Well, this job will take a good while, but I think it will work out. In my books I show a trick for threading that isn’t really a trick; it’s a technique I always use. Jim Ahrens taught it to us in our Production Weaving classes. What you do is put tension on the threads so they are taut when they are in the lease sticks making it easier to see which is the next thread. I usually use a 3 ½-ounce wrench for a weight (it lives in my apron pocket). I separate out a bundle of cut warp threads about the thickness of a medium-sized carrot to tension. When you select a strand to thread next you pull it out of the weighted bundle using the threading hook. This is described on page 71 in Weaving for Beginners and on page 51 in Book #2, Warping Your Loom & Tying On New Warps available now in PDF format. [click any photo to enlarge]
For these tiny threads I used very small fishing weights and tied many ties along the lengths of small bundles just so none of the threads flew around.
You can see them hanging down at the back of the loom if you look closely. ( My loom is folded up for threading.) The fishing weights were from weaving velvet one time.
This photo shows the threads in the lease sticks.
This photo shows the threads behind the heddles as they go into the heddles.
These photos show the
threads coming out of the heddles.
This last photo shows where I am so far—threads that are in the heddles and held to the side out of the way by a tiny ball of UHU removable putty.
These fantastic photos are by Bob Hemstock, my miraculous web guy.
Wow, you have the patience of a saint. Good luck and please let us see the finished product.
R Johanna
Peggy,
Is that fine thread or Fishing Line, monofilament I was told to call it(LOL). If it is monofilament that’s a brilliant solution to a very slippery warp. What my Professor, Max Lenderman and I figured out for dressing the loom with 6 pound test line was to wrap the warping bar with sand paper. I used small bull clips to keep the small sections together. Your idea with the fishing line is great I’ll have to try it..Thanks so much for the inspiration,
joy p duskin
they are fine silk threads. Good idea to think of the technique for other slippery threads.