Good morning!  This may be a dumb question, but as I slowly absorb bits and pieces from the Damask and Opphamta book, I'm wondering whether it would be possible to work a 10 pattern Opphamta piece on a 12H loom?  If I change the first two harnesses to long-eye heddles for the plain weave ground, I'm wondering why this would not work as opposed to doing the half-heddle bars and sword work?  Thanks for your feedback!!

Linda

Comments

Sun, 08/14/2011 - 14:52

Joanne Hall

It can be done but the shed is very small. And you need to keep a very tight tension on the warp to get a good clear shed.  If your jack loom shafts are not very heavy, it might be a problem. 

If you have a counterbalance or countermarch loom, even a very small one, it is much easier to set up the half heddle sticks, as you will have a much bigger shed and the weaving goes much easier and faster.  I am planning to do this on the little Julia loom and I will be making the warp this week.  If I make the ground weave on four shafts, I can also do a damask with a four shaft twill, just by changing the half heddle sticks.

There is an article in the first issue 2011 VAV magazine which explains how this type of weaving is done.  I have a couple copies of that issue left.  The weavers interested in drawloom weaving asked for copies of that issue so we ordered extras. 

Joanne

Sun, 08/14/2011 - 14:55

Sara von Tresckow

When you use 10 shafts for draw work (opphamta is but one technique), you use 1 or MORE pattern shaft or unit for each pattern row. This could be 1, 2 or all 10. You'd need to press that many treadles to get the effect you need (assuming you're using a rising shed loom with direct ties to the treadles) - along with one of the tabby treadles to hold the shed open.

Unless you have extra body parts, working wiith long eye heddles and a sword is the only practical approach to this.

Because of the frequency with which weavers substitute harness for shaft in normal weaving terminology, it is easy to become confused when starting to consider double harness weaving. There the old definition of harness as "a group of shafts serving a single purpose" becomes important. Your 12 shafts form a ground harness. You need at least a sword to form that second harness, if you do not have a draw attachment.

Sun, 08/14/2011 - 15:28

Linda Carta (not verified)

Maybe this is where the old term 'ignorance is bliss' is helpful.  I'm actually thinking of trying it on my 12H table loom.  I can separate the two 'harness groups' in my head to be 1and2 as my first and ground harnesses and 3-10 as my second set of pattern harnesses.  In reading the book, I wondered why I couldn't just thread the 3-10 as I would the pattern harnesses, then carry the threads to 1 and 2 as plain weave ground.  With the table loom, it's a direct tie-up, so that should work.

I have a couple projects in queue for that loom right now, but I think when I have it free for playing, I'll see what happens in terms of shed...maybe I'll have to give it an extra something in order to get the shed that will work...and maybe with a stick shuttle, I could make it work.  I think it's worth a try!

I will be in touch, Joanne, with an order for that Vav magazine.  I had the good fortune to see some of Becky Ashenden's work in at Vavstuga...it was simply gorgeous.  Until I'm able to have the drawloom, I think playing with it would be fun.  I thank you both for your feedback.  It is appreciated more than you can know!

 

Linda

Sun, 08/14/2011 - 17:24

Joanne Hall

I certainly do not want to discourage you, but I tried this once and the table loom was not capable of a large enough shed.   So there was no shed at all.  Long eyed heddles have eyes which are 2 1/2 inches long.  The loom has to be able to make a shed larger than 2 1/2 inches in order to have any shed left over beyond the long eyes of the heddles.  Before you set up long eyed heddles on a table loom, tie a few heddles by hand, put on a few warp ends and see if you get a shed.

Joanne

Sun, 08/14/2011 - 17:56

Linda Carta (not verified)

Thanks, Joanne! I will do that! If that doesn't work, I'll move over to the Jack loom and try with the sword and half heddles. Thanks so much!! Linda