Dressing a Weavebird

[Sandra]

I’ve watched the videos in Episode 2 a couple of times and am still at a loss as to how to set up the raddle and lease sticks on my Leclerc Weavebird. In the past, I’ve clamped the raddle to the back beam and strung up the lease sticks pretty much as Jane does, between the castle and the back beam. But it isn’t ergonomic and my back aches afterwards. The top of the castle is pretty much inaccessible for a raddle – it is taller than I am and I’d never be able to reach properly to load the raddle (never mind actually seeing what I’m doing). It would also be tricky because of the cables and pulleys. Clamping to the top of the harnesses presents an issue because of the cables and eye hooks. I’m fresh out of ideas to make this work better for me.

Photo so you can see what I’m dealing with:

[Jane]

Hi Sandra,

I keep coming back to this picture hoping that someone out there has come up with a brilliant idea! LOL

Have you tried clamping the raddle to the castle uprights right around where you have your laces tied through the eyelets?

Would that be too much of a reach if you were standing at the back of the loom.  You would have your lease sticks suspended between the raddle (attached to the castle)

and the back beam.  You would have to open up your heddles and move them all to the sides and then your warp would go through the harnesses to the front.

 

[Sandra]

Hi Jane!

I was hoping you’d have a good idea for me! LOL

This sounds as if it might work, assuming my raddle is long enough (I’m not so sure about that though). The back beam just lifts out (like the front one), so I could just step inside over the floor level support (and pay attention to where I’m stepping).

I’m going to give it a try, hopefully tomorrow, as I have a warp just sitting and waiting for me to figure this out. This loom has certainly been a learning experience for me and I’m nowhere near able to being able to take advantage of all it has to offer. It belonged to a friend of my sister’s (Marie Payne, if you know her) and I got the scoop when she decided to sell. Even though it was more loom than I was prepared for as a beginning weaver, I knew that I’d regret it if I didn’t buy it. My other loom is a four harness counterbalance that I brought home as a souvenir from military service in Hungary. It has also presented a few challenges in figuring out how to adapt your method of dressing the loom, but I think I have a handle on that one. It helps that the back beam with a built-in raddle holder sits at chest height.

[Jane]

Let us know how it goes Sandra….don’t forget that the warp has to go over the back beam just in case you do remove it 🙂   We are cheering for you!

[Inga]

I clamp my raddle on the back beam and my back hurts if I bend to to put warp in, but if I sit down it is not an issue.  A higher chair (like office chair) or bench is fine. Something to park your bottom while you spread your warp. I have Fanny Leclerc, and back beam could be lifted (yours looks the same) and I put raddle between wood and pins. No need to clamp.

[Sandra]

Thanks for your reply, Inga. It has occurred to me to sit to load the raddle, clamped to the back beam. I’m not sure I understand what you mean by “I put raddle between wood and pins. No need to clamp.”

[Inga]

[Inga]

I hope you can see what I mean. 

[Sandra]

Oh, I see. Mine does the same (it is also a Leclerc), but unfortunately the raddle is too short to do this. I have to clamp.

I’m considering running the cords at an angle when I tie the lease sticks on so that they sit high on the castle side and lower towards the beam. This should help. As I make two crosses in my warps, the lease sticks don’t need to stay in for the beaming process, so it isn’t as important that I have the warp towards the front of the loom. There is a wall there anyway, so Jane’s method would have to be modified to work from the back of the loom. I can still use the book method of tensioning.

[Inga]

Too bad.  My 36″ loom came with 45″ reeds and raddle.  It is a nuisance, but one day I’ll just shorten it all.

I also beam with my warp toward the back.  Much simple to tighten, no running around and enough space to stretch the warp.

[Author]

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