Warping a Loom Back to Front

Tying On

There are many ways to tie on to the front.  This happens to be my favorite but I do use other ways depending on the type yarn.

Step 49:  Hold a warp bundle tight with one hand.  With the other, split the bundle in half from the bottom, making a larks-head loop.  Take a section of yarn from the second rod and insert in the loop, pulling so that it is snug.  But do not try to tension at this point.  Go from one side to the other and the middle tying on until you have all bundles tied.  Before applying tension, tie the first rod to the second starting at one edge of the scarf to the other edge.  Tighten tension on the loom some so that you don't have to do all the tensioning by hand. 

Step 50:  Now, pull up on the yarns on the second rod to finish adjusting tension. 

Step 51:  Tie-up the treadles.  For a four-shaft loom with six treadles, you might want to tie up the treadles on the ends for plain weave with left treadle to the first and third shafts from the front and right treadle to the second and fourth shafts from the front.  Reserve the four in the center for a twill tie-up.  Beginning at the left, tie second treadle to first and second shaft, third treadle to second and third, fourth treadle to third and fourth and fifth treadle to first and fourth.  Personally, I enjoy a direct tie-up or one shaft tied to one treadle and weave with two feet.  It is easier on feet, knees and hip joints and as long as you are weaving on four shafts, retying the loom is unnecessary.       

Step 52:  Time to spread or close up the warp.  This is the quickest manner to do it.  With a slick, smooth yarn in your shuttle, tie a knot onto the rod holding the warp. 

Step 53:  Throw about three picks, wrapping the weft around the ends of the rod with each pick.  Do not beat until after the third pick. 

Step 54:  Then, beat on a closed shed.

Step 55:  The warp is not quite closed.  Throw three more picks in the same manner as above.

Step 56:  Beat on a closed shed.

Step 57:  Throw three more picks.

Step 58:  Beat on a closed shed.  Now, it appears to be completely spread or closed and ready to begin weaving.

Step 59:  Leave space for fringe.  Some weave this space but I have found that it is unnecessary.  If you care to hem-stitch, start weaving on the right if you're right-handed and on the left if you're left-handed.  Leave a tail of three or four times the width of the warp to hem-stitch and weave a couple of inches.  Since I don't have an apron on my loom, I place white fabric underneath the warp so that I can see better to hem-stitch.

Step 60:  Hem-stitching completed.  Continue to weave.

Next - overlapping beginning and ending of weft.

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