Previous owner had started warping up, hence the blue yarn. I probably won't use that yarn for a couple of reasons, though I'll study how it was rolled on, which someone did just fine.
It was donated to the embroiderers guild some time ago, never had a taker. But I have learned a few things since I first saw it and had no idea what it was.
I've been wanting to try using a heddle, for card weaving and tapestry, so here's my new adventure. The heddle is that bit in front of the yarn, with slits and eyes cut in it.
One reason I'm unlikely to use the blue yarn in situ is that it's probably too thick to thread without colorful language. Someone didn't observe that the heddle needed a finer yarn. May be why it was abandoned in the first place. Also it's too fluffy to work as a warp for tapestry.
I looked the loom up online and found some not helpful videos about how to warp it, and a listing showing it would have come with heddle blocks, a sleying tool, shuttles, etc.
Sooooo, since the loom was free, I decided to treat myself to a few beautiful tools..you know, to honor it. Or something..pix to follow when they arrive.
oh this is exciting. Don't you just love how whatever happens just engenders three new things all at the same time?
ReplyDeleteYes. The universe is listening. Meanwhile I hauled my two entries over to the local community college for the upcoming regional show. Tapestries, of course. Sunday is judging, so I'll know that afternoon if I was accepted.
ReplyDeleteHeddle blocks and sleying tools - definitely a foreign language to us non-weavers. Will patiently await your next experiments when I'm sure it might all come clear.
ReplyDeleteWhen I recover from the day in the studio warping the rhl, I'll report on same!
ReplyDeleteHeddle blocks are just 2 bits of wood shaped like a U and the heddle stands up in them nicely. Hope they were cheap and the shipping free ... would have been easy to make. I could send you dimensions. It is definitely a Beka Loom. The key thing you need to know for easy weaving is that the warps in the holes have to be longer by a smidge than the warps in the slots. You accomplish that by having the heddle on top of the blocks attached to the frame while you tie the warps to the teeth on the cloth beam in front. You have to tie the outermost pairs on either side of the warp onto the teeth before it will stand up on the blocks. Let me know if you have any more questions. I've taught hundreds to weave on rigid heddle looms.
ReplyDeleteThank you! The blocks were cheap, and I couldn't make them, for various reasons including aged hands and no appropriate tools. So I'm fine with them. The weaving is coming on fine, warping having worked out well. I had no interest in this sort of loom before suddenly being presented with one, but it turns out to be fun. It was the heddle that interested me, for off loom types of work. It's a wonderful invention.
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