Threading the Pattern Heddles of the Single Unit Drawloom

Two Sets of Heddles to Thread

I am sure a novice weaver would be very confused if I were to tell you I have to put each warp end through two heddles on different shafts.

The draw loom warp is beamed and I am preparing the pattern heddles into groups or units.  In damask/satin weaves a five shaft satin works well for patterns with curves as it does not have a clean cut line.  I love curves!  So this weave will be a 5 shaft satin.  Pattern heddles are in groups of 5 attached to one weight called a lingo.

The calculations are:

16/2 cotton warp at 560 ends, epi of 28.  5 shaft satin = five heddles per unit.  560 ends div by 5 = 112 units.  112 units div by 4 pattern shafts = 28 per shaft.

Drawcord warp is in groups of 10 so 112 div 10 = 11.2 groups.  I am excited to get my draw loom back up and working!

It All Looks Rather Confusing?

The problem with this style of drawloom set up is - 2 warps initially and two sets of harnesses to be threaded!  I chose gold and brown carpet warp (strong and inexpensive) and the warp is in blocks of 10 threads per color alternating for 360 ends.  Now it has to be beamed and I need an apron for the overhead drawcord beam.

As I am studying for a fitness certification - it may be another week before I get to it.

Draw Harness loom

Here are some photos of the almost complete Draw Harness conversion:

Too Tired to Talk

Ok, no pics, but the good news is, I am almost finished with converting the Glimåkra to a draw harness damask loom.  I had the front shaft frame for 75 shafts, I had the 10 shaft Opphamta attachment, lingos, long eye heddles etc. but the basement is tight quarters and not enough height for a 75 shaft system.  Plus I dislike setting up that system.

I will post pictures next week, I am covered in sawdust and my arm muscles hurt!  I can't wait to actually get this up and running!

Damask Sample

I finally worked the kinks out of the 10 pattern damask addition and drall pulleys.  At first I could not get a clean shed and shafts would not return to neutral upon releasing the treadle.  After some minor adjustments and new elastic - all is well!  I did have one pattern unit incorrectly placed.  Fortunately it was near the end and was fairly simple to correct.  Above is a sample of damask weave with a 6 shaft damask and 10 pattern units. The warp is 8/2 cotton in natural and the weft is a 6/2 cotton.  This sample will make cushions for my den.

Weaving with a draw shaft attachment is not overly complicated, just a little tricky logistically to get set up.  This attachment is an Opph ämta attachment.  It fits on the Glimåkra standard.   I also have a frame and handles for 70 shafts - however I'm a "I changed my mind - I like options" kinda girl so I will be re-reconfiguring the loom for a draw harness - this can allow for freestyle design and pattern repeats.

Happy weaving!

Dawn

Damask - Setting Up The Loom

I am preparing a warp for the 10 shaft damask attachment on the Glimåkra loom.  Below you can see the warp beamed and ready to be threaded through the back set of pattern harnesses.

The set up for damask is a 6 shaft 6 unit threading.  That is a 6 shaft ground damask with a 6 thread unit on the pattern heddles.


Here is a view of the pattern heddles being threaded.  The warp was prepared with 3 threads in the cross.  Therefore one complete "there and back" of the threads results in 6 threads (2 sets of 3).

Above - the pattern heddles being threaded. The pattern heddles are grouped into units (4-8 depending on ground weave) and joined at the bottom by a lingo weight.  

once all the pattern heddles are threaded, the beater, knee beam and breast beam are removed and the ends are selected from one of the pattern heddles (also using the lease stick threading sequence as a guide) and then the same end goes through one ground heddle on shafts 1-6.  Each end is threaded two times - once through the pattern heddle and once through the ground heddle

The ground threading goes rather quickly as the heddles have long eyes and can be threaded by hand without a hook.  The threads are then dented in the reed and attached to the cloth beam.

The shafts (both sets) are then adjusted in height.

Here it is in a little more detail:

More detail: Double harness & Damask weaving - loom has two sets of shafts: In the back of the loom are the pattern shafts (10-100) which hold the pattern threads, and the regular shafts on the countermarch using long eye heddles (2/3 inch eye)  in the regular shaft location.  


The pattern heddles are grouped into 6 per unit (or unit determined by weave) and are weighted by a lingo (long heavy looped hook to weigh down pattern shaft unit). The entire warp is threaded, 1 thread thru 1 pattern heddle grouped into 6 - joined by a weight whilst being held on a temporary holding shaft. 


The units once threaded are dispersed onto the pattern shafts according to the pattern drawdown (can be anywhere from 10 to 100 shafts - the more shafts the more of an extension the loom requires).  Even once the weaving has begun, the pattern units can be re-distributed to create a different pattern sequence such as straight draw, pointed repeat or single large point.

Then the regular ground shafts are put back in place (these use long eye heddles but regular length of 11.5 inches long.  The warp which is already threaded thru the pattern heddles on separate shafts from the regular ground shaft, is then threaded in a straight draw as with normal weaving (ground weave is a 6 shaft satin)  Denting and tying onto the apron is done in the usual way. Therefore; each thread is threaded through two sets of heddles - one pattern and one ground.

The long eye heddles allow the back group of pattern shafts to manipulate the threads whilst allowing the ground weave front shafts to move.  The blog was a very brief synopsis of the type of weave.  I have a few resources on damask if you would like to know more.