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?

Heather solved the problem of this double weave piece that has silk cocoons enclosed between layers of wool warp and silk weft -- needle felt the cocoons with the sewing machine!

Still River Mill in Connecticut spun this alpaca fleece from Mary Brunnell into a rug yarn with a jute core. Check out this incredible rug she wove with an all wool warp. It is almost 7' long. When Mary took the rug off the loom, we ALL took our shoes off and clamored to be the first to walk on it. Then we all had dreams of other things.........

Nancy Corkery should get an award for most enthusiastic weaver! She is in the process of developing a newTAPESTRY METHOD using a SUPPLEMENTARY WARP! It is remiscint of traditional Norwegian weighted warps.But the idea of a supplementary warp for tapestry is unique. Nancy is working on an entry deadline for this innovative and colorful piece. Perhaps a field trip to Saunderstown Weaving School is in the future for the curious?!

I saw Sarah Neurone recently. She is the wife of the Weaving School's only male student -- Chris Neurone. Chris is supported by a personal attendant who helps him remember sequencing between left/right with feet and hands and Jean has also begun winding and threading his loom for him. She is crucial to his success as a weaver. This information is pertinant because Chris and Sarah have been in the process of adopting a THIRD daughter from Vietnam for years. Chris's stroke a few years ago and the political situation in Vietnam put that process on the back burner.

Sarah has moved ahead with raising the necessary funding for surgery to allow the Vietnamese child to have a fulfilling childhood and life -- either in here or overseas. All the placemats Chris has been making at Saunderstown Weaving School are for sale and 100% of the money from this venture goes toward the medical expenses for their child in Vietnam.

More will be posted on this situation. Please stay tuned.