Inkle looms – Texsolv heddles hack
Using Texsolv heddles for the leashes on Ashford Inkle looms are super easy and quick – why didn’t we think of it sooner? Here is how you can use the Texsolv heddles on our Inkle looms and also a fabulous project – Sibling Stars on the Inklette Loom.
Happy weaving!
Kate
Here’s how to make a leash using Ashford 220mm Texsolv heddles.
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- Cut through the top loop and then the eye on the Texsolv
Adding the leashes:
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- Slip the loop onto the leash peg
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- Take the leash under the round 2 threads until you have one thread to the left of the leash, take the leash up and over the next warp thread (round one thread)
Continue across the warp adding leashes to all Round 1 threads. NOTE: Leashes are only on top threads (Round 1 threads)
Keeping your threads in order, you should have – Round 1 thread with a leash, a Round 2 thread, the next Round 1 thread with a leash and so on.
Shed 1: Push the threads down to create a space (shed) in front of the leashes.
Shed 2: Push the threads up to create a space (shed) in front of the leashes.
I had fun weaving this beautiful Sibling Star Band which featured in The Wheel Magazine, Issue 28. Texsolv leashes are fine and smooth making it a breeze when changing sheds.
A Sibling Star Band
BY SALLY ORGREN, ANDOVER, NEW JERSEY, USA
The Norwegian Star was one of the first pick-up inkle patterns I wove in June 2009. I wanted to try out this variation of the draft for my new “sibling” loom.
Key to Threading
- The top row is the heddle row, 30 heddles will be needed.
- The orange columns indicate the use of coloured heddles, to assist in isolating the pick-up area and identifying the pattern centre.
- The white warps are 20/2 linen, the coloured warps are 5/2 pearl cotton in three colours: dark blue, medium blue, and light blue. The amount of warp needed is as follows:
3 light blue warps = 5.5m (6yds)
4 medium blue warps = 7.3m (8yds)
10 dark blue warps = 18.2m (20yds)
44 white warps = 80.5m (88yds)
Warping Order
Weaving
Key to Weaving
This inkle draft is a pick-up pattern, based on Anne Dixon’s Baltic-Style 13 Threading, so named because there are 13 pattern threads. Additional threads have been added onto each side of the motif to create a solid blue stripe, inset 4 warp threads from the selvedge. When woven, the band measures 2.75cm (1⅛ins).
- 20/2 linen was used as weft, because it will blend into the background.
- A dot indicates the warp thread must be pushed down in this row.
- A coloured box appearing in place of a white space indicates the coloured warp thread should be picked up in this row.
- Start at the bottom of the illustration and weave upwards, so the pattern appearing on the loom will match the draft.
Reference
The Weaver’s Pattern Directory, by Anne Dixon. Interweave Press LLC, 201 E. Fourth Street, Loveland, CO 80537. 2012.
Download this article from here (pdf).
TEXSOLV HEDDLES ON THE ASHFORD INKLE LOOM
Here’s how to make leashes for the Ashford Inkle Loom using TX268 (Jack Loom) Texsolv heddles:
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- Cut the Texsolv
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- Slip the loop onto the leash peg
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- Take the leash under the round 2 threads until you have one thread to the left of the leash, take the leash up and over the next warp thread (round one thread)
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- Hook the leash back over the leash peg
