I have a "floating harness" problem which I've posted in two other groups without a response yet, but perhaps member here could assist!

I've never encountered I have a "floating harness" problem which I've never encountered before, and would appreciate advice/thoughts on resolution with (hopefully) an alternate tie-up idea, since I believe the problem is a combination of weaving dukagang style on my Mighty Wolf loom.

The project is an 8-shaft summer & winter draft in 8/2 cotton (heart border/plain weave) from Interweave's "Best of Handwoven: Top Ten Towels on Eight Shafts."  Here's a screenshot of the tie-up and the treadling for the plain weave with the first two treadles where the problem occurs:

Treadle 1 raises shafts 3-8 and treadle two raises shafts 1+2.  Shaft 1 is then used for each of the other treadles, plus additional shafts for the pattern.

When I press treadle 1, shaft 1 floats up!  I've gone through all of the trouble-shooting per Schacht Product Support, but the article seems to address sticky harnesses, not floating (despite its title):

https://schachtspindle.com/support-item/...

I also read a 7-year-old Weavolution thread with a similar problem, but the Schacht treadle aid bands (and Lunatic Jazz Bands) are designed only for the Baby Wolf, not the Mighty Wolf.  Here's that discussion:

https://www.weavolution.com/forum/weavin...

Hence, I'm looking for an alternative tie-up to accomplish the heart border design... if at all possible.  I'm an "advanced beginner" whose only talent is following directions; thus, creating an alternative tie-up is beyond my ken.

Many thanks in advance for your kind assistance!

Comments

Mon, 03/05/2018 - 11:47

Sue in VT

Hi patweaves,  I’m wondering if you’re aware that you don’t have to use treadle 1 specifically for the shafts indicates in the pattern. It took me a while to start switching to a foot treading that felt better for me. As long as I label my treadles 1, 2,etc. Have you tried switching up which foot pedals raise shaft groups?  I also consider myself an advanced weaver pretty much stuck in pattern following, but it’s my happy place!

Mon, 03/05/2018 - 16:19

patweaves

Hi, Sue.  Thank you for your kind words.… and for causing to me think differently (for me!) about the treadling.  I may have misled a bit by only posting the tie-up and not the full treadling (see below).

Shaft 1 is in fact used in all blocks of the pattern.  BUT, as I looked at the tie-up, I see that treadle 3 raises ONLY shaft 1.  Sooooo…. I took shaft 1 off of treadles 4-10, realizing that I could use TWO FEET for each block combination of the pattern.  For example, for blocks E&F on treadle 9, I could use treadle 3 AND the newly tied-up treadle 9 to raise shaft 1 plus shafts 3-6.

I just tested this and voilá!  By untying shaft 1 from treadles 4-10, treadle 1 no longer causes shaft 1 to float up!  So, now I can do plain weave (shafts 1 and 2) without a problem!  Hooray!

Thanks again, Sue!  And now I'm in MY happy place!

Wed, 03/07/2018 - 23:12

Joanne Hall

Adding a little weight to that shaft might help.

Joanne

Wed, 03/07/2018 - 23:21

patweaves

I appreciate your idea of a little more weight... and will keep that in mind next time I have a floating shaft and no alternative tie-ups.

As I mentioned above, taking shaft 1 off of treadles 4-10 did the trick, since I can use treadle 3 (shaft 1 only) in combination with treadles 4-10 for a pattern block.  I also discovered that I could use a combination of treadles 4 and 7 (without shaft 1 attached to either) to replace treadle 1... MUCH more comfortable for my short legs than reaching all the way to a very heavy treadle 1 (with shafts 3-8 attached).

This forum is so helpful to foster new thinking for a novice like me!  Thanks again!

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