Learning how to use a warping board is an important skill that almost all weavers should know how to do!
It is one of the first steps for setting up your weaving on your loom. When it comes to measuring your warp for your floor, table, or even your rigid heddle loom* there are 2 main options to choose from – a warping board or a warping mill.
Today we are talking about the warping board.
*Rigid heddle looms are often direct warped, but a warping board or warping mill can be used if you don’t have a lot of extra space.
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Why would you choose a warping board over a warping mill?
Available Space
Available Funds
Warping boards take up less space than warping mills. This is because they are essentially just a frame with a bunch of pegs and are used when they are either hung on a wall or propped up against something. They are also easy to move around as needed if you don’t have a dedicated space to have it out at all times.
A warping mill, on the other hand, needs room to freely rotate – though it can usually be collapsed when not in use. Warping mills will need a free flat surface with room on all sides. This could potentially be hard to find in a lot of spaces.
Boards tend to be less expensive than mills because they have no moving parts. You could even make one yourself fairly easily with a few tools and some wood.
First things first: How much warp do you need?
If you are planning your weaving then you will need to figure out how many warp ends (individual warps) you need and how long those warps will be. This is the first step when it comes to using your warping board.
If you need help figuring this out then make sure to check out my planning your weaving post. You can also get my Weaving Process & Planning Guide where I walk you through that (and more!) plus you get the exclusive project planning worksheet.
Your guide yarn, also sometimes called the leader yarn or the measure yarn, is an important part about setting up your warping board. You will want to choose yarn that is a different color than your warp. I like to use inexpensive yarn in a bright color so there will be no doubt that it is not my usual warp and it is easy to follow.
Measure out one strand of yarn that is the length of your desired warp plus a little extra (a few inches.) That little extra yarn will allow you to tie your guide yarn to your warping board and still maintain the length you need.
You can (and should!) hang onto this yarn to reuse in the future. Even if your future warp is shorter than your current one, you can mark the new length on your leader yarn and tie it around the correct peg at that point. It is ok to have some extra that isn’t being used. It is better than creating a whole new length of yarn if you don’t have to!
Find your warp path
Not your war path.
…
Your warp path may be different every time you measure your warp depending on your warping board and the length of your yarn. You can follow the side of your frame, zig-zag across it, or do anything in between!
Find the path that makes the most sense to you and one that allows you to create a good rhythm. You will have to follow this path with your warp yarn hundreds of times so don’t make it too hard on yourself and it is a bonus if it can even be a little fun! Put on some music and get into your warping rhythm.
When you apply your guide yarn to your warp path you will want to build in the beginning of your x so that you can account for that extra yarn and it’s easier to follow when you start warping. As you can see in the image above – the leader yarn does not go straight across the top of the pegs. Instead, it bends around and under peg 3.
The x in your weaving is something that you want to stay mindful of when measuring your warp and setting up your loom. Creating this cross keeps your individual warps separated and avoids tangled yarn and messy situations. While losing your x is not the end of the world, it is definitely still something you want to avoid if you can help it. 300 tangled warp ends aren’t anyone’s friend.
Trust me.
Using your warping board
Attach your yarn straight from the cone/ tube/ or skein by tying it to your first peg.
Follow your lead yarn so that it goes over peg 2 and under peg 3.
Continue over the rest of your pegs and wrap around the last peg at the end of your leader yarn.
Follow the lead yarn back to the beginning but this time you will do the opposite of what you did originally.
Go over peg 3 and under peg 2.
Continue by going around peg 1 and starting over.
Do this as many times as you have warp ends!
You can count your warp as you go or just count every so often – it’s up to you. I do recommend stopping every once in a while to count out your warp ends and bundle them every 25-50 warps with a looped piece of yarn and an overhand knot. I always count more than once, just in case. This will make it so at the end you don’t have to count and recount hundreds of warp ends. (shown in first image under warp ties below- top row)
Once you are finished – cut your warp yarn with some to spare and use that end to tie your warp bundle together at the last peg. To do this you will loop your cut end around the top bundle and then bring it back through the loop you created. (shown above)
You can use any yarn that you have that is a different color from your warp (I talk about using recycled yarn for this exact reason in THIS post!) I like to call warp ties “security blankets” or “safety nets” because they help to make sure all your hard work counting out and creating your warp bundle doesn’t end up in a big pile of knots! The warp ties in the images above are made with bright blue yarn.
The most important space for your warp ties is around your x. You will essentially be wrapping your security blanket yarn around this cross twice to make it really secure. Then a simple overhand knot will keep it in place. (see the third picture above top row)
You will also want warp ties:
On each side of your x. Make a loop around the bundle and use an overhand knot. This will help you out if you accidentally lose your x later on.
Around every foot or so of warp. I usually do this on all of the “flat” areas. Instead of a simple loop, I secure these sections with twining.
Once you are done with all your warp ties you can carefully pull your warp off your board and transfer it to your loom! If you are planning to warp your loom right away then you can move it straight over. If you are planning to warp your loom later or you need to transfer it then I recommend chaining it to move it easier.
How to chain your warp bundle
If you crochet then think of this the same way you start a project, but with your arm instead of a hook. Stick your arm through your x loop and reach down to your bundle.
Pull up some of the bundle through your loop creating another loop.
Continue until the end.
This will create a shorter bundle that is easier to transfer and less likely to get tangled.
Things to keep in mind
If you have a lot of warp ends then I recommend measuring out your warp bundle in stages. Once you are setting up your loom you can’t stop mid-sleighing of your reed for each bundle (when warping front to back.) When you break up your warp into multiple bundles it allows you to take a break if you need to. Get up and stretch or grab a sip or water.
I recommend this once your warp ends get to be over 200. Then just break it up into bundles of 100 or whatever amount seems manageable for you.
If you come across any knots in your warp yarn while using your warping board then you will want to keep those out of your finished weaving. Cut your warp yarn at the knot and go back to either your 1st or last peg (whichever is closer) and tie the warp to the peg just like when you first started (see above.) Start again from this same peg and keep going. You may lose a little bit of yarn this way depending on where your knot was, but it’s better than having a knot in your weaving!
This is also how you would keep going if you finish up a cone of yarn and need to start another. Knots at the end of your bundles around your pegs will not affect your weaving at all because they are a part of your loom waste. Knots in the middle of your warp will be visible in your finished weaving.
You can avoid them.
Stabilizing your warp cone or tube while measuring your warp will help you have a more fluid motion with your board. It will also keep your yarn cleaner since it’s not rolling all around your floor. You can use a cone holder like this one that will rotate and keep it coming off the cone smoother. Or this stationary one that holds up to 4 cones at a time.
Or you can just put your warp yarn in a box on the floor and let it roll around in there. Not quite as elegant and a little finicky, but it works!
Warp a little faster
Using two hands while you are warping can actually make it go faster. Follow your leading hand with your other hand in order to help you smoothly get around your pegs. The more you use your warping board the faster you will get and the easier it will be to get in the flow.
Put on some music and enjoy the movement of the warp across the board. It can be almost as meditative as the weaving itself.
Straight selvedges can be one of the hardest things to accomplish as a new weaver. In fact, “How do you weave straight selvedges?” is probably one of the questions that I get most from my students.
Selvedges that pull in are on the top of the list of the most common mistakes that new weavers make. I talked about some of the other most common mistakes in another post. If you missed it, you can check it out HERE!
For those new to weaving, selvedges (sometimes spelled selvages) are the edges of your weaving that often pull in during the weaving process.
There are a few different reasons why your selvedges may be pulling in to create the classic trapezoid shape that weavers try to avoid.
First, if you are lost in the process (which is a great feeling!) then it becomes really easy to get caught up in the movement and rhythm of weaving and lose track of keeping those sides straight. This happens the most often when you are still learning.
If you get distracted by the world or even your own thoughts then your weaving will reflect it. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put on some music or your current audiobook, just be mindful while you are doing it.
The more you practice, the better you will get at this and the more you can get lost without losing your selvedges.
Another reason why your warp may start to warp is simply because you aren’t giving your weft enough slack. This is incredibly common. Unlike warp, which you usually want to be nice and tight, your weft requires extra give to make sure it interacts with your warp the way you want it to.
Think of it this way, if you have a piece of yarn spanning 6 inches without interacting with anything else, then that yarn is 6 inches. If that same yarn needs to interact with another yarn by going over and under then you will need MORE yarn to span that same 6 inches.
Don’t get me wrong – sometimes uneven selvedges can really add to your weaving, but don’t forget the golden rule of art “Learn the rules first, so you can break them later”.
So how do you create nice smooth selvedges?
It all depends, but let’s go over some scenarios.
How to keep your selvedges straight
Scenario 1: Weft-faced/ tapestry
You’ve probably heard of happy little trees, well we’re going to make happy little hills.
Or bubbles.
Whatever you want to call them is fine.
Due to the structure of a tapestry a.k.a. a weft-faced weaving, the extra slack you add in your weft is what is covering up your warp. You need to add enough extra weft that in can flow around the warps in order to get the classic weft-faced weaving we know as tapestry.
Think of the weft as creating a tunnel and the warp is going through that tunnel. These warp tunnels can also be called warp channels – both are correct. They can also be important in finishing up your tapestry when you are dealing with your weft tails.
The image below shows a cross section of a weaving and a singular weft.
I digress.
The amount of hills is relative to both the width of the weaving and your own weaving style.
Everyone weaves differently.
The only right amount of hills is the one that gets you what you want. A.K.A. straight selvedges.
Try out some different sizes and see what works best for you. Just be careful not to make mountains instead, too much extra weft is a different and totally avoidable issue.
Unlike tapestry, a pattern or balanced weave doesn’t need a lot of extra wefts because it is not covering the warp completely. The weft will actually deflect the warp slightly.
That does not mean it doesn’t need any extra weft, though.
Unlike tapestry, we are not weaving hills or bubbles.
Instead, I recommend placing your warp at a 45-degree angle before beating it down. No need to take out the protractor – just eyeball it.
Again, you don’t want to have too much weft – so experiment a little and find that Goldilocks amount.
The angle you create might differ between your weavings depending on the set, tightness of the warp, yarn choice, and more. Don’t be afraid to change it up as needed with each new weaving.
On that note:
Too much weft can cause your weaving to be lumpy with loops of yarn on either the front or back.
Also, it can be tempting to try to fix your selvedges that are pulling in by overcompensating with your weft- but this just causes them to be even more uneven. You want to avoid creating loops on your selvedges as much as you want to avoid pulling in your warp.
Other straight selvedge weaving tricks
Whether you are weaving tapestry or balanced weave, one of the best things you can do to create straighter selvedges is to establish your selvedge before compressing it.
You can do this 2 ways.
1. Pinch it.
In this method, you are pretty much just holding the warp in place while you compress the weft. Doing this makes it so the extra slack needed for the weft comes from the needle or shuttle end of the yarn and not selvedge. I do this pretty much every time I am weaving regardless of what I am weaving.
2. Weave The First Inch.
Another option is to weave and compress the first inch of each line before continuing with your hills or angled weft. Doing this keeps your selvedges right where you want them! It’s also easier to work with your weft in small increments at a time. This option means you get to set your selvedges exactly as you want them.
With that being said, you don’t have to choose between these methods and I actually recommend you combining them for the best results. Try them all out and combine them for your perfect selvedge weaving combination!
No matter what you do, one of the best things you can do is to pay attention to your weaving and not ignore your selvedges. Unfortunately, they won’t get better if you ignore them.
If your warp does start to warp – then un-weave it and start again. You will be happy you fixed it, even if it took a little time. Your weaving is something that should last and making sure it is right to begin with is the best way to create a weaving you are proud of.
I know that trying to obtain straight selvedges can sometimes feel a little impossible – especially at the beginning. The image above has two of the first weavings that I ever created, but I didn’t let their final shapes shake me. You may notice that their selvedges are not straight. The one on the left is disguised a bit by some magazine edging, but I put that there because it made it seem more straight and I was getting graded! The point being, though, that I kept going. I kept weaving and I kept practicing.
So like most things, you WILL get better with time. If you want straighter selvedges then consistency and a some practice will get you there! Honestly, practicing is the best thing that you can do for better selvedges. In case you needed it – here is your permission to weave more!
You’re Welcome!
What is your favorite way to keep your selvedges from pulling in? Let me know!
There are certain things when it comes to weaving that are paramount to understanding how your weaving works, how to plan it, and how to make it do what you want it to do! One of the most important things to understand? EPI.
EPI stands for Ends Per Inch and refers to how many individual warps you need for every inch of your weaving to achieve the desired type of weaving you want. It can also be called your warp sett or your warp spacing. I will be using EPI and warp sett interchangeably throughout the post.
Interested in weaving initialisms? Don’t forget to check out the PPI post HERE!
So how can this aspect of weaving have such a large impact on your weaving and how do you figure out what EPI to use?
Read on….
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EPI a.k.a. warp sett is arguably one of the most important things you need to figure out before starting a weaving.
The wrong warp sett will set you up for the wrong kind of weaving.
Let’s talk about this in a general sense first.
When you are planning a weaving you are planning for a specific type of weaving. Whether that is tapestry (weft-faced), pattern weaving, or warp-faced weavings you will need to correctly warp your loom with the right amount of warps at the right distance apart.
This is because your EPI will determine how your warp and your weft interact with each other.
You do not want to warp an entire loom expecting it to become a tapestry only to find out that your warp sett was too tight!
When you set up your weaving with a smaller EPI that usually means there will be more space between each warp. This usually means that the warp and weft will interact less. The less they interact, the more the warp can compress – creating a weft-faced weaving.
A larger EPI usually means there is less space between each warp. This creates a tighter weave that does not allow the weft to completely compress. As a result, you will see both warp and weft, creating a balanced weaving.
It is important to point out that this all can change depending on the size of both your warp and weft. Remember that we are concerned about the space between the warps. If you have a smaller EPI but a thicker warp there will be less space between the warps than if that warp were thinner.
Another example is that to weave a thicker weft into a weft-faced weaving you will need a smaller EPI than you would need if you wanted to do the same weaving with a thinner weft because you need more space!
So yeah, your warp density really matters.
Weaving imagery? Think of your weaving in pixels
When you are planning an image-based weaving it is important to remember that your weaving image will need to be “converted” into pixel-like shapes. That is because you are essentially weaving on a grid.
Think of it as making an image in any paint program on your computer or zooming into a photograph until the edges of objects are jagged.
Your EPI affects just how many pixels you have to work with. A larger EPI with small weft yarns will allow for a more detailed and less pixelated image.
If you want to learn more about weaving tapestry and/or image based weavings then I have 2 options for you! You can check out my e-book Weaving Shapes or my online tapestry course Weft-Faced: Tapestry Techniques & Beyond.
Both of these options will help you to break your weaving up into parts to help you easily understand what is possible and how to do what you want to do!
The important thing to know about this number, though, is that it only applies to a balanced, plain woven fabric. Also, sometimes it has a range (for example 8 – 10 EPI).
Let’s tackle the balanced weave “issue” first.
If you are not weaving a balanced weaving, but instead weaving up a weft-faced weaving or tapestry then there is a really simple solution. All you have to do is divide it by 2!
So if a yarn has a recommended warp sett of 12 then it should work well for weft-faced weaving at 6 EPI. (This happens to be my go to EPI for my most used warp yarn 8/4 cotton rug warp).
Weaving up a pattern does complicate things a bit, but not much. Really it just gives you a little bit of wiggle room. Since patterns will have purposeful floats, the weft is not interacting with the warp as much as a balanced weaving. This means you can potentially use the recommended EPI or maybe a slightly smaller EPI. To confirm this, though, you should always sample. Don’t worry I am about to show you an easy way to sample your EPI!
If a recommended EPI is actually a range, that means you should be fine using any warp sett listed and it will depend on just how tight or lose you want your finished weaving to be – but you should sample it…
So that still leaves us with some questions.
What if we want to know for sure how well the pattern will weave up at the recommended EPI?
Ruler (preferable cork-backed so it is more stable)
Tapestry needle
How to make your EPI loom
First, cut your board into a 4-inch square.
This will give you 2 inches of weaving space to sample your EPI. In my example below, I have used mat board. Since mat board is solid and not corrugated it is a bit firmer and therefore nicer to work with. This will also make sure it lasts longer and is better to weave on, but the other options listed above will also work.
Tip: When cutting through a thick material like mat board – make a lot of long shallow cuts instead of trying to cut through all at once. You will save your wrist and create a cleaner line.
On the top and bottom of the square mark each inch with a pen or pencil and cut a notch at the first mark on the top and the last on the bottom (see arrows).
Warping your EPI Loom
Start warping your loom at the top notch. Your yarn should fit snuggly in the notch and you shouldn’t need any tape.
Next, wrap your prospective warp around the loom so that it corresponds to the EPI you want to try out.
Nothing fancy here! Just wrap around the loom in a big circle so that it looks the same on the front and the back.
Make sure to count your warps and that they correspond with the EPI you are trying out. For example, if you are sampling a warp yarn for 6 EPI then you would make sure there are 6 warp ends in each 1-incharea.
Do this for at least 2 full inches so you get an accurate sample. Doing smaller than 2 inches could skew your results if you have uneven weaving along your selvedges. Also, it is important to make sure the warps are evenly spaced, otherwise, your EPI will be incorrect! Do this to the best of your ability. It does not have to be perfect – but it should be close.
In this example, I have spaced the warp out to 6 EPI which means that I have 12 total warp ends (6 ends per inch x 2 inches.)
Your last warp will end at the bottom notch. You can cut it off at the back at about an inch as shown.
Now you can weave with your prospective weft! Using a tapestry needle, manually weave at least an inch of weft.
Is it working the way you want?
Awesome! Move onto the actual weaving!
If not, either try a different weft yarn or re-warp with a new sett and try again.
Keep in mind you shouldn’t force the weft yarn to do what you want. Most of the time when you are weaving you should be placing the weft and not forcing it. I know it is called “beating” your weft, but that is really only reserved for rug weaving or anything you want to have a very dense fabric.
Repeat sampling as necessary. Don’t get discouraged if you have to try out more than one sample. It is better than warping an entire loom wrong!
Above is a comparison of 6 EPI and 12 EPI. The warp yarn is the same, but the weave structure is different. In this case, 6 EPI creates a weft-faced weaving and 12 EPI creates a balanced weaving.
Now that your loom is warped you can try out different wefts on the same sample. Turn it upside down and try a different sized yarn or turn it over and try a different yarn on the back.
What happens if you use a thicker weft? Or a weft with a lot of texture? You won’t know unless you try it!
Work smarter and not harder by warping once for multiple samples!
To take your sample off the loom all you have to do is cut the warps on the back or across the top. You can finish them off by tying simple knots or any other finishing techniques you want. Hold onto your samples to look back on the next time you want to use that yarn and EPI or recycle your yarn for something else and just take some notes!
This mini-loom is great because you can keep it in a binder, bag, sketchbook, or pretty much anywhere and it will not take up any room. Hang onto this and use it whenever you are trying out some new yarn or a new project!
Or you could guess what EPI you should use.
You know, if you like to live dangerously.
What is your favorite way to figure out your EPI? Have you tried out your mini-loom yet?
If you talk to any creative person, I bet that the finishing of their work is probably their least favorite part of their process. This is not always the case, but it seems to be pretty common! For weavers, it is often tied with planning the weaving or warping their loom. Just because it isn’t your favorite part, though, unfortunately does not mean it isn’t important. Knowing how to correctly finish your weaving is important to not only the look, but also the longevity of your finished piece.
You may even enjoy finishing because it is when things start to really seem… finished.
Hemstitch is probably one of the most common ways to finish up your balanced or pattern weaving when it is time to take it off the loom.
Hemstitch is a finishing technique that secures your warp in place so that when you take it off the loom – and it is no longer under tension – the weft doesn’t slide around and un-weave!
It is created by either using leftover weft yarn or a brand new yarn that you attach. Depending on the option you choose you can give this stitch a different look. If you decide to use a new yarn you can even choose something that will stand out from the weaving to emphasize the hemstitch.
Either blend it in or make it BOLD.
While you can use the same finishing methods on tapestry and balanced weave – methods like hemstitch are done most often on functional work like towels, scarves, and table runners. This is because it is a visual technique that bleeds onto the front of your weaving. This may not lend itself well to your tapestry, especially if your tapestry is image based. The images in this post, though, will be demonstrating hemstitch on a tapestry. This actually makes it very easy to see due to the density of the weaving. When it comes down to it hemstitch on balanced weave and on tapestry are done the exact same way.
So you can use it for tapestry if you want.
You do you.
Later in the post, we will also explore hemstitch on a balanced weaving with a video tutorial.
Most weavers use only hemstitch to finish their weavings. On its own – if done correctly – it should keep your weft in place without the addition of anything else.
Paranoia, though, usually makes me use it as a step in the finishing process. I like to make sure things are really secure. I also like the look of a knotted fringe on my scarves and other functional work, so I use them together. That does not mean that you have to, just sharing my own thoughts. One great thing about hemstitch is that you can easily combine it with other finishing techniques like knots and macrame if that is your thing.
Another note: if you are only using it as a part of your process and not your sole finishing technique then you have the option of taking out the hemstitch after it has served its purpose! Once you add in your other technique of choice just carefully cut out the hemstitch and you should be good to go. If this is the route you want to take then you should definitely choose a different colored yarn. This will make it easier to differentiate between your weaving and what needs to be cut-off.
When should you use hemstitch?
If you are worried about your weft moving after taking off the tension then hemstitch is a great option. It is very secure and simple to do once you get the hang of it. Since you have the option of weaving it so it blends in or stands out you can decide how much or how little you want to see it!
I have seen many weavers use hemstitch only for their finished fringe. This makes a softer look at the top and bottom selvedges of your weaving than using knots would. This comes down to preference mostly. Do it if you like the look of it or skip it if you don’t.
photo courtesy of student Caroline Keys
One of my favorite times to use hemstitch is when I am weaving more than one weaving on the same warp. This is a great way to secure your warp when you will have only a small spacer between your weavings. When weaving multiple weavings you will want to minimize the space between them so you are not wasting any yarn. Keeping this space small means that you will not be able to easily use knots when taking it off the loom. Using hemstitch in this case makes releasing the tension from your weaving on the loom a less stressful experience.
Especially if you have a larger weaving, the time it takes you to hemstitch is something to take into account. So if you are short on time then it might not be the best option.
Also, if you plan to take it out at a later time then you may not want to spend the time to do it. This is where it is important to know how you want to finish your weaving before you even start since hemstitch will usually be done at the beginning and the end of the weaving.
In this case, you might want to consider simply folding a bit of your weaving under and hemming it. While I have done this with a weaving the I previously hemstitched, ultimately the time it took me to do the hemstitch seemed like a waste since I had to take it out anyway.
How to hemstitch
Hemstitch is easiest when your weaving is still under tension.
This goes back to my previous point that you will need to know how you want to finish your weaving when you are still planning it. If you want hemstitch at each end of your weaving it is much easier to hemstitch the beginning when you are still at the beginning of the weaving. While you can wait and do this after it is off the loom, it will be harder this way.
Let’s get started:
You will want yarn that is at least 4-5 times the width of your weaving to make sure you have enough without having to stop. This may be overkill, but it’s better to have extra yarn than not enough. If you are using yarn that is not already attached (the remainder of your weft) then you will have to leave a tail on the back of the weaving to tuck in later.
You can do your hemstitch from right to left of left to right. It doesn’t really matter. I usually go from right to left (probably because I am right-handed.)
Come up through the back of the weaving at least 2 wefts down and 2 warps in to make sure it will be secure. Go down more if you want a more dramatic look.
Take your hemstitch yarn and float it vertically on the surface of the weaving. Make sure you don’t pierce your weft yarn and instead go between your weft rows.
Go under at least two warps and then around those same two warps so that your yarn ends on the back of the weaving.
Come back up through the back of the weaving a few warps over and down. If you want a consistent look then make sure to do this the same number of warps and wefts as when you started.
Repeat all the way across!
When you get to the end – wrap your yarn around your last two warps and instead of coming back up – tuck your yarn down a warp channel for tapestry or weave next to a warp for balanced weave. Cut any excess on the back (just like your yarn tail from the beginning.)
The number of warps that you bundle together depends on your EPI and your desired look. If you go around too many warps, though, it loses some of its effectiveness in the long term. I would not go around more than 4 warp yarns at a time unless you have a very dense warp sett. If you plan to take your hemstitch out later then going around more warps should be fine as long as it is not getting handled a lot.
There is also a video below that you can watch where I do hemstitch on a balanced weave.
Variations – Fun Ways To Add Emphasis
Use a different color for the hemstitch that is either contrasting or complimentary. Think bold colors against neutrals or black against white.
You can change up how many weft yarns you capture in your hemstitch. Try doing different patterns like 1 long, 1 short, repeat, or vary it in a graduated pattern to create triangles!
Instead of keep your lines completely parallel, consider bringing your yarn at an angle. (You’ll see this one in the video)
Hemstitch video tutorial
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Complementary Finishing Options
The simplest method to finish off your warp ends is to use overhand knots that sit flush with your weaving. This is often used for scarves or anything that requires a fringe made from your warp. When using knots by themselves and not with a hemstitch, you can use the same method as the simple ties I talked about above. Cut only a few warps at a time to keep the weaving under tension. When using them with the hemstitch – just follow the knot instructions!
Other decorative options for your fringe are macrame or braids. Macrame would be best done with hemstitch as a precursor so that it keeps everything in place.
Do you have a favorite finishing method? Let me know in the comments!
Depending on your yarn buying options you may never need any of these tools to wind yarn. This is because weaving yarn most often comes already wound onto a cone or tube ready to go.
This makes setting up your loom or winding your shuttles simple!
That being said, you may purchase yarn on a skein. This yarn needs to be wound in order to use it, otherwise, it will become a tangled mess.
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Using a ball winder
Probably the most well-known and common way of turning a skein of yarn into a cake: the ball winder is also one of the fastest ways to do it. Despite the name ball winder – it actually makes yarn cakes, but really it does not matter since they do the same thing!
You can either get a manual one or an electric one depending on how much you want to spend and how much work you want to do. These are both great options if you will be winding a lot of cakes and want something that goes relatively fast.
Nostepinne?!
The nostepinne is the original ball winder! It is also the one you probably have never heard of – until now.
Nostepinne means “nest-stick” in Scandinavian and that is a pretty good name for this tool. It is a polished stick that you nest your yarn on to create a center-pull ball. These polished sticks are a simple tool that you can carry with you anywhere. They are actually pretty simple to use too, but they do take a bit longer to wind your ball than a ball winder.
They also require a bit of patience to get the rhythm of the ball going. It will actually feel a bit odd at first, but sticking with it will get you a satisfying center-pull yarn ball!
How to use a nostepinne:
Open up your skein and either place it on an umbrella swift or stretch it across a stable surface.
Find one end of your skein and either wrap it around the far end of your nostepinne a few times or attach it with a slip knot. This will be the center-pull part of the ball.
Start wrapping your yarn around so that the wraps are sitting next to each other. After you have done this a few times, you can start to cross them diagonally as you twist the nostepinne towards you. You will want to try to catch it on the shoulder of the ball you are making as you go. This will help to make sure that it does not get loose.
Twisting the nostepinne while wrapping will ensure that the ball grows evenly and securely. You will want to make sure that your wraps are not just building upon themselves. Also, make sure that you are not wrapping too tight so you do not stretch out your yarn.
When you are done you can simply slide off your ball and tuck in the yarn end that was originally wrapped around the nostepinne!
There is more than one way to wrap a nostepinne, but this is the way I was taught. You can always play around with it to find a way that feels natural to you. Another common method is to wrap your yarn in a figure 8 pattern. Try it out and see which one you like!
Wind your yarn with a knitting needle!
Knitting needles are used in much the same way as a nostepinne since they are basically the same shape.
When it comes down to it all you really need is a stick to wrap some yarn around!
The directions are also the same as for the nostepinne. The only difference is that there is no dedicated notch to attach the center of the yarn to, so just make sure to keep it separate.
The advantage of the nostepinne over the knitting needle is that the nostepinne will be more comfortable to hold. Since it is a dedicated tool for that purpose it is made to be held for longer periods of time while you are working with it.
The advantage of the knitting needle is you may already have one in your studio!
If you only need to wind a ball of yarn occasionally then this may be a great option for you. If you will be winding yarn balls often then you may want to invest in a nostepinne or a ball-winder.
If you have none of the above and you still need to create a ball to work from then you still have an option! This option does not create a center-pull yarn ball, but it still creates a yarn ball that is in a format you can easily use for warping or shuttle winding.
I have actually gone over instructions on creating a yarn ball by hand in my t-shirt yarn tutorial. If you are looking for ayarn winding option that does not require any extra tools then make sure to check out myt-shirt yarn post.
An umbrella swift is a tool that is used to hold a skein of yarn and turn freely as the yarn is taken from it in order to turn it into a ball or cake. They are often made of wood, but also sometimes made of metal and plastic and they open up much like an umbrella does (hence the name.) This means that despite their open size, they do get smaller and easier to store when not in use.
Umbrella swifts are a great tool to have if you are winding yarn because it holds the skein for you and does the work of keeping it tangle-free during the winding process.
If you are using either the nostepinne, knitting needle, or winding a ball by hand then you do not need the umbrella swift. You can put the skein around a chair back or even around your knees while you are sitting in order to keep it taught and tangle-free.
If you are using a ball winder though (and especially the electric ball winder) you will want an umbrella swift to accompany it. So while the ball winder itself is sometimes not that much more expensive than your other yarn winding options, the fact that you need the umbrella swift definitely adds to the expense.
Regardless of how you decide to wind your yarn, it is always good to have some options in your weaving toolbox (literal and figurative!) If winding balls of yarn is not going to be a regular occurrence then stick with a simple method with inexpensive tools or ones you already have.
If you need to wind your own yarn often then I recommend investing a bit more to get a swift and a ball winder so you can spend more time weaving and less time preparing to weave.
Plain weave is a simple weaving technique that is full of depth and incredibly versatile. In fact, I have an entire post on patterns that you can make in plain weave just by changing up the colors of the warp and weft you are weaving with.
What if you are looking for something a little bit different, though, something that can be spontaneous?
That is where clasped weft comes in!
If you are new, or you just want a general reminder of your weaving terms, you can brush up here before continuing!
Clasped weft is a weaving technique that is done in a plain, balanced weaving. The “pattern” that you create can be decided as you weave because you are not limited to the pattern created by combining certain colors of warp and weft.
Clasped weft has some similarities to a few different tapestry techniques, but is also very different!
For a quick refresher: tapestry is a weft-faced weaving with discontinuous weft. Clasped weaving, on the other hand, is a balanced weaving with discontinuous and double weft.
So let’s break down clasped weaving into it’s parts to get a better understanding of the technique as a whole.
First, balanced weaving. A balanced weaving is one where you see the same amount of warp as you do weft – the ratio of warp to weft is balanced or at least close to it.
Discontinuous weft is where your weft yarn does not continue across the entire pick of your weaving. Instead it stops somewhere between the selvedges, is met by a different weft, and then returns to the selvedge it started at. If you are weaving tapestry, then this weft returns to the selvedge in a different pick, but in clasped weft, it returns in the same pick. This is where the next part comes in.
Double weft. This means that you will have 2 picks of weft in the same shed instead of the usual 1. If you are weaving with just 2 weft colors (weft 1 and weft 2) then weft 1 and 2 will meet somewhere in the middle of your weaving, wrap around each other, and then return to the selvedges all without changing your shed. This will show up as having 2 picks of weft woven in the same shed.
Where you decide to have your wefts meet is entirely up to you and your pattern! This is where you really get to have fun with this technique.
So I already mostly explained the how of clasped weft while I was explaining the what, but we can go a bit more in depth.
The most common way to create your clasped weft is to weave your first color (A) all the way across your weaving and out of your selvedge. Then twist your second weft color (B) around the first weft and pull the first weft back through the same shed.
By twisting the 2 wefts around each other, you are doing 2 different things. First, you are joining them together for the visual of the clasped weft. Second, you are ensuring that the first weft is not unweaving the first pick across the weaving since you never changed your shed.
As I said previously, where to place the join is completely up to you and I recommend playing around and having fun with it. You can either do it in a very regimented way to create stair step patterns, diamonds, etc. Or you can do it where you just go back and forth and stop wherever you feel like it! Both of these methods are completely valid and can create super interesting and fun designs. They also create entirely different designs. All with the same technique!
Gotta love the versatility!
If you are weaving more than 2 colors with your clasped weft, then things can change up a little bit.
Clasped Weft With 3 Colors
Weaving clasped weft with 2 colors can create a really fun and interesting design, but what if you want more?
Adding on a third color isn’t really more difficult as long as you start it out correctly.
The most important tip for weaving clasped weft with 3 colors is that the middle color will always be your lead color and you will need to pay attention to where the middle color started in your weaving.
When starting your 3 color clasped weft you will need to start the middle color (A) in the middle of the weaving. Then this color will travel the rest of the way across the shed to wrap around and pick up your second color (B) and then back across to pick up your third color (C). Then A will make its way back to where it started in the middle of the weaving. ALL of this happens within the same shed!
It is important for color A to go back to where it started to maintain the double weft as much as possible. If it goes too far then there will be an area of triple weft and if it doesn’t go far enough there will be an area of single weft. No matter what you do, there will be a small transition area where the double weft switches, but it should mostly blend in to the rest of the weaving.
Once you pick up both B and C with A then you can maneuver the weft to exactly where you want it before you beat it, just like 2 color clasped weft.
Tip: If you are having trouble starting and stopping your middle color A in the same spot each time, then use a knitting stitch marker or tie an extra piece of yarn around the warp you need to start and stop at to more easily identify it.
Clasped weft is a really great option for pretty much anything you want to create. It makes a stunning scarf, table runner, pillow, towel, etc. etc. Really anything you want to create could be fun with clasped weft.
When you are weaving with clasped weft, to really get the most out of your design, I highly recommend choosing colors deliberately because they will really change the outcome of your finishing weaving. Choosing colors that are very different will make a bolder pattern that stands out more. You could also choose one of your wefts to be similar to that of your warp to give off a purposefully unbalanced look.
Variegated yarns can also be a really fun inclusion because they change as you go with no extra thought required! This can usually lead to some really interesting and unexpected results.
As always, I recommend playing around with different ideas before planning a full project to fully get a feel for what this technique can do and how you want to use it.
