe take a look at the video and decide if it is something you want to try.

For more details on warping trapeze/valets, check out Kati Meek's book Dance With Your Loom.  Or take a look at my online classes for Long Thread Media and School of Sweet Georgia (The Efficient Weaver - same topic, slightly different presentations - I hang out on School of Sweet Georgia to answer questions.)

Or my book, The Intentional Weaver.  (No tariffs to US buyers, they are printed in the US.)

*check the topic list at the side for things like warp winding, rough sleying, etc.  There is a LOT of information on this blog - all of it free - but you do have to dig a bit.

In the world of weaving, a little *appropriate* tension is A Good Thing...