Introduction:

Yesterday I met a weaver with beautiful,  and very different hangings at an exhibition. All had the same threading. They truly were lovely and each one looked quite different—she had tied each new warp to the one before it so she did have to do the complicated threading over and over. We talked and I mentioned an easier way to tie-on that Jim Ahrens taught us. He always said, “If you can talk them out of tying  on in front, you will be doing them a big favor.” You can do it anytime you want to start a new warp using the exact same threading you already have in place. The threading for the new warp must be absolutely identical to the old one for you to tie on. It saves time because you only join matching threads—you don’t have to think about shafts, heddles, or dents. Note: There is a whole chapter of 10 pages on this subject in my book Warping Your Loom & Tying On New Warps. Here are the basics for tying on new warps behind the heddles. You begin with the new warp already wound onto the warp beam.

Here are the advantages of tying on behind the shafts.
. You tie only one set of knots. The warps are automatically on tension, and you don’t need to waste time or yarn by tying onto an apron rod.

.Because the warps are always under tension they can’t tangle or break or invite mistakes. (When you pull loose, untensioned threads through the heddles, loops and snags are inevitable.

.Keeping the threads under tension at all times is the key to pulling the knots through the heddles easily.

.You get a perfectly wound warp on the warp beam without any knots on the apron rod.

.You can accurately spread the warp on the warp beam. When working from the front, you wind the warp onto the beam after the knots are tied, using the reed as a guide to keep the warp spread to the right width. The reed is a long, long way from the warp beam, and as the knots pass through the heddles, the heddles can actually scatter the warps.

.With many looms, you can be much more comfortable tying at the back.

Adjust the two warps so they overlap each other about half way between the shafts and the back beam. Leave a 4” tail from each warp extending past the midpoint of the overlap. This is where you tie the knots. Long tails make tying the knots easier—you cut the tails off later. If you don’t have enough of the old warp to overlap 4” past the knot-tying spot, you can make the knots closer to the shafts.

Both crosses should be horizontal—parallel to the floor. If you are using lease sticks, probably the easiest way to make them horizontal is to tie the two warps together temporarily. Make two ties about one fourth of the way in from each edge. Take about an inch of warps from the old warp and a similar bunch from the new warp and tie them in a bow or half bow. It doesn’t matter that these probably are not exactly corresponding threads because you’ll tie them thread-by-thread later. The temporary ties make the crosses parallel to the floor, stabilize the lease sticks, and make it easy to see what you’re doing.

Four Tricks for Success:
#1: Raise the shafts so the warps are in the center of the heddle eyes. This is important so the old warp is straight while you’re tying the knots, and so the knots won’t catch when you pull them through the heddles.

#2: Use a support board for tying the knots. Position the board beneath the knot-tying area, midway between the back beam and the shafts. If your old warp is short, position the board closer to the shafts and adjust the warps so your knot-tying area is above the board.

#3: Tie square knots. With a little practice, square knots are fast to tie. You tie square knots while putting tension on both working ends, so the threads are under tension when the knot is finished. Many other knots must have some slack in one or both ends to make the knot. Since the warp is already under tension, you can begin weaving as soon as the knots are through the reed. You don’t have to tension the new warp; it will tension itself when you are weaving the heading. Also an important advantage is that they are easy to untie. It’s very simple to capsize the knot and slip it out. The granny knot has all the advantages of a square knot except it can’t be untied easily.

#4 Cut the tails. Leave the long tails on the knots until all the knots are tied. Then cut all the tails short—to about ¾” (or ½”). Don’t try to weave or pull the threads through the heddles with the long tails on! The tails will tangle terribly.

How to tie square knots under tension: The knots are tied in a special way because the warps are under tension both during and after the knots are tied. Don’t worry about equal tension on the threads: relax and tie the knots. The tension will even out as soon as you weave a couple of inches.

Hold the old end (coming from the heddles) in your left hand and the new end (coming from the warp beam) in your right hand. Pull a little on both warp ends to make them taut but not tight.

Photo B
Roll the old end over the new end and under it from right to left.

Photo C
Pull the old tail taut by holding the tail in your left fingers in a full-fingers grip, like a mixing spoon.

Photo D
Put your left thumb on top of the crossed threads, pushing them against the board.

Photo E
Hold the tail of the new end an inch from the tip with our right thumb and index finger. Point the tail toward the intersection of your left thumb and index finger.

Photo  F
Pass the tail of the new end over the old end, and under it from left to right, pulling the tail through the loop you just formed. I think of this step as twirling the new end over the old end. It’s a little like making a knot in a sewing thread by rolling it between the thumb and index finger—you roll the tail into the loop, then pick it up and pull.

Photo G
Pull the right tail toward you so the knot forms under your left thumb.

Photo H
Tighten the knot by pulling the old tail (left hand) toward the heddles and the new tail (right hand) toward the warp beam. Pull each end simultaneously and equally. Lay all the tails to one side so they are easy to pick up and cut off later.