Reed

[vaneramos]

This evening I finished threading the heddles on the loom. The total number of threads turns out to be 521. I was expecting an even number, so hopefully there isn't an error somewhere. An odd number is awkward with the twill pattern I've planned, but I believe I can fix the problem by offsetting the last thread in the heddle sequence. That's what I've done.

The next step is threading the reed, which is basically a big, long, closed comb. I'd almost forgotten about that. It's equally time-consuming. While the heddles determine the sequence and pattern of the threads across the loom, the reed spaces them precisely to make the fabric even.

The finished piece will be 42 inches wide: 521 divided by 42 is 12 or 13 threads per inch. The reed has 10 dents per inch, so every few spaces I must double them up.

More fastidious fun!

I'm tired and it's time to break for the evening. [Edit: forgot to mention I've already threaded the first ten inches of the reed.] I'll take a photograph another day.

Comments

[ironbark.livejournal.com]

My great mentor in life was a weaver. He once wove himself this coat. It was a loverly piece of work in somesort of traditional pattern from the british isles but it was so heavy he rarely wore it.

Weaving in silk and cotton is an important skill in Laos. Many of the traditional designs nearly died out after the revolution but were saved and revived by an American woman who lives there.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

That's cool. I don't really know anyone who weaves, other than the people I met in the course in July, and I doubt whether I'll see any of them again. It seems to require a particular kind of mentality, which I happily fall into. Danny is an avid spinner, so we will be able to create some things together when I feel proficient.

That's an interesting story about the woman in Laos. How do you know about her? I did a quick online search and found some appealing sites about silk weaving in Laos, but nothing about her.