Weaving Links and Warp Calculations

WEAVING

Viking Style Tablet Weaving

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How to build a frame loom

How to warp your frame loom

How to weave on your frame loom

Quick Guide to Warp Calculations:

Let's say you are going to weave a table runner that is 16 inches wide and 40 inches long.
A. Calculate the lenght of your warp: The length of the sample piece is 40", but you will also need additional warp length for tying onto the loom and other loom waste. The average loom waste is approximately 24". You should also add to this figure another 10% (=4") for take-up, which is the amount of warp length "lost" during weaving, and it is a good idea to add another 10% (=4") for possible shrinkage, when washing the fabric after weaving. Add these four numbers to get the total length required of the warp.
40 (length of piece)
24 (loom waster)
4 (take-up)
$#160;4 (shrinkage)
=72" or 2 yards total length.

B. Calcuate the total number of warp ends: To determine how many ends per inch (epi) you will need to count both the holes and slots in one inch to determine the ends per inch. For this example, let's say you have a 10-dent reed and so you will set your warp at 10 ends per inch. Now multiply the width of your planed waving times this epi to get the total number of warp ends. In our example: 10 epi x 16" weaving width = 160 total ends of warp yarn.

C. Calculate the total amount of warp (in yards) needed. Finally, to figure how much warp you will need to buy, multiply the 160 total ends by 2 to get the length of each warp end in yards.

Here's the simple formula (from steps B and C above):
Total warp ends x length of warp (in yards) = total yards of warp.

Calculating how much weft you will need

The amount of weft yarn you will need is determined by how firmly you pack your weft (or filler, or crosswise threads). For a balanced weave (the same numver of warps per inch as wefts per inch) buy the same amount for weft that you buy for warp. For a weft-faced weave (where weft packs tightly and covers the warp) buy more weft than warp, up to five times as much weft as warp for a weft-faced weave.

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Last Updated: January 6, 2003