I started out with six bouts of 80 threads and used a half gallon milk jug partially filled with water. Each jug weighed ~3.5 lbs. That proved to be too heavy and the warp wasn't moving!
After combining two bouts on each jug things started to move along. So well, in fact, that I forgot to notice that the jugs were at the top. Luckily nothing dropped because I would have had water all over me and the loom.
For the last couple of yards I weighted the warp over the breast beam.
After I run a few errands I'll thread and sley and see how it works. If I like it, the next time I'll use 20 oz. water bottles for the weights. The milk jugs, no matter how well I washed them, were a little funky smelling. Just another reason I'm glad I noticed before the lids got knocked off!
For short warps, or when designing in the reed, I still like the F2B method I learned from Tom Knisely at The Mannings. He has an instructional video that is the front to back method part of the chain warping class I took a few years ago.
Am I recognizing a Macomber loom? That's the part that stops me from converting to B2F: my loom has a back beam that will drop, but not a breast beam that will drop or move. Reaching over the beam to thread heddles is too painful, and climbing in not possible. Macombers will drop either side, a big advantage for choice!
ReplyDeleteI find this water jug method simply fascinating. Do you think it will work with a sewing thead polyester warp? Do you find the warp threads stretching alot? How long of a warp do you think one should have before using this method? I will try something similar next time I put on a warp.
ReplyDeleteOh yes...I see you too try to keep your shuttles organized!
I get it! (kinda). But then again, I have only gotten one warp on a loom -- will be starting a second project soon -- and it was short and front to back. The first project was also on a table loom, so with the second project we will see what I feel about warping a Leclerc Fanny floor loom front to back. I DO like the peg board for the shuttles.
ReplyDeleteCharleen, you have some serious jugs!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marie. If it wasn't apparent from the pic in a previous post, and polite people will say they didn't notice - if I don't lose some weight it's going to take a trapeze to hoist 'em!
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