A Universal tie-up for you. Never tie up your treadles again!
Introduction:
I’ve posted this many times and it continues to be one of the most seen of all my posts. If you already use it, please bear with me. Since I gave the countermarch weavers their tie-up, I thought I should repeat this one yet again for everyone else. In fact, my own 4-shaft looms have only 4 treadles, so this is what I use for everything. And I think it makes me more creative because I can change my mind whenever a new idea comes along.
This tie-up works for jack and counterbalance looms.
I never change my treadles on these four-shaft looms because I only use the tie-up in the photo. The left outside treadle connects to shaft one and the right outside treadle connects to shaft two. The left inside treadle connects to shaft three and the right inside treadle connects to shaft four.
This tie-up allows you to treadle all the possible combinations of four shafts by pressing two treadles at a time. That means you can change from one structure to any other on a whim, and you don’t have to redo the tie-up. Because there are only four treadles, the feet can always find where to go.
A student of mine one enthusiastically said, “I tried your tie-up and added two treadles for tabby!”
I said, “You’ve missed the point. You don’t want those extra treadles; they just make it more complicated for the feet.”
Using two feet at once, this tie-up allows you to “walk” your treadles for almost every weave structure. Try it right now, pretending you’re sitting at a loom with the treadles as shown. Treadle shaft one, now two, now three, now four. You can weave faster because you’re alternating feet. Rememer that shafts one and two are on the outside, which makes them easy to find, so you can get started and find the other treadles easily without looking. (I’ve seen looms built with the same idea, with the arrangement: 3,1,2,4. That works, too.)
To treadle plain weave, put one foot in the crack between the two left treadles to press both treadles at one time with the left foot for one shed. Do the same with the right foot on the right- hand treadles for the other shed. Alternate your feet to weave tabby or plain weave.
Now try treadling a 2/2 twill. One and two together, two and three together, three and four together, four and one together. See how only one foot needs to move at a time? It’s just like dancing!
There is a comprehensive chapter on how the different kinds of looms work and how to adjust them in my book, Warping Your Loom & Tying On New Warps. It is available on my website as a pdf.
This tie-up is also in my book Weaving for Beginners, also available on my website. www.peggyosterkamp.com
What a great idea !!! I do really like this. I can’t wait to try it out !! Thank you
Wonderful post.
I just acquired a four harness, four pedal Harrisville loom.
I want to begin with it after New Years.
It’s my first loom in about twenty years so I’m going to need all the help I can find. I’ve bought one of your books and can borrow your spiral bound one on warping from my local Phila Guild of Hand Weavers!
EstherGrace Gilbert
Hi I inherited this loom A Glimakra floor loom Ideal and I need some instructions on the tying up
I know it is a counterbalance loom but not a Jack loom do you have any instructions please i would be grateful
Beverley
I’ve written extensively about countermarch looms in my book, Warping & Tying On New Warps. It’s available as a pdf on my website. The chapter addresses jack and counterbalance as well; and in general, the geometry of how looms work.
Peggy
I have 6 pedals and 4 heddles. Which 4 should I use?
Leave out the 2 middle ones or the two outter ones. See what is most comfortable for you. It depends upon width of treadles and your feet, I would say.
Peggy
I don’t know if I haven’t left an entry under a post in the past. I read your site constantly. I am from Poland and I am self-taught.
I also have my blog where I describe my weaving and spinning.
My 4 shaft counterweight loom is tied according to your instructions. I also described the method on my blog, citing your website as a source. I have included your drawing on my blog, so if you disagree, please let me know. I will remove the drawing.
Best regards, Ania from Poland.
I’m honored that you want to share my information.
Peggy
I’m a new owner of a Harrisville Design 8 shaft, 10 treadle floor loom. Would this tie up work for me? I’m flummoxed with what to do with all these chains!
Thank you for such an informative website.
Dear Helen,
I’m not sure how to respond. First, NO this tie up is only for 4 shaft looms!! It certainly can work when you are only using 4 shafts for a projestraight down to that treadle. If you wanted them to be tied to the furthest treadle on the left, then they should come down from the shafts over on the left sides of each of the shafts. If all this seems unclear, you probably need my book, Weaving for Beginners which explains and illustrates how to tie up the treadles and lots more that you might still need to know about. If there is no manual with the loom you might contact the Loom Manual Library and see if there is a manual you could get for your loom. http://www.//textilecentermn.org. Another book of mine explains the basics of how to use multi shaft looms (more than 4 shafts). That is Weaving & Drafting Your Own Cloth. See my webside for these books. Good luck. I’d love to hear if you understood this reply and if it helped explain why there are so many chains.
Peggy
Thank you very much for the swift reply. I perhaps should have added that I am very new to weaving using a multi shaft loom!
I think it makes sense. I’ve put your beginner’s book on my birthday present wish list. Thank you again
I especially have info on multi shaft drafting in my book Weaving & Drafting your Own Cloth. You might want to put that at the top of your list for now.
Peggy
I am just getting ready to add two shafts to a two harness counter balance loom, planning how to add lamms and four more treadles. Wow, this will make it much easier.
Glad you saw my post. Perfect timing!
Peggy
Before I had a chance to try it my wheels started grinding and I came up with this:
Tie treadle 1 to shaft 2, 2 to shaft 1, 3 to shaft 4 and 4 to shaft 3. I tried to paste in a diagram but it wouldn’t paste, but here is a truth table.
Depress treadle this shaft rises
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
1, 2 3, 4
2, 3 2, 3
3, 4 1, 2
4, 1 4, 1
Can you see an error in my logic?
Paul,
I don’t see your logic. the point is that you only tie up 4 treadles. With that tie up you can get all 14 combinations for 4 shafts. Any more treadles get in the way and miss the point. I’m getting ready for a trip to Japan so don’t have time to solve the puzzle right now. I hope you understand. Another time it could be fun.
Peggy
Sorry, the program changed the spacing in my truth table, but you can surely figure it out.
See other reply.
Peggy
I’m a dobby loom weaver and was given a jack loom (I think!) which had been sitting in a barn for many years. It would be perfect for a project we are doing here with locally grown flax. I need to restring it. Your blog looked really helpful so I am hoping you have advice on knots I need to learn! Or a useful book? I’d really appreciate help
Get my book, Weaving for Beginners. see my website: Peggyosterkaamp.com. All you need to know including knots.
Peggy