Weaving Mechanics

Day 76: I realize some of you are having trouble following the specialized terminology inherent with weaving, so I've put together a handy-dandy guide to the mechanics of a loom and how the warp is slung. I realize now that I should have lettered it from right to left because that's the direction warping proceeds, but I think we can work with this.

As you saw in yesterday's post, the first part of the process is stretching the warp. Here, we are picking up the method with the warp wound onto the warp beam (J). This consists of a large roller on which is mounted a canvas "apron." The apron serves to keep the warp threads from stacking up on themselves as the roller is turned. As the warp is wound beyond the apron, posterboard or some other separator is used to cushion the threads. (H) shows the warp on the roller.

The warp comes from the roller and may pass through a raddle (I) mounted on the back beam. This optional device divides the warp threads into bundles and helps keep the tension even. A loose warp thread can cause all sorts of problems in the cloth! From the raddle, the warp threads come forward horizontally (G) and each passes through a heddle in a specific order. This is what determines the pattern of the weave. The heddles are held in harnesses (D), frames which are raised in sequence by means of treadles. At (E), the loose warp is hanging at the front of the heddles, ready for the next step; at (C), the warp is through the heddles and reed (A).

Now the warp threads must pass through the reed (A) which is held in the beater bar (B). The beater bar is the portion of the loom which beats the weft threads into place. It is operated by the weaver's free hand, the other being occupied with the shuttle. From the reed, the warp is then brought over the breast beam (not shown) and tied to the front apron. As weaving progresses, the finished fabric is wound onto the cloth beam (F), a roller similar to that at the back of the loom.

There are other methods of sleying a loom (the term used for this whole procedure), and will vary according to the weaver's preference and the type of loom being employed. Mine is a four-foot, four-harness rising-shed loom, i.e., the treadles cause the harnesses to rise rather than sink. I also have a three-foot, four-harness table loom which is operated with jacks (hand levers) rather than treadles. Since my shoulder reconstruction, I have found the jack loom difficult to use. That said, the rhythm of weaving is almost meditative, and once I'm in the swing of passing the shuttle back and forth, I can relax into it, knowing that the hard work of threading is behind me.