Warping at Warp Speed

Any rigid heddle loom, table loom or floor loom requires warping, the purpose of which is to measure your warp threads and align them so that they do not get tangled and can be easily threaded on the loom. Newer weavers may still be intimidated with this process, but fear not! We are here to help you master the ins and outs of warping your loom - it's as easy as 1-2-3!

First, let's get to know your warping board a little bit better. It's important to know the distance across the board and between pegs, as our resident weaving instructor Nancy Reid demonstrates in the video below; having this information will help you plan the best path for your warp. You'll begin with a leader thread which is a different color from your warp - any smooth, sturdy yarn will do! The leader allows you to easily lay out your warp, and should you find you're missing a warp end, leaving your leader on the board will ensure you can create more warp ends of the same length. 

You may notice that the above video mentions creating a "cross" when laying out the warp. This is a vital step which not only helps you avoid a tangled mess, it will help with tension issues, too! It's important to note that you will be following the leader as you lay out your warp on the board, with the exception of when it's time to create the cross. Since this can be a little tricky for beginners, we filmed a short video demonstrating how and where to create this cross:

At last, it's time to remove the warp! An important detail to keep in mind is that the cross will need to be secured before the warp is removed. In the video below, Nancy demonstrates an easy way to get your cross secured before removing the warp, along with her tried-and-true method for safely removing the warp by making a chain of loops similar to a crochet chain. This chain will keep your warp nice and tidy til it comes time to use it.

Keep in mind, you'll want to make sure you have a block of time that will be free of interruptions, because you get started, it's best to thread it completely through the reed before you take your next break. Before you know it, you'll be warping at warp speed! All the best, Chris, Nancy, and the entire Woolery team