Loom set-up by tying in

If we weave a fabric with the same threading as the previous one, we can tie our new warp threads onto the warp of the previous fabric. In doing so we will need to tie between 1200 and 2000 weaver’s knots, which are then pulled through small eyelets called heddles.

Loom set-up by drawing

If we change to a different threading and weave, we set up the loom by drawing the warp threads through small eyelets called heddles. This process involves hooking the warp threads through the heddles in the correct order. The heddles are connected to shafts and the order of the threading will determine the weaving pattern. There are hundreds of heddles and it takes a fair amount of concentration to stick to the correct order.

After the warp threads are threaded up through the heddles, we distribute them evenly through the reed, a wire comb with gaps in a particular spacing. This process is called sleying and it determines the density of the warp threads.