7/17/01 LOOM page #5

LOOM-page #5. Twill-cords and lashing twill to outside poles


  First,
we have passed one of the three end twill cords through the space inside the loops of our warps going from one side all the way through to the other, and tied both ends of it to the light rope at each side of the piece being woven. The remaining two twill cords are only tied to the light rope on the side of our piece that we have started twilling the loops of warps from.
We then wrapped the other two twill cords around the one twill cord only, and then a loop of the warp and the one twill cord, then the one cord only, then a loop of warp and the one twill cord, then replace the one twill cord with one of the two that have been doing the wrapping and continue to wrap a loop of warp, then place a wrap between the loops, and continue to alternate between all three taking turns as the one in the middle, until each loop of warp has been "twilled" into the three twill cords, with a turn of the three also being taken, as a spacer between them.

The two ends(of the triple twill cord) are now tied to the light rope on the other side also, so the piece may be turned over and the same may be done to the loops of warps at the opposite side of the opposite end, at the same distance from the bottom of the piece.
This triple twill cord will have the effect of placing the warps beside each other and at the proper distance from each other, as is needed for weaving.
It will also have the loops of warp cords bound into this permanent twilled, triple binding at the finished ends of our piece.
One note needs to be made here. Because you are working your twill cord across the warps at a point above where the warps are actually looping around the pole below you, you are really including a single warp within the binding of your twill cords. It is that warp that is closest to your side of the pole within those loops.

  It is now time to tie-off our piece to its permanent poles, so that the ones inside our warps may be removed. These permanent outside poles will remain in position until we have finished weaving our piece.

 A note about the position of our twilled cords should be made here. Their location is not at the very top and bottom of our piece at this time. That would make the process of tying them in place, as well as tying the outside poles in place most difficult.

  Rather, they are located above the inside poles at a distance of four or five inches, at the least.

  This is so a ball or skein of cord may pass easily between the pole inside the loops and the inside twill cords. As well as between the inside pole and the outside pole in the next step.

  So too, it may now become apparent, because of the warps being in a figure-eight, as to why we must do one end on the opposite side of the other. When one is moved to the very end of our piece, the other will move to the opposite end also, instead of toward its middle. As would happen if both were placed on the same side.

  It's enough to just measure from the bottom, and work the twilled cords at the same height from the bottom, and on opposite sides from each other, at enough distance from the bottom pole to work unimpeded.

  Now is the time to lace the permanent, STRAIGHT poles to our twilled end cords with a strong cord.
 I like to use a stout cotton or linen cording for this step.
First, place each end of the pole through a loop in the light ropes created by placing a twist in the rope at each side, and just below where the ends of the twill-cord is tied to it.
Then tie the end of a ball or skein of stout cord to the straight pole, a few inches from one end.
I find an elongated skein to work best on overly large pieces, because of its greater ease to hold on to and the lesser circumferences ability to pass through the openings more easily.

  I like to use a square knot, then a series of half-hitches for an inch or more. Tying the three twilled cords to the pole, then pass between the first two loops of warp. The pole has been positioned along the twilled cord by tying it at the twilled cords ends to stretch it along the poles length.

  Continue to wrap the cord BETWEEN the loops of warps and around the twilled cords and the pole, taking a half-hitch along the back or opposite side of the pole from the twilled cord, at each turn of the stout cord until passing the final warp and tying the three twilled cords at the other end.
(Make sure that this tying cord DOES NOT pass through the loops of warps, so as to trap them and bind them to the pole!!)

 Then just turn the piece over and do the same at the other end.

  While this pole will not need to be extremely stout, it must be straight and long enough to go beyond the ends of the piece being woven by several inches.
  On smaller pieces, I have used dowel sticks from ½"W x 36"L to ¾"W x 48"Length.

    For the ones from five to eight ft. wide, I like to use a single-walled conduit pipe. Though wood is preferred over medal when it can be had, because of slippage from the cord tied to it, less noise, as well as more aesthetic value.

    Though I will confess to a certain beauty in an all metal, chromed and polished stainless loom of modern and technical looks, and a primitive corded and traditional patterned piece being woven on it.


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edit: 07/17/01 1