Building tools from other tools.

[undyedyarnpire]

This is what I came up with to solve my extreme difficulties with the so-called "easier" method of warping my loom. The "easier" method involves getting really close up, poking the yarn through a tight slot in the heddle, grabbing a loop and walking across the room to the peg, then bringing the yarn loop back and poking it through the tight slot again.You will notice that this requires alternation of a big physical motion with tiny detail work. That generally causes people to ignore ergonomic concerns to maximize efficiency. However if I could cut all the yarns first, then fish them through the heddle, I would take the time to position my tools and equipment optimally for my use. 

With that in mind I repurposed a yarn swift, which normally holds the giant loops of yarn one buys from the store because only low-quality yarn is sold in a ready-to-use format, to give me a 100" long yarn path using 9 pegs instead of the regular 4. My method owes something to string art and I feel like I have invented something, even though this is the regular method most people use if they have a real loom. Most people own a specific device called a warping board; many of which cost hundreds of dollars and are difficult to store. Mine comes apart easily and can still be used for its original purpose. 

Comments

[hugh_mannity]

Neat. You can also make a pretty decent warping board out of pegboard and dowel. Or if you have the places to put them, 3 or 4 C-clamps.

I tend to use C-clamps for tablet weaving, because you don't have to do the whole cross thing. A couple of C-clamps and a 2x4 makes a great tablet weaving loom.

Edit: The Spanish Peacock makes warping boards. $40 for a board that will hold a 7 yard warp. He makes good stuff, I have several assorted spindles, a tablet weaving loom, niddy noddy and a bigger warping board that he made. All beautifully made and not horribly expensive.

[undyedyarnpire]

The swift spins. I sit in one place. It also comes apart into 2 base pieces, two cross arms and the pegs. When I bought it, it came with a carrying bag about the size of a poster tube.

I saw the C-clamp arrangements when I was investigating tablet weaving. If you want to know why I did not take that up, it was because I do not own a hole punch and could not justify buying the cards ready-made. Which, at this point, feels like that horseshoe nail the want of which caused the loss of the entire kingdom.

Thanks for the pointer to the warping board.

[weaverbird]

Very clever solution! Kudos!

Your description of the "easier" method of warping makes it sound pretty appalling. Sounds like a process invented by someone with zero concern for efficiency. I wonder how many people try it and decide, on the basis of that step alone, that weaving is not for them?

[undyedyarnpire]

Thanks!

I think direct warping is easier in terms of yarn management and minimizing the tools necessary for the new weaver to buy. But it seems really stupid to fish everything through the slots, then unfish half of them and put them through the holes. If it worked better, I might understand it being so heavily promoted.

I definitely agree with you that this "easier" method completely put me off weaving. My fingers are crossed that pre-cutting all the yarn will help reduce the frustration. I really hope this works because I cut all the yarn this afternoon...