Weaving

Weaving is a wonderful opportunity available in the Alpaca Fleece Business. It is a highly specialized craft that requires imagination and skill.

The art of weaving has been around for thousands of years. Whether you are using a fancy modern day loom or using home made cards the principals are the same.

There are many books full of information about weaving. I could never explain it all to you. So, this section will only cover the basics of weaving.

Basics

Warping is like painting with colors of yarn. Because the heddle I use has very small holes I choose only single ply yarn to create my warp. I mostly use natural colors only. However, a touch of bright color is very striking.

Experiment with your colors before you warp. Lay the yarn out together and get an idea of what you want. Get your pattern set before you begin to warp your loom. You will save a lot of time being prepared before you begin.

Follow the warping instructions that came with your loom. A warping board may be used to prepare your yarn. Your loom should come with a hooked tool used to pull the yarn through the holes and slots on the heddle.

Weft is the yarn that is woven horizontally between the warps. This can be all the same color throughout the piece or it can be changed as often as you like. Your loom should come with a shuttle that is as wide as the loom. Wind your weft yarn onto the shuttle before you begin.

For a smooth and flat piece of weaving use the same ply yarn for your weft as you did for your warp. A good way to get a fun texture is to use a double ply for the weft and single ply for the warp. You can also use a combination of both to create an interesting piece. There should be a bracket on your loom that allows 3 positions for your heddle. A neutral position is where your heddle should be when you are warping your loom or when you leave your weaving to work on at a later time. There should also be an up and a down position.

Yarn is warped through the heddle by alternating placement through a hole or in a slot. As you change position of the heddle from up or down the yarn through the heddle is switched.

Shed is the term used to describe the open space created between the heddle and your finished piece. This is where you will run the shuttle with your weft yarn through.

Before begining to weave your piece it is important to make a header to prevent an uneven project. Weave 3 rows without beating. Then beat all 3 rows together. Check for an even or sraight edge. You may need to repeat this set 2 or 3 times to get a nice even edge.

When weaving your project beating is done after every row. Start with the heddle in the up position. After you pass your shuttle with weft yarn through the shed pull the heddle down and towards you. Use the heddle to compress the yarn tightly against the completed portion of your project.

Return the heddle to the down position or opposite of where it was. Use a solid beating wand to help you seperate the warp yarns thereby opening the shed completely and tightening your piece.

Run the shuttle yarn from the opposite direction through the shed. Pull the heddle firmly against your project and return to the opposite position.

Be sure that when you run your weft yarn through the shed that you do not pull the end too tight. I like to leave a little loop on each side. If you don't do this your piece will begin to pull in on the sides.

Continue on in the same manner throughout your piece. Wind your project onto the closest spool as you take warp from the farthest spool. Change weft colors according to your pattern.

Tapestry Weaving

Be sure to start with a small project before you move to a large project. It is easier to learn this technique by practicing with small squares or rectangles.

As you progress with weaving your piece it is sometimes helpful to hang your loom on the wall. Look at it and analyze your work as you go.

Tapestry weaving is mostly completed with a solid warp. It is variation in the weft yarn that creates the picture. Warp your loom with a solid color slightly larger than the size you want your finished piece.

Make a header for your project. It is easier to start with a space of solid color before you begin your pattern. Have your shuttle wound with your primary color before you begin.

Small areas of color only need small amounts of yarn. Instead of winding the yarn onto a shuttle make a small ball or butterfly out of this yarn.

Each yarn fits together into the woven piece like a jigsaw puzzle. Keep your pattern handy as you work. You will complete one line at a time. Remember, only the weft is visible.

When placing the weft yarn make little hills with the yarn across the row. This will prevent the piece from pulling in too tight. When one square sits beside another there will be a clear line. Do not interlock yarns.

Beat the threads into place with a tapestry beater, a dinner fork or the tips of your fingers. Alternate the heddle position. Begin your next row. Continue until your piece is complete.

I cannot stress the importance about starting simple. Start with a small simple piece and work your way up. Eventually you will be able to create fantastic artwork limited only by your imagination.

Cardweaving

A standard card is approximately 3 1/2 inches square. It has 4 holes, one in each corner, that are labeled A,B,C,D from upper left around in a clockwise manner.

An in loom card is approximately 8 inches square. It has 8 holes. There are 4 holes at North, East, South, and West Positions clockwiese around the center of the card labeled A,B,C and D. There are 4 additional holes at the corners labeled E,F,G and H in a clockwise manner.

On loom cards weigh more than 5 times as much as standard cards. When used with fine or weak warps the cards must be supported by a shelf or board set in the loom. A shelf also lines the cards up evenly thus keeping the sheds even.

It is best to begin in loom cardweaving with a standardized pattern. You can make your own patterns after you learn the basics.

Cards are placed on the warp between the back beam and the beater. If you are using the heddle of your loom as your beater be sure not to run the yarn from the cards through any holes, only through slots. Each card is threaded from back to front. Your pattern will specify which color is to go through which hole.

Place a knitting needle or small dowel through one of the sets of holes in the cards. This will help control the cards while the warping is being completed. It is also good to use to lock your cards in place when you are not weaving.

Before begining be sure that all cards are facing left, are in the right order, and the AB edge is at the top. Warp tension should be tight. This is the original position of the cards.

The amount of card rotation varies from one technique and/or pattern to another. Your pattern may have you rotate the cards 4 times forward and then 4 back. It may be 8 times. Different rotations create different patterns.

Each time the cards are rotated a new shed will be opened to pass your shuttle yarn through and beat into place. Your pattern may call for a different color weft with each rotation or in a pattern of rotations.

Again, start simple and work your way up to more complicated patterns. Once you have mastered this technique you can design your own pieces.

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