Saturday, May 3, 2014

Inkle Irritation!

I was excited to try out my new inkle loom and decided to start tonight.
I watched some videos, compared photos of the same loom, and got it all warped.
It looked great....right?

Well....the video failed to mention how to set the tension before warping and I didn't think it through.  It all looked great and I started weaving.  I realized when I needed to advance the warp that there was no way I was going to be able to.  I had warped it firmly on the loosest setting. So, there was no way to loosen it so the warp could slide.  I had to cut it off and start all over!  Sigh!

I warped it again and did so with threads I'd cut off...trying not to waste them.
That may have been a problem because I think it made my warp thread tension uneven.
I started weaving again and I'm finding it to be challenging.  Weaving on my much bigger floor loom is a LOT easier.  I'm not sure if the uneven tension is the problem but weird lumps are showing up and my right selvage is horrible.  I never have problems with selvages on my floor loom.


Maybe I'm just too tired from working on it so long.
It's 11:30 at night and I think I started this around 6:00.
I'm heading off to bed for some much needed sleep.
I'll try again tomorrow.  Wish me luck!
This is supposed to be fairly easy, right?

4 comments:

gilly said...

Weaving is still on my list of crafts to try, so it looks and sounds very impressive to me! Have a good rest and things will be better in the morning :-)
Xx

Sandy O' said...

Nothing is easy the first time you try something new. I would suggest you start with a fresh warp and pull the weft a little tighter holding the right edge with you fingers. You don't want to see the weft in the weave. And for practice, start with the shortest warp length. You'll get it!!

Mereknits said...

I think it is probably all part of the learning process. I am going to get myself a table loom for my birthrate this summer, I can't wait. Good luck,
Meredith

Cindie said...

Ok, so you've done what everyone does inkle weaving at some point -now you've gotten forgetting to move that tension peg over with your first try, now you move on.

Inkle weaving is a totally warp faced weave - you shouldn't see any of your weft except along the edge. Tug that weft up until the it's completely warp faced and try weaving. When I inkle weave after I change sheds I give that weft a little tug also to keep any loops or unevenness off those edges - you'll develop a rhythm in it just like on the floor loom.

So keep going on this warp - use it as your learning warp. After you've woven an inch or so if there are threads that are of uneven tension just pull them and put a pin through the them into your 1" of inkle weaving to pull them tight - then go on weaving.

Have fun with it!