making a warp for log cabin with symmetry threads

[Mary Godfrey]

Hi Jane and Co

I’m about to make some Tencel and silk log cabin scarves with the patterning in blocks of shafts. I like adding the extra thread (in this case black) for symmetry but it makes winding a warp tricky. I usually wind an AB warp with two threads of yarn for ease and speed. Do you have any tips for how to add that extra thread between the blocks?

Thanks for all the brilliant tips and advice in this forum.

Mary

 

 

• This topic was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by Mary Godfrey.

[Sandra]

What you could do Mary, is when you get to the point in winding your warp that you want to add the symmetry thread, break your warp at one end and secure that end as well as you can by wrapping it around and around a peg.  Move to the other end and break it off there and carefully knot the single thread to that end.  Trying to maintain your tension as your wind, add your single thread to the warp until to get to the other end and tie it securely to the other end and keep winding.  OR – take the chicken way out (which I might do) and remember where you want to add it and just include the length you need when you are threading and weigh it at the back of the loom.  I don’t have an extra pair of hands around that could help me if I needed it.  😏

Maybe someone else has a brilliant idea?

[Ginette]

Could you not cut off your 2 ends and tie the one end back to the 2, wind the one length, cut it off and tie your 2 ends back? It’s a little extra work but it may help to stay consistent and it’ll only happen each time you need your symmetry thread. Or that’s how I would do it.

I think in the episode Making a good warp, when Jane has to change the amount of threads in her hand for the black/grey cotton boucle warp, she does that to keep it simple. I’d have to go back and review that part again but I think that’s how she does it.

 

[Mary Godfrey]

Thank you Sandra and Ginette. I have made the warp now and it wasn’t as tricky as I’d expected.

In my warp draft there are 10 places where I needed a double black. Winding the warp with two threads – one blue, one black,  I just had to switch which colour came first in my hand when I needed to have 2 blacks together. This worked for 6 of the places for a double black, and only 4 places where I needed to knot in and wind two blacks together.

It’s hard to explain but I worked it out on paper first which helped me spot a simple way to do it. Log cabin is a super colour and weave technique, but it can be a bit mind boggling when you want to play with lots of blocks whilst maintaining the symmetry.

 

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