Also, since I am still fine tuning my back to front warping, I decided to secure the lease sticks to the raddle, to keep them in place while weaving.
I don't know yet whether or not this is a good idea. I've tried weaving without the lease sticks, which can be a nuisance if I break a thread, or want to tie onto that particular warp. I've also used some narrow dowel rods in place of the lease sticks while I wove, these being free floating so to speak, so that they worked their way toward the castle as I beat the weft shots in. I would have to push them back every time I advanced the warp. I usually don't leave the raddle in, but this seemed to be the best way to secure the lease sticks. Time will tell.
I also discovered a threading error as I was weaving my header.
It doesn't seem to matter how carefully I check the warp as I thread, I often end up with a threading mistake anyway. In the past I'd have untied the whole thing in order to correct the mistake, then having to re-tied and re-tension. This time I didn't feel like doing that. 
So I isolated the erroneously threaded ends and cut them.
Needle wove them back through the header in the proper spot......
...... and secured them with a t-pin. This has worked very well! After I wove the first few inches, I removed the t-pin and the ends were secure. Of course, I'm sure I'm not the first weaver to do this. In problem solving there are usually only so many reasonable solutions. As long as I can find at least one of them I'm happy.
© 2007 Leigh's Fiber Journal
13 comments:
I used that same trick when I discovered a threading error (threads crossed in the heddles) in my huck lace stole warp. I didn't know at the time if it was an "acceptable" fix, but it seemed logical, it worked, and sure beat untying and retying!
My motto...whatever works is acceptable! Well done on fixing the problem.
And I keep my raddle in place while I weave (I'm a back to fronter as well). Yes, you have to fiddle with it while advancing the warp, but if something goes wrong, I think I can see it more clearly with the raddle in place. And I also think it helps with keeping an evenly spread tension while weaving. I don't know...maybe that's my imagination. Anyway, that's how I was taught and it seems a good way to me! Again, whatever works...
Lovely towels!
I was interested to see that your lease sticks look to be thicker than mine. My lease sticks are 1/4 inch deep and although I tie them up close to the back beam when weaving I have found they make a noticeable difference to the shed in my current warp. This effect is lessened if I don't have the warp pulled very tight. I wonder if you have seen this effect?
I had to laugh when I saw your threading error - excuse my delight - but this looks all too familiar to me! I find it happens less than when I first started weaving, and often relates to a point where I was interrupted, but it still happens all too often.
I have a excess of heddles and if I find a simple threading error, I cut the heddle out with wire cutters and tie on a string heddle around the warp thread on the correct harness.
Threading errors often happen at school and it is wonderful to see the relief on the student's faces when I tell them that they DON'T have to untie and rethread for such a simple error.
I love T-pins! They are a great invention and have rescued me many times. In fact they are in my very near future, I currently have a threading error on my doubleweave with wire project and I've put that on hold until I can muster up the brain cells to fix it.
Great weaving tip. Thanks for sharing.
Leigh... There's a great trick I learned years ago, well - when I learned to warp really, for back to front. When you draw the warp threads through the heddles...say after 20 or 30 depending on how fat your yarns are. make an over-hand slip knot...one that you might use for tying something up but so if you pulled on the ends it would be free. (Gosh this is hard to describe). Do your next bunch, then slip knot, and so on. This way if the phone rings, the cats get wild and crazy, you trip and fall - whatever! The warp can not be pulled back through the heddles.
The same goes for the reed...sley a couple of inches along, slip-knot, next few inches, slip knot. You'll never need a raddle or leash sticks again! And the best thing is...you can go have a coffee break at any time and no one can pull the threads through anything. :)
I'm scared. I warp from front to back but apparently "real" weavers warp from back to front. I actually own a rattle. Do you do house calls???
Good save! I've had to do that more than a few times. I have some repair heddles that I can snap onto the correct harness and rethread. I bought them from Robin & Russ but I'm sure other weaving stores have them.
I've used your trick as well. And, if I'm really lazy and have plenty of warp, I don't weave it through the heading but just weave some more of the heading after I've pinned the thread(s) in place.
In Santa Fe I saw native weavers leave the raddle in. I asked one why, and he replied, why not?
I use "Angel Wings" to keep my lease sticks back.
One more reason I keep the raddle in is to catch early on any threads that might want to wind around each other. Easier to deal with them at the back beam then at the heddles.
nice work had to catch up. It is lambing time and they seem to take away from projects, but the wool supply increases with each birth.
Nothing about weaving... Darly posted a Torti Tuesday 'specially for Catzee.
Well... at least a cat or bun didn't eat this one
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