Name-Draft Study Group

          A planning meeting was held on Tuesday, February 20 to discuss the next Guild Study Group.  A sign-up sheet will be circulated at the March meeting to determine how many members plan to participate in this project.  Mary Didesch has offered to help anyone develop a name draft pattern using her computer program. 

Thanks, Mary.

Each participating weaver will thread their loom in their own name draft using the same warp and tabby as selected by the group as a whole. Each individual weaver will select their color of choice and will provide every other weaver enough pattern weft so that each participating weaver will weave a square of their name draft in each of the other weaver’s colors.  At project end, squares will be exchanged and each participant will have a square done in everyone’s individual name draft pattern but all squares will be in the color selected by that weaver.

The size of the squares is yet to be decided.  The warp and tabby will be fairly fine cotton at 24 epi.  Jennie Hawkey is checking into what kind of yarns may be best.

Inkle Weaving Saturday

          Anyone interested in learning more about Inkle Weaving come to the Weaving Room on University Saturday, March 10, beginning at 9:00AM. This is not a formal workshop but a day when “those who know how will help those who don’t”.  In other words, we will all learn from one another.  Even if you don’t own an Inkle Loom, drop by to see what you’re missing.  These little looms are positively addicting.   Take a look at www.inkleweaving.com

Questions About Heddles

          One of the interesting things

about weaving is that there is always something new to learn and one of the best ways to learn is from each other.

          Replacing heddles on an old loom or choosing heddles for a new loom makes one realize that many things go into the decision.  The cost is significant so the decision is important.

Our Guild members shared these observations based on their experience with different kinds of heddles:

Wire Heddles The most common kind in our Guild.  Members say they are easy to use but can be somewhat abrasive with very fine yarns.  They tend to stick together which can be a bit troublesome while warping but not a major problem.  The older kinds tend to rust but can be easily cleaned.

Inserted eye Heddles:  Very easy to move on the rods and do not get tangled together as easily as the wire. Big eyes make threading very easy.  Non-abrasive with fine yarns and do not rust. The only problem is that they are wider and that can be a problem with warps that call for over 50 threads per inch. It may be physically impossible to get all the heddles one needs within the space required for some patterns.

Flat Steel:  Less easy to move on the rod but fit together closely so can be used with warps of more than 50 threads per inch. Can be somewhat abrasive with soft warp threads.  May get turned the wrong way and can be a challenge to move from one shaft to another.

Flat steel are the heaviest of the heddles and the weaver may feel their weight when using a jack type loom. The weight can be significant when the pattern requires the weaver to lift multiple shafts with one treadle. *  

Hand Tied String Heddle:  Can be a real help when needing to insert a heddle after warp is completed.  The trick is to get the eye at exactly the same level as the other heddles.  Also can be more difficult to thread because the eye does not stay open independently.

can be passed over other heddles on the same shaft. The eye remains open so threading is very easy. Because the Texsolv heddles are white, sometimes threading with a similar white warp can be a challenge.  With use, these heddle eyes become darker so this is not as big a concern over time.  Some weavers dye the Texsolv heddle a different color on each shaft for easier identification of shaft while threading.  This can be very helpful on multiple shaft looms but then the weaver is unable to move heddles between shafts as may be needed by different pattern drafts.

2007 Alpaca Fest

    The Illinois Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association have announced that the 2007 RiverSide AlpacaFest will be held April 13-15 at the East Peoria Conference Center. (formerly The Oaks).  Members may recall that last year, this event was great fun with some terrific yarn bargains for early shoppers.