Advancing the Warp Begins!!!
Hello, I’m Mike. I teach many of the weaving classes here at Halcyon Yarn. Gwynn has been holding the fort (or pen) in blog-land while I’ve vacillated about doing the blog thing for all you weavers. Looks li ke I said ‘Okay I’ll give it a go!’
At this time of the year something new is much easier to sneak into my routine. Usually I start the new year in fall but as I get older I do get slower and expect that my new year may soon begin in March. Which will then put me on the Roman yearly cycle.
Before when I started my new year in fall (and now in January), I find myself looking ahead and trying to establish a plan for the year with an attached structure which allows me to get things done. My first choice is to set up a workbook; “the dullest pencil is better than the sharpest mind” or so I’ve been told. Quad ruled composition notebooks are the perfect place to get weaving ideas planted and then have room to grow. The graph paper is a natural place for threading, tie-up and treadling notations. Also, cut and paste entries make for easy editing and organization of printed materials.
Here in New England winter is a serious season. Seed catalogues have started coming already so spring is on the schedule. I think of my workbook as a seed catalogue and planner. Everything gets parked (or planted) inside.
So! Here is the customer question for this blog entry:
One of our customers called awhile back. She has a Swedish style loom and doesn’t like tying repair heddles. Her question was about using the flat steel repair heddles instead. Nope was the short answer. The question was the seed, I planted it in my workbook and what follows is what I sent her.
Elin’s Universal Repair Heddle
1.Use any size insert eye heddle.
2.Cut off both the loop ends, needle nose pliers are good and they usually have a section to snip wire. Cut just below the twisted section.
3.Now turn the straight length of the heddle, bring the cut end near the eye of the heddle. Use the needle nose pliers to twist the cut end around the section just above the eye. Repeat for the other half. When you are done, you will have a “mini” wire heddle.
4. To use, add a folded length of carpet warp to each end of the mini. Start by tying the upper half the heddle to the upper heddle bar. Line up the repair eye with the one next to it then tie the lower string. Use a bow knot to make removal recyclable or just cut it out when done.
These heddles can attach to any style loom; you control length with the carpet warp.
7 Responses to “Advancing the Warp Begins!!!”
By sandie on Feb 5, 2010
Hi Mike! Nice start! I am interested in the weaving blog, so I will definitely be back to read your thoughts! Off the start the new year’s notebook….you’ve been bookmarked, now if you could figure out how to make this an RSS feed?
By Marlene Witham on Feb 5, 2010
A great repair if you use wire heddles. How about the flat metal ones? A friend of mine gave me the idea of clipping the loop at the bottom and top of a flat metal heddle with a wire cutter. Then all you have to do it place the heddle where you want it and flip the metal that is now cut, over the bottom and top of the harness so it is just like the others and it will stay while you weave. It’s a little tricky but with practice you will get it. I have never had one fall off and have made many repairs this way. At the end of the weaving I remove the clipped heddle and save it just in case I make another mistake on a future weaving. I like that I am not wasting heddles.
By YiLi on Feb 5, 2010
Halcyon has been my favorite yarn source for years- and a blog for weavers is just one more over the top. Looking forward to another weaving class/workshop this summer– unfortunately my schedule and the class schedule of late have not matched.
So thinks Mike
By Laurie Murdock on Mar 11, 2010
dateline: Kodiak, Alaska — wow, I am locked away up here in the frozen north with no one really around to ask weaving questions. I’m thrilled to see your blog. I’m a seasoned weaver but lately I’ve been having problems breaking selvedge threads. I have been working on gamp project that is tensioned pretty tight but I’ve never had this problem before. What am I doing wrong. Just had to rethread the entire right selvedge because of all the broken warp threads, HELP
I want you to know, that my mother lives in New Hampshire and back a few years ago I loaded her in the car and said we’re going for a drive and we drove the 4 hours hours to Bath just so I could visit your store. It was great — Thanks Laurie Murdock
By Amos on Mar 12, 2010
Hi Laurie… We got Michael to start a blog – Now I have to get him up to speed on comments! I’ll ask him next time he’s in, won’t be until next week, sorry for the wait! Best, Amos
By Amos on Mar 12, 2010
Hi Again Laurie, I saw Michael today after all, he’s going to email you directly from home. Best of luck up there! Amos
By Laurie Murdock on Mar 12, 2010
Thanks, that’s great. I have just added your blog to my favorites and will check daily. I am interested in following along with your e classes and also interested in the e books. I don’t mind downloading and printing myself. Such a great service.