Thursday, August 2, 2012

Double layer blankets

This week it was time to rethread my Nitschke 8 shaft for double layer blankets but could I find where I'd recorded the tieup.  No way.  So I had to sit down with pen and paper and do some mental gymnastics.
I thread the loom in a point twill, 1-8 x 4 then 8-1 x 4 with odd number shafts the top layer and even the bottom layer.  At each change of direction I miss one thread, either a 7 or a 2, otherwise one has double threads.  I used to go 1-4 top and 5-8 bottom but I realised the groups of bottom threads came out in one place between the 4 and 1 leaving a gap in the fabric.

So to the tieup.  Hold your hands palm together then roll them open holding little fingers together.  That's how your fabric will be so both palm sides have to match and the backs of the hands match.  In a straight 2x2 twill its fairly easy but if treadling a point twill creating diamonds in the fabric its important the right sides match each other when opened out.  Actually its only the centre of the diamond that is different and probably only a weaver would pick it up.  And I've recorded the drawdown in my workbook, my cupboard of information!  Two days ago it hurt my shoulder to stretch out to throw the shuttle, today I've woven 50cm and don't want to push it any further.


Now to my shoulder.  Tendons are torn - bad.  Most people have 1 - 2mm tears, mine is 9mm. Imagine a whole lot of  warp threads in a bundle and pull them apart.  Some stay intact, many break.  Physiotherapy and acupuncture is helping a lot and treatment was started just as the shoulder started to freeze so was able to halt that. Surgery is on the cards but am hoping if I can get it strong enough I won't need surgery.


1 comment:

  1. So sorry about your shoulder. Torn ligaments are such a tricky thing, aren't they? Take forever and then some to heal, and never quite the same afterwards... Still, I reckon weaving -- in moderation -- might be good healing exercise? When I wrecked my ankle I could treadle long before I could walk!

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