For many weavers, “paddle” is a mysterious word. Perhaps they’ve tried and never quite figured out how to make it work. It may have seemed awkward, confusing—but always seductive. How liberating to be able to warp multiple ends at once! But keeping one thread organized and moving freely onto the warping board or reel can be a challenge—how much
more dexterity it must take to manage four or six or a dozen! But that is exactly the advantage of using a paddle. The paddle lets you measure many threads with every pass up and down the board or reel. Becoming proficient with the paddle need not take any special dexterity—in fact, its use has developed precisely because it acts as an extension of your own hand. See the Weaving Tip: Why Use a Paddle?
See Chapter 1: Using a Paddle, in my Book #1, Winding a Warp & Using a Paddle.
Hi Peggy,
Good article on the paddle. I think what confuses me most is how you maintain order for the individual threads. I had read an article talking about warping in groups of 4 where the groups are alternated in the cross. I found that strange. If, lets say, you’re doing 14 threads in a paddle, how do you alternate the up/down of each thread when you get to the cross pegs? It seems (in my mind) you would have to manually manipulate each thread in the proper direction.
Perhaps it is I need a video!! I always understand better with visuals.
Keep up the great work. And thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge.
The paddle itself is what creates the thread-by-thread cross. Now you see my book and I hope you understand that point. Let me know if there are more questions. You always want a thread-by-thread cross. I’ve seen some cultures where they pick the cross with their hands but the paddle is what I use–either type. Peggy
Peggy,
Do you ignore knots in the warp threads when they appear? Or is there some way to go back and cut the offending strand and re-tye it?
Yes, I ignore them. Using a reed with 2 per dent lets the knots pass through. then repair the ones that are offending after off the loom.
Peggy