How many shafts on a Rigid Heddle Loom?

On 21 May 2006 10:11:57 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com spewed forth :

I think the idea behind a rigid heddle loom is to use but a single reed and do most of your patternmaking with the warp, not the weft. All of the examples of rigid heddle looms in my references show single reed setups. Of course, I don't actually weave, I just pretend I know things because I've read books, so I could be wrong :D

Wooly with a Baby Wolf gathering dust in the hallway

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Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET. This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%. Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...

I'm also just a novice weaver but I know a RHL is equivalent to 2 shafts. I don't know about the hand picking - I would think it would be very time-consuming and am not sure if it would give you the results you want. The advice I got from people was to start with a 4-shaft loom as you can actually do a lot of different techniques with 4-shafts.

Do you have a nearby guild? Many weavers are happy to show their looms and explain what's good and bad about them.

Eimear

I've taken some classes in weaving. I'm in the middle of a cross-country move and I'm waiting until I get settled to buy a loom.

What kind of loom you get should depend on what you want to weave. Talking to a local guild is a good idea. Lacking that, talk to a weaver at a craft fair maybe. Since you already spin, you probably go to events that have weavers in attendence. Maybe your local yarn shop can give you names of weavers who also teach.

One idea to consider is a table loom. Some of them come with 4, 8, 12 or even 16 reeds. They are popular since they are portable enough that you can take them to class. The more complex the pattern of the warp/weft, the more reeds you need. At least one company sells 4+4 looms (4 reeds now and 4 more can be added later). That would minimize your initial expense in case you are unsure. Some of the table looms are as wide as 24 inches.

There are definitely some good beginner weaver books. Try your library first. All my books are in storage now so it is hard to recommend one.

good luck, Shana

hi Jo A rigid heddle loom means that you have the advantage of one heddle with two positions therefore the 'sheds' (open bit you shove the weft through) change from one to two with the lifting or lowering of the heddle. The heddle itself is also the beater take a look here

it will show you how to set one up and thus give you an idea of how it all works.

hth higz Cher

Thanks for the replies ladies. I thought I heard someone using two heddles to create a four shaft pattern but I must have heard wrong. Great site, Cher, very helpful to see how it all works. I'll have to go down to my local fibre shop and check out both the rigid heddles and the table looms and see which I prefer.

Oh yes you can use two heddles, but you'd need to upgrade the original loom where the single heddle slots in, you'd have to make another slot for the other heddle.

I'ts actually one heddle reed, but is designed so that the lifting of it gives you two shafts...so another one would give you four shafts...when you thread one rigid heddle up, you put one thread in one eye and the other thread in the slot...so lowering it or raising it only moves the eyes or the slots..

hth bit hard to explain with out showing it lol higz Cher

Yes you can use two heddles to create more complex patterns. You can also use two heddles to create a much finer weave with smaller warp, i.e., 20 (or 24) to the inch as compared with 10 (or 12). But loading (dressing) the loom is much harder, I think..

And you can also use the flat stick to change the pattern of the shed and thus make a different warp-weft pattern. Here is a very good book on rigid heddle weaving (from Amazon)

Hands on Rigid Heddle Weaving (Paperback) by Betty Linn Davenport List Price: $18.95 Price: $12.32 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25

And yes there are 4 and more harness table top looms that do what the bigger floor style do. And at an in between price. But you still need a table top for them and a space to leave them in-between. We have neither so we have the rigid heddle looms (actually three of them)

and for another choice on learning, see

This summer will be my third time to this class; the general product is a stole for a priest in your choice of red, green, white, or red (the four liturgical colors in most churches)

Liturgical Arts IX Holy Works for Holy Places August 20 - 25, 2006

Weaving for a Liturgical Setting Create your own unique fabric. Weave yardage to make a stole. Develop your own design with color and texture. Using a 20-inch rigid heddle loom, you will learn the basics of weaving, choose colors and fibers, set up your loom and weave. Besides the fun of learning a new skill, you will discover that weaving can be a relaxing and centering activity. No previous experience is needed. Materials will cost $40.00 plus $90.00 for the loom, which disassembles easily to take home.

And although it doesn't show probably in the above comments, I am a guy and there are two of us in this class now for the third go.

klh in VA

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

Oh I would love a rigid heddle loom, I've got a huge floor loom and two table top four shaft harris looms, but a rigid one for taking on tour in the RV would be great..higz Cher

And you can also use the flat stick to change the pattern of the shed and thus make a different warp-weft pattern. Here is a very good book on rigid heddle weaving (from Amazon)

Hands on Rigid Heddle Weaving (Paperback) by Betty Linn Davenport List Price: $18.95 Price: $12.32 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25

And yes there are 4 and more harness table top looms that do what the bigger floor style do. And at an in between price. But you still need a table top for them and a space to leave them in-between. We have neither so we have the rigid heddle looms (actually three of them)

and for another choice on learning, see

This summer will be my third time to this class; the general product is a stole for a priest in your choice of red, green, white, or red (the four liturgical colors in most churches)

Liturgical Arts IX Holy Works for Holy Places August 20 - 25, 2006

Weaving for a Liturgical Setting Create your own unique fabric. Weave yardage to make a stole. Develop your own design with color and texture. Using a 20-inch rigid heddle loom, you will learn the basics of weaving, choose colors and fibers, set up your loom and weave. Besides the fun of learning a new skill, you will discover that weaving can be a relaxing and centering activity. No previous experience is needed. Materials will cost $40.00 plus $90.00 for the loom, which disassembles easily to take home.

And although it doesn't show probably in the above comments, I am a guy and there are two of us in this class now for the third go.

klh in VA

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote: Thanks for the replies ladies. I thought I heard someone using two heddles to create a four shaft pattern but I must have heard wrong. Great site, Cher, very helpful to see how it all works. I'll have to go down to my local fibre shop and check out both the rigid heddles and the table looms and see which I prefer.

In article , "spinninglilac" wrote:

You do not have any Heddles at all on a ridged heddle loom. At least not the heddles we see in a shaft or harness. You have a reed, that will do more than one job. it is a space, alternated with a hole in the next bar creating the spaces in your reed. You sley the reed one thread through a hole the next thread through a space, for as wide as you want your woven piece (and naturally the total width of your loom.) When you lift the reed you get one shed, or the up one, when you depress the reed you get your opposite shed the down one. (you can look at it as a two shaft loom if you want) The reed also spaces the warp as well as beat it down. You can create patterns with a pick up stick, still done today in many countries in the world, and create very fancy patterns. A back strap loom works on the same principles. You can make a simple loom with tongue depressors. Setting the sticks in a framework of of the same and drilling holes in the middle of each stick. Space the sticks apart to leave small slits. Now you sley your warp threads alternately, through a hole and a slit. Tie one end of your warp in a knot and to a stationary object, and tie the other end to a sturdy beld around your waist. Put tension on your warp by using your body against the tied up warp and start weaving. Very effective and very easy as well. Kids love it. Scandinavian bands were woven like that with a lovely carved hole and slot heddle setup. Same hole and slot system. The rigid heddle loom will add a frame to this idea so you can beam up your warp and beam up the woven cloth.

there is a picture of one at this website. A total other one on this website both will give you a good idea on what the setup is like. If you want to know how to use these looms Go to your local library and The Textile Arts by M. Birrell, as well as Byways in weaving from Mary Megs Atwater is another very good book on this subject. Good luck with your weaving

Els

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make your own, and use it as a back strap loom. That setup is nearly as portable as kumihimo braiding...LOL

Els

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Cher, it works in multiples of 4 ends (that work together) Thus you want

16 ends. You could do the same braid with 12 ends, or 18 ends etc. Do you need another kit, let me know if so

Els