As always, the first step after planning is the winding of the warp. The warp was wound in the following sequence:
30 scuba blue wound with 2 ends in hand (mercerised cotton)
*1 green (unmercerised cotton)
*79 dazzling blue wound with 3 ends in hand (unmercerised x 2, mercerised x 1)
repeat * 6 times
1 green (unmercerised cotton)
30 scuba blue wound with 2 ends in hand (mercerised cotton)
Gives a total of 541 warp ends.
The warp was removed from the warping mill in a tight chain.
The warp was then spread in the raddle (taking care not to divide the warp ends which were wound together) and the warp wound onto the back beam.
The heddles were threaded as shown below (A = Scuba blue threaded 1,2; B = green threaded in 1 & scuba blue threaded 2,1). Halfway through the threading I realised that I have nothing threaded on shaft 3! Oh well….
The reed was slayed 1,1,1,2 to give 108cm across the reed which gives 12.7 episode. I can’t make this any smaller as the warp is already almost the full width of the reed.
The warp was tied to the front apron rod, treadles tied up according to the diagram below and the threading checked by weaving the header rows with plainweave treadling (treadles 1 & 2). The actual weaving will use the treadling pattern shown in the bottom diagram below (weave A = plainweave (treadles 1,2) in dazzling blue, ending on 2 when corner block squared; repeat picks 1-80 until desired size has been woven; weave B = plainweave (treadle 1 in pink then treadles 2,1 in dazzling blue), ending on 1 when corner block squared).
After weaving the header rows, I wove 2 picks plainweave and hemstitched in bundles of 2 warp ends.
I realised that there are differences in tension across the warp. I remember reading somewhere that leaving the lease sticks in place can help this, so I re-inserted the first lease stick into an open shed (treadle 1) and the second into the alternate plainweave open shed (treadle 2). The sticks were then tied as when dressing the loom..
I’m now ready to begin weaving the sample piece!
