Hand-Loom Weaving
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Hand-Loom Weaving - F. J. Christopher
conclusion.
PREFACE
"Fair warp and fitting woof
Weave a web that bideth proof."
Motto of the CANTERBURY WEAVERS
I WAS first introduced to the craft of Hand-Loom Weaving at the Occupational Therapy Centre of a Military Hospital during the war. Truthfully, I cannot say that I was overpowered with joy at the thought of having to manipulate fiddley bits of string and wool on a framework of bare wooden struts and three-ply sides, but, fortunately, I had a good teacher and in no time at all I began to find interest in the craft. I learned to call the bits that go the long way
—the warp threads, and the one you darn through
—the weft, and it became a matter of vital importance to keep the edges of my work firm and straight. I was aggressively proud of my first piece—a scarf—which is still in use eight years later, and to-day I think of weaving as one of the most satisfying of all the crafts.
Before commencing this book I paid a visit to the workshop of Douglas Andrew Ltd., the world-famous firm of Hand-Loom Makers at Canterbury, and I asked Frederick Hill, a Director of the Company, what he thought a book on Hand-Loom Weaving should set out to be. He replied: Mr. Christopher, the basic principles of hand-loom weaving are simple in the extreme—your book should be written in simple style—but, if you want it to be a successful book, you must be thorough. Assume that your reader is the typical man-in-the-street with no knowledge at all of hand weaving—write the book at his level.
That is what I have done. With the memory of my own tuition still fresh in mind I have made the instructions as simple as the craft itself, and I have been careful not to omit any of the elementary details on the assumption that my readers have any pre-knowledge of this pleasant and profitable occupation.
CHAPTER I
Introduction to the Craft: Simplicity of the basic principles — task of the learner — other considerations — pattern and colour — fitness for purpose — hand-loom weaving from the beginning. A Simple Loom: Use of frame — types of looms and beginning — construction of a practice loom — setting up the practice loom for simple forms of weaving. The Warp: Definition and purpose — foundation — separating the strands — tension — variations. The Weft: Common term — definition — practice material — what web
is — three main items — other equipment. The Shed-Stick: Use and purpose — description — alternate passage through warp threads. The Shuttle: Basic item — simple shuttle for practice. The Reed: How to make it — what it does — beating up the pick
. Weaving on the Simple Loom: Preparing the Loom — process of weaving — sequence and method — the shed
— firm edges — adjusting the tension — finishing the ends.
IN weaving, as in any other craft, the learner’s first task is to acquire knowledge of the basic principles of the craft. If the approach to weaving is to puzzle over the intricacies of the various types of looms—and there are many—and to give too much importance in thought to the numerous technical terms, the beginner may become confused and overlook the extreme simplicity of the craft, which basically is that: One strand of material is woven through others.
This simple fact should always be kept in mind. The basic principle of hand-loom weaving is the same in practice as that of darning a sock. Whatever the material used, whatever the type of loom it is woven upon, the fundamental principle remains unchanged—one strand of material is woven through others—and that is the way it has been since the days of the Ancient Egyptians. The real task of the learner is to understand the action of the loom, and to acquire knowledge of the possibilities and limitations of the materials and develop the technique of weaving them to make good textiles, pleasing in design and pattern, and of sound construction. Although the principle of hand-loom weaving is such a simple one, there is much more in the craft than merely weaving threads of yarn, and the handworker will find that as proficiency is attained by practice it becomes necessary to regard fully the aptness and character of the yarn and the variety of construction of the weave. Pattern, colour and design are all-important factors for careful consideration, and much will depend on the ability of the handworker and the common-sense approach to the problem of fitness for purpose. Obviously it would be foolish to attempt the weaving of a rug with fine yarns—or to set about weaving a length of suiting with thick wool. But application of the finer points of the craft is not to be found in any book, and many of those involved are matters for individual consideration. However, this book sets out to provide a knowledge of weaving on hand-looms—from the beginning—and at this stage I will not confuse the craftworker with information which can only be fully appreciated after the elementary principles have been understood. In this Chapter I shall deal only with the workings of a very simple loom, explaining technical terms which are common to all types of looms.
A Simple Loom: In all hand weaving the loom is the structure forming a frame upon which the materials are woven. It would be quite possible to carry out simple weaving without a frame by attaching one end of a set of threads to a hook in a wall, holding the other ends, and working other threads across these. Therefore the loom or frame is merely a simple device to hold one set of threads firmly in position while working through them with another thread or threads. There are many types of looms, and I should like to make it quite clear that it is not essential for the beginner to commence with a simple, small loom and work through all the types of looms mentioned; the beginner can commence with quite a large loom, such as the four-shaft Kentish Loom, if it can be afforded. The purpose of describing the simple looms is to demonstrate by illustration and explanation the simple technique of weaving. However, it is suggested that construction of the loom illustrated in Fig. 1, and using it to practise the early stages of the work will assist the learner-weaver in appreciating the simplicity of the craft.
The loom illustrated consists of a piece of wood, which is narrower than it is long, with two smaller pieces of wood fixed at each end. At the top left corner a small screw-eye is fitted and another is screwed into the wood at the bottom right corner. To set up this simple loom, the end of a piece of long string should be firmly tied to the small screw-eye at the top-left corner, and the string wound round the wood frame in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. The string should be wound tightly and the tension should be even; twelve winds of string are all that are necessary for initial practice. The loose end of the string should be firmly tied to the small screw-eye at the bottom of the frame after winding. It should be obvious that only a very simple form of weaving can be done on the loom