Introduction:
Many of my weaving friends never learned to make 2 crosses on the warping board. Instead, I think that they stopped to make ties and tied off each and every group of threads for the raddle. I taught my beginners to make a cross with groups of threads for the raddle as well as the familiar thread-by-thread cross I think every weaver makes to keep the warp threads in order. It’s easy to do without stopping while winding the warp on the pegs. At one end of the warp you make the thread-by thread cross and at the other end you make a second cross with groups of threads on each side of the pegs. Then loading the raddle is quick and easy and accurate as well. The illustrations are from my book, Weaving for Beginners. And there is more text, of course in the book, as well as many more illustrations of the warping process. Note that there is a comprehensive chapter on warping front-to-back in the book as well. But this post is for the “back-to-fronters” because a raddle is used.
Here is what the cross for the raddle will look like on the pegs on the warping board (or warping reel). The number of threads in each group depends upon the sett (epi) and the size of the spaces in the raddle. For example if the sett is 20 epi and the spaces in the raddle are ½” , then there should be 10 threads in each group.
Here is how it might look like on a warping board. Notice that there are 4 pegs allotted to each cross: the regular thread-by-thread cross and the raddle cross. Then, the true cross is on it’s own 2 pegs and not involved with the ends of the warp or a peg where the warp configuration changes direction.
It’s interesting that a false cross develops beside the raddle cross. It is NOT a cross and disappears later so you cannot use it at all. I told my students happens naturally when groups of threads are put into a cross. In the illustration you can see the false cross between pegs 5 and 6 and that it looks similar to the real cross, except the X is encircled with threads.
I always taught my students to color code the ties for the crosses. This is shown in the illustration for the thread-by-thread cross. Notice that the end peg is tied on each side of the peg just like on the pegs holding the cross. When I checked their work, I always counted the ties at each cross: “1,2,3,4,5,6.” Color coding makes it easy to avoid twists in the warp when putting the lease sticks in. Tying on each side of the pegs makes it very easy to open the warp where the lease sticks go in. It’s very important to make ties at the end pegs, especially at the raddle cross end.
Here is what the warp would look like when all the ties for the 2 crosses are made. (The extra ties in the illustration represent choke ties.)
Lease sticks are placed in the raddle cross when it is taken off the warping board.
Here’s the set up for loading the raddle easily and efficiently. There is a folded piece of paper on the nails so they don’t snag the warp. Notice the big book on the warp. That is so you can pull against it slightly to make tension on the threads so it is easy to see the groups of threads in the cross. Then you can load the raddle without mistakes.
Notice in the previous photo that the cross on the lease sticks is very close to the stick in the end of the warp. To move the lease sticks you need to move the cross. Here’s how to move the cross: Separate the threads behind the lease stick that is further away from you—since you’ll be moving the cross toward you, away from the raddle. Open a space between the threads as if you were opening the long handles of a pair of hedge clippers: the threads will pivot at the point where they cross. If you gently widen the gap, as if opening the clipper handles wider, you see that the cross moves. Move the cross gently, don’t force it to move. Move it to the position shown in the previous photo.
I have used this method and found it makes warping so much easier. All of your books and information are wonderful.
What a great tip! I’m a new weaver, and I got your book, the Deborah Chandler book, and joined Jane Stafford’s online guild. I’ve been spending a lot of time reading and watching. LOL There is SO much to learn! I’ve found that for me, it’s really helpful to know the why’s of doing things. And then to try different ways to see what works. Thank you for talking about what it is, why I’d use it and when. Some of the facebook pages are just not helpful. One person will say, “Oh I never warp B2F” and the next person will say the opposite. Discussion around why is so helpful to me.
I’ve knitted, spun, sewn clothes and quilted for years, but this is new territory. So enjoying your posts. 🙂
Peggy,
As you know, I just did this technique for the first time..very calm & satisfying way to deal with keeping the warp in a logical order..
Thank you. I will never go back to not using a raddle cross!
i’m so happy for this.
Peggy
Peggy so with this method I would put the raddle cross at the back of the loom and wind my warp onto the back beam? Move the lease sticks to the other cross when it reaches the heddles and use that cross to thread the heddles ?
yes
That’s a good question. I wondered, why keep the normal “beginning” cross — or is it used for the heddles?
Hi Mrs. Peggy!
As I am sure you knew, my instructor at Haywood in North Carolina, Mrs. A. Putansu uses your book to teach her Intro/Beginner Weaving class,
which I took last year. I began year two last week which is Production Methods. Your tips and tricks has proved to be so efficient! As I begin to evaluate my movements and track my work time I just have yet to find a way that that is any faster! Thank you for allowing us to learn from you.
Thank you so much! When I make a post or tip, I often wonder if anyone sees it. Thank you for allowing me to know your praise! And I didn’t know about Mrs. Putansu.
Peggy
Hi. As a new weaver I just found this double cross method which is unique to you I think. It makes sense but my problem is that my warping board doesn’t allow for it. I can drill more holes and pegs eventually but am ready to wind a warp and just realized this. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Can’t you make the other cross with pegs you have? they don’t need to be close together. All pegs can be used any way you want. That’s all I can suggest. I have lots of configurations in my book Weaving for Beginners. I made it just for you and I hope you’ll get it ASAP. There’s all kinds of stuff in there you need to know and understand and lots for the future. Huge number of illustrations. available as a pdf for much cheaper.
Peggy
Dear Peggy,
I am visiting my daughter in Scotland and we put together a Baby Wolf Loom and followed instructions that came with the loom just using one cross and beaming from back to front. The first project turned out great for my daughter, however when I learned to weave years ago,back to front,I used two crosses and the raddle was in the front. Could this method be used easily on the Baby woof loom? We are doing a lot of laughing and reading trying to figure out different methods and looms! I am used to the cloth apron from my old jack loom and for some reason I don’t think the strings are are as secure on the new ones.
We would sincerely appreciate any advice! Just received your book for Beginners today.
Thank you .
Sincerely,
Ann Cameron
Hi,
I dress my loom back to front using this method and as you mentioned I always end up with a false cross by my raddle cross (I warp one thread at a time). I also always make sure to secure the crosses and the ends as shown. However, when I do this and slip the lease/cross sticks through the loop at the end of the warp and the raddle cross, the warp threads that are between the raddle cross (or the raddle itself after being loaded) are inevitably all twisted from the false cross. This always ends up causing me some confusion/distress when I then try to wind my warp neatly and evenly. What am I doing wrong? I’ve also wondered if I could avoid this completely by inserting the cross stick that is at the end warp loop differently. Instead of slipping it through the end loop secured by the two colored ties, could it be slipped in directly behind the previous peg where the raddle cross ends but before the false cross and then tugged to the end of the warp to sort of comb out the twists? Using fig. 65 as an example, could the end stick be placed in the space directly behind peg #6 (behind being the side of peg #6 closer to peg #5) and then maneuvered to the end loop created by peg #5?
I hope this question makes sense! Thanks for all the great info!
I think you are tying your sticks in the wrong places.Go to page 20 fig. 66 You want to put in 3 sticks: one in the end loop #5. On in #6 and #7 . 6 and 7 are the ones holding THE CROSS. Then turn to page 23, fig. 75. Note TIES for 5 & 6 for the cross and 7 for the end. then you will not be tying your sticks in for the false cross. (6 &7) I JUST NOTICED THAT THE NUMBERS ARE DIFFERENT FOR THE TWO FIGURES. I hope we can change that for the new fourth edition about to go to the printer. At any rate you want to tie the CROSS and the end. Let me know if this isn’t clear.
Peggy
Hi
I have a question for when the warp is ready and you bring it to the loom. Would you put cross sticks on both crosses or you put one cross and then replace it once you finished warping ?
I wish the was a blog first step once you bring the warp on the loom🙏and start putting it on the radle
I think you figured out–put the sticks in the group cross to load the raddle. You can remove them for beaming and put them in the threading cross when you get to that end.
I never meant that my blog posts would replace my book, “Weaving for Beginners”! I hope you’ll consider getting it ASAP. Inside the new edition is a poster with all the steps for setting up the loom as well as the page numbers with the descriptions. Then you can hang it up and always know what the next steps will be. Order on my website. Keep me posted.
Peggy
Happy to get the book. Can you get it in kindle?
You can get a pdf. go to vera@creopress.eu
Peggy
PS go there for print or pdf versions of my Weaving foor Beginners book, 4th edition.
THANK YOU Peggy for such explicit instructions how to create a warp with two crosses.
1.) Especially helpful is the analogy and visualization of the hedge clippers. Your clipper explanation makes moving the cross a methodical operation. Until now, I have never been able to get the cross to move up or down the warp smoothly without making a tangled mess.
2.) I have always tied the center section of the cross in addition to all four sides to help me distinguish the cross from the jumble of other ties on the warp. Is there a reason why you do not recommend tying the center of the cross?
it’s much clearer without the ties in the middle of the cross–You just pull the ties apart and the cross clearly is there.
Peggy