Preliminary Operations of Weaving

by Harry Nisbet, c. 1914
Ok. I LOVE reading encyclopedias, text books, and dictionaries. This book, by Harry Nisbet, Professor of Textiles (England), describes the processes inherent with the manufacture of cloth. While this might be dry reading for some, I find it fascinating! The descriptions and definitions he uses create a common language for students (and others) to follow. His descriptions give way to interpretation, which every good definition should. To wit:

"If warp yarn is purchased in any of the primary forms ..... its progress through the entire routine of manufacture into cloth (exclusive of bleaching, dying, and other incidental processes) essentially comprises a series of not more than EIGHT consecutive operations, which are performed in the following rotation:

1. Reeling yarn into hanks
2. Winding yarn on to warpers' bobbins
3. Warping
4. Sizing
5. Beaming -- winding warps finally on to weavers' beams
6. Looming -- to pass the warp threads through the shedding harness and reed (a. Drawing-in, b.Twisting, c. Tying)
7. Gaiting or Tuning -- preparing the warp, shedding harness, and the loom ready for weaving
8. Weaving

Of these eight operations, the first five and last (weaving) are performed mechanically. The sixth (looming) is generally accomplished by hand, although both drawing-in and twisting (or else tying) are sometimes performed by automatic mechanical appliances...... The seventh operation, however (Gaiting) comprises numerous incidental functions, which necessarily demand personal labour and skill, in the proper adjusting and timing of the various parts of the loom and its accessories....."

So, in light of this definition, are we Loomers, Gaiters, or Weavers?

Weaver's Guild of Rhode Island: Textile Technology

Extreme Textiles come of Age

Textile Technology

Fascinating! New Ways with Textiles

I am attaching a link from yesterday's NYTimes Magazine about textile technology and its applications. I know, I know -- you all must think I am incredibly boring with all this technology and equipment modification stuff. But, truly, our ability as weavers, walks two worlds, and almost, two extremes.

Imagine, being able to weave a simple overshot pattern with conductive thread to create a soft electronic light switch? Someone from Washington State is doing just that!

Imagine, being able to to apply the principals of a doubleweave structure to weave a bicycle seat cover out of polypropylene?

These two examples of "mundane" objects are really only the beginning of the applications possibile with textiles, handweaving, thread, yarn, and needle. The possibilities of applying our own knowledge of weaving using our own equipment is almost endless! We need to be able to access these materials, and certainly, we also need to be able to see some applications of these ideas.

It can be done and is being done. Copy and Paste this URL into your browser to check out this article and watch the slideshow. It is quite inspiring!

Weaver's Guild of Rhode Island: When life is bigger than ourselves....

http://www.careforhoa.com/

When life is bigger than ourselves....

One of the students at Saunderstown Weaving School is making placemats and potholders to sell as a fundraiser for this cause. His name is Chris Neurone. Many of you may know him as a URI professor who is overcoming the debilitating effects of a stroke through weaving and pottery. His family works endlessly to improve the quality of his life, and that of children in Vietnam through Aid for Kids. Please check this website out! http://www.careforhoa.com/

Where should the Raddle go?

someone asked me:

I put my Raddle on the front. Does that mean I warp front to back?

Answer: No. Putting the raddle on the front of the loom vs. back of the loom makes no difference in beaming the warp, especially when warpig alone.

 Warping front to back means that the warp threads are sleyed through the reed THEN the heddles before being wound onto the back beam. It is a method often used when "painting the reed" with many different colors of threads in a hit-or-miss- type of sleying. Randall Darwall uses this technique because all of his warps are hand dyed/painted and he warps looms himself before sending out to his production weavers to finish.

which way do you.....?

How many of you readers warp Front to Back or Back to Front? How many of you don't know which you do?

Here is a picture of a rug warp I just wound onto one of the looms in my studio using a Back to Front method. Notice the RADDLE on the back beam. The beater is pushed forward against the Front Beam and the reed is still in place. The Lease Sticks are hanging from the Castle so I can thread easily. I used both corrugated and paper to separate layers on the warp beam. And my preference would be paper as opposed to corrugated because of the length of my warps. Typically I use 18 - 25 yard warps especially for rugs. For cloth, I wind 12 - 18 yards. This particular rug warp is 25 yards.

Long warps are not difficult to deal with if wound AND chained off correctly. I am a "TIErant" at the Weaving School when it comes to taking off a warp whether it is wound on a frame or a reel. Correct handling of the warp at this stage will ensure ease of beaming. I call the ties "choke ties" because one needs to choke the threads into a tight, unmoveable bundle, for effective beaming. The first choke tie AFTER the lease is the most important as this is where you will hold your threads to "pony" or shake the warp "reins" to even them out for your first round of beaming (in the Back to Front method) or where you will secure the threads to "paint the reed" in warping Front to Back. Either method is acceptable.

With a 3 -5 yard warp the threads are more forgiving and are what most people use. But back to my main question, What is your preferred method of warping -- Front to Back or Back to Front?