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Using a temple

And though my selvedges aren't much better, I haven't had to retie a single selvedge thread in 2 full days of weaving that included much cursing as the shuttle kept attempting to break orbit. This I think is being caused by the fact that the upper shed is pulling the lower up just a wee bit on the right hand side. It wasn't an issue with the last pegging plan I was using, but it is now. I'd spend more time adjusting the levels but it's impossible to get anything just so as the shafts are held up by ancient cotton string that's all ragged and every shaft is different. I'm considering requesting that the uni invest in Texsolv to tie up the shafts on the George wood looms. What do y'all think?

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Meg said…
I've experienced similar lop-sided weaving. If not texolve, at least a new lot of cottons so you can actually adjust???
26 October 2011 at 04:22
Anonymous said…
I'm just starting a project I will try using a temple with for the first time. Normally I don't with my handspun scarves and shawls, but I thought I'd give it a try with the cotton towels. I'm going to try the alligator clip and weight method.

Do you have any 'using a temple' tips?

-the redhead-
26 October 2011 at 15:30
Andrew Kieran said…
meg: it's occurred to me today that there are a few spare heddles on the left hand side on some of the shafts. not a lot, but maybe enough to be pulling the shafts down on the left hand side. also, i'm using weights in order to keep the shafts from bouncing when i'm weaving at speed and they're not all exactly the same.

Once this warp is finished I'll need to spend a bit of time seriously sorting things out, which I should have done before I started this warp. In particular giving the entire loom a proper clean. I cleaned the beater bar the other day as it was black in places. I hadn't really considered it before, but when I thought about it I started to feel sick so I went and got a sponge and a bucket of soapy water and cleaned it down properly so you can actually see the original colouring of the wood now. It looks much nicer, and it isn't sticky, so that's nice.

Redhead: This is the first time I've used a temple so I don't have any really solid suggestions. I'd suggest that only moving the fell-line forward a little at a time can help with selvedges. I've found that having the fell too far from the beater causes the selvedges to become incoherent and that they tend to improve as the fell approaches the beater. I'd say an inch or two is the optimum distance. On some looms it's possible to weave as far as 4 inches away from the beater, but I don't think it's recommended unless you're carefully laying each weft pick in by hand.

As far as the use of a temple goes I'd suggest similar rules probably apply. Probably keeping it not too close to the fell, but not too far away either. I read somewhere that two or three inches is the optimum.

So perhaps moving the warp forward every couple of inches and the temple at the same time migght be the thing to do. It's more getting up and down if you're on a larger loom, but it may be worth it. I'm sure there was a discussion on weavolution somewhere to do with temple weaving, I'll look it up for you and drop the link on your page when I get a chance after dinner
26 October 2011 at 21:34
Anonymous said…
I just posted some pics of my alligator/tarp clip temple to my blog. It's working very well.

-the redhead-
30 October 2011 at 18:55
Anonymous said…
I just posted some pics of my alligator/tarp clip temple to my blog. It's working very well.

-the redhead-
30 October 2011 at 18:56
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