Heddle Up! Road Trip!

Adding/removing heddles is easiest with the harness on a table.

Adding, removing and moving heddles is perhaps my least favorite part of setting up a loom. Recently I got a call from one of my customers who was having trouble with her harnesses not raising evenly - and after much detective work it turns out that she had too many heddles on one side of the harnesses.

Long story made very short here ......heddles should be evenly divided (right/left) and you should not have so many extras that they impair a straight path of your warp from front to back. One of the "golden rules" that I tell beginning weavers - is that your warp wants to go from the back of the loom to the front in as straight a course as possible. Too many heddles (or too many on one side) will impede this straight line front to back.

Ok - now you know that adding and subtracting heddles is part of your routine loom program. This past week I had to add heddles to two new harnesses that I added to my 40" loom.

The first step is to remove the harness from the loom by simply unhooking the S hooks and chains. Lay the harness flat on large table. Then unclip the heddle bar from the center and sides of the harness and slide the heddle bar to one side 

Match up the heddle bar on the harness and the transfer bar with the new heddles. Now you can easily slide the heddles on to the heddle bar. Be sure to clip everything back up when you're done.

To remove heddles - follow the same set up steps by placing the harness on a table. And instead of sliding new heddles on to the harness - slid them off - on to a heddle transfer bar.

In June I wrote another blog post about heddles and heddle bars Please explore that entry for more heddle information.


Use a heddle transfer bar to help slide the heddles on to the harness heddle bar.

On another note - and a pretty darn exciting one -- I will be an artist in residence at the Hambidge Center in Rabun Gap, GA. I will be there for two weeks, plus the long scenic drive from Maine to Georgia. During my time there I will be focusing on embroidering on my hand-woven linens as well as drawing and exploring the environs.

Also please check out my new Face Book public page - just for my art!

10 yds of line to weave before I go!

The Hambidge Center

The right and left of heddle bars

Heddle bars hold the heddles inside the harnesses.

 Heddle bars are those slim bars of steel that hold the heddles inside your harnesses. They run horizontally from left to right across the harnesses allowing the heddles to slide from one edge of the harness frame to the other.

Here is everything you might want to know about heddle bars ~ 

• Cleaning heddle bars - use a light weight steel wool to clean off any rust. Lightly spray with Silicon spray to help prevent further rust and to help the heddles glide from right to left.

• Getting heddles to slide easily - clean the heddles bars as described above. I find that the inserted eye heddles will glide more easily while the flat steel ones seem to bind up more frequently.

• Replacing heddle bars - you can purchase new heddle bars if yours are too rusty and cannot be cleaned easily. They are not too expensive - ie. 24" bar is $4. Give me a call to order these.

Heddle bar ends (right/left) - at each end of your heddle bar is a small hole. There should be some kind of fastener or clip that prevents the heddle bar from slipping out of the harness....and your heddles dropping off! Over the years Macomber has tried a variety of ways to prevent the heddle bar from slipping off.  Here are the 3 variations that I know -

1. The clip - only on one edge, breaks over time.

the clip, the rubber stopper and the office brad fastener.

2. Rubber stopper - falls out, gets lost.

Brad office fastener- current option.

Heddle bar clips hold the bar inside the harness.

• Heddle bar clips - inside the frame - these clips hold the heddle bars in a horizontal position and attach them to the harness across the width.On rare occasion these will break - and can be replaced. Call me to find out more about this repair.
• Re/moving heddles - Sometimes it is necessary to remove heddles from the harness frame. Reasons to do this include - too many heddles for the project and the unused ones will chafe the warp and impede it from going on a straight path from front to back of the loom. Or perhaps you need to move some from one harness to another, or from one loom to another, etc. To remove the heddles - lay the harness flat on a table and undo the fastener or clip and slide the heddle bar out enough so that you can easily slide off the heddles. I HIGHLY recommend that you slide the heddles on to a heavy cord or even better a slim heddle transfer bar (a thin strip of flexible stainless steel). There is nothing more frustrating than a pile of chaotic heddles that need to be threaded back on to the heddle bar. (Since writing this post I have learned that it is a challenge to find heddle transfer bars for sale. Macomber no longer sells them. If anyone finds a source - PLEASE let me know!)
  

  

  Heddle transfer bar.

• I hope that this post gives you some new information tips on heddle bars! Read more about heddles bars in a past blog post  - "Little Jobs"

Measuring up

What a LONG winter/spring it has been! I have had an extremely busy season with lots of fantastic opportunities to teach weaving to all ages and abilities. My oldest student this year was 102! Here is a photo of her weaving, notice the careful pattern and symmetry.  She carefully cut each piece of weft and wove it in place. Simply inspiring! I'll include a couple of other photos, just 'cause I am so proud of the hard work my weaving friends have done! I'll be posting more photos on my own website soon!

At the Macomber shop Eddie has been SUPER busy working on all your looms and parts orders. But he always seems to have time to answer your questions that have me stumped. Recently I had his help in unraveling the mystery of tie up hooks and all the various sizes.

Here are the 5 sizes of different tie up hooks with labels and on a ruled cutting pad. I hope this helps unravel the mystery. Basically the Regular size hooks only come in 2 sizes - CP and B model. The newer Super hooks have 3 sizes - CP, B4 and B5. It is important that you use the correct hook for your loom....it really does make a difference in your shed.

3 sizes/Super hooks, 2 sizes/regular hooks

20" 10 H CP with blocks on outer treadles

 I learned something new this month. A weaver contacted me with a question about the small blocks that were on her 20" CP. On the outer right and left treadles there are thes small blocks of wood.You can see them here. So the reason that the 10H 20" CP has thees blocks is that the treadles on the outer edges are too close to the loom frame to use easily. Eddie says they have no other function and so you can remove them if you like. Thanks Gay for this great question!

And finally I have some great images of looms with with parts labeled, so those of you who want to know the terms for your loom parts will have something to study! Thanks Sue Jensen and Morgan Clifford for all your help! I will create a whole separate post so that these images get the spotlight they deserve.

And lastly I want to remind you that YES.....the eye of the heddle is lower than the front/back beams. This design feature creates the amazing shed that Macomber Looms are known for.

Note how warp dips down in loom center.

"Good Grief" Mandala Morristown, NJ

Happy weaving to all of you ~ Sarah

"I never thought it could be so fun"

The thank you letter

I've been spring cleaning, and I mean a massive studio cleanse. I have been heaving out piles of yarn, drawings, layouts for tapestries, mat board, slides, assorted weaving materials, notebooks and computer parts. Amidst all these cast offs, I unearth at least one treasure a day. Yesterday, I found a folder full of letters from a school where I had been an artist in residence. This letter is a real gem.....my favorite part reads: "I never thought it (weaving) could be so fun. I thought it was only a old lady woman thing. Thank you for teching us to weve."

samplers from over 25 years ago

samplers from at least 20 years ago

Well, there you have it. "An old lady woman thing". Stereotypes abound, but never mind, even if I am getting older and I am a woman, weaving (or rather weveing) still fills my day, lifts my spirits and challenges my brain.

sampler from over 30 years ago

Among the stuff I sorted through yesterday, I found decades of samplers. Now as a weaving instructor I am always in favor of sampling a weave structure and the materials before launching into a full blown project. But Good Lord, now I have decades of samplers filling boxes, baskets and bins. I always advocate to my students to never throw these out. I still believe that as these are a record of your research, your successes and your failures. There might be a few here and there to toss, but for the most part, roll them back up and store them as you would any good resource materials.

part of a bed covering that I never completed, 35 yrs old

As someone who has been weaving for over 40 years, there is much to review in these bins stored up high in my studio loft. Each bin reveals memories, treasures and yes...trash! Or perhaps something to pass along to other weavers.

Things at the Macomber shop proceed along. Thanks to everyone for their kind thoughts about Rick and the Macomber family. Thanks to everyone for ordering your looms and parts from me. Although it is possible to call the shop directly and do the same, I believe that I offer a weaver's wisdom and knowledge, at no extra cost to you. So I want you to know I truly appreciate your business.

Speaking of business, I have a new one! I am now an official sales person for Gowdey Reed. I have started a blog just like this one where you can learn about reeds and heddles. Check out my new blog ~ Gowdey Reed, heddles and handweaving.

I promise that in my next post, I put up some more tips about our beloved Macomber Looms.

Thanks again to all ~ Sarah

The dawn of summer

I have two dogs. One dog is a long term visitor. Meet Avery, a Labradoodle. She has been with us off and on for five years while her owners circumnavigated the world. (yes, her family is the one I sailed across the Atlantic with).This week she will return to her family who have landed back in South Freeport, Maine, having completed their voyage. We will miss you Avery!

Avery the dog.

Faye snoozing on the couch

Our resident dog is Faye. She is an English Cocker. She weighs about 22 pounds, but being the alpha dog...she rules the homestead with her bossy-pants attitude!

Both of these dogs keep me on my toes. I recommend a studio dog...because they make you get up about every 20 minutes to open the door and let them in or out.  This is an excellent habit for us weavers who tend to sit too long in one position. So dog or no dog....try to get up and stretch about every 20 minutes!

Riley modeling his doggie coat

Keith's loom

Do you have a studio dog?? Here's one from Canada sporting his new hand woven outfit!! Here's what Riley's owner, Keith says "Here are a couple of pictures of Riley’s tartan doggie coat on my Macomber and on the model.  It’s 18/2 superfine Merino in real red, emerald green and pewter grey woven as balanced twill at 23 epi on my 40 inch Macomber. The cloth was woven by yours truly and wet finished with Eucalan in tepid water. Mrs. Melanie Mitchell, a staff member at the N.B. college of Craft and Design here in Fredericton made up the coat. There’s a layer of polyester felt between two layers of the woven cloth joined with bias tape. The coat fastens with Velcro at the neck and under the abdomen. Riley is our 11 year old West Highland white terrier. Hence, the tartan (Riley’s plaid)."

So if you have a studio assistant that has four legs, send me a photo! Especially send  images that show these companions in your studio. Now if you have a chicken or other critter, great! All photos welcome!

inserted eye heddle

Now on to the more serious business of weaving! I was recently asked about heddles. Right now, as far as I understand there is only one kind of heddle available in the world. It is the inserted eye heddle shown here.

three kinds of heddles

There are other heddles still on looms that are older and different. Liz from CA sent me this great photo of three kinds of heddls that she has on her loom. Older Macomber looms have heddles like # C. Then for a spell looms came with #B. And now the inserted eye heddles # A come on all looms. There it is, the abc's of heddles!

Today is the day before the summer solstice. As many of you know I love summer! It is a time of year that we Maineiacs wait for all year! I have been swimming once already in the ocean (with wet suit!).

This summer in my studio, I am offering a Grand Finale to my Woven Voices community project. As a part of this Grand Finale, I will be busy weaving 1000 prayer flags with the help of community volunteers. This project is being supported  by a Kickstarter fund drive.

We are still looking for funds to reach our goal, as this is all or nothing funding. Please check out the 2 minute video

"Woven Voices" is a grass roots community project that uses weaving to lift the human spirit. Thank you to everyone for all the amazing support! ~  Sarah

every prayer flag gives joy

P.S. I have a weaver looking for photos of the wheels or castors on a loom. If you happen to have these on your loom....please send me photos so that I can post them! Thanks!!

Harvesting a heart full of color and news

September in Maine is a bitter sweet time of year. We have glorious warm days where the angle of the sun illuminates the landscape with an amber glow. The ocean is still warm, the garden is offering an outrageous bounty of vegetables and the tourists have left town!

But yet (here is the bitter part) my heart knows that in a few months we will be living inside peering out at a landscape of gray and cold. This time of year my focus begins to shift from outdoor to indoor activities. My studio is a safe place to root my wandering spirit as the days turn shorter and cooler.

BIG NEWS ~~ Very soon I will have a PDF manual for you to down load. The manual is built mostly from these blogs with the addition of information from older Macomber brochures.

The Macomber news for this posting is all about shuttles, brakes, the lamm depressor and the inserted eye heddle.  To begin, here are two images of brakes that I found while searching for pictures that folks have kindly sent to me.  This first one shows how to set up a single ratchet brake with a cloth beam.

This second image shows how to set up a ratchet brake for a single sectional beam. 

Recently someone asked me about the Macomber shuttles. We offer four different styles of shuttles. The simplest one is the stick shuttle. The measure 22" and 38", selling for $5 and $6 respectively. Eddie says he can cut them down if you want smaller sizes for narrow warps.

Next is the 21" rug shuttle, great for those bulky yarns or cloth strips for rag rugs. Macomber is running a special on these right now....only $15 each! get them while they last at this price!

Then there is the hand-made by Eddie boat shuttle. These are made from poplar, mahogany, and/or oak. Eddie uses whatever scraps he has around. Each one is hand made with a spring load shaft for the bobbin. They come in two sizes ~ 12" and 9.5" . I am sure that if needed a unique size that Eddie will make it up for you. These shuttles go for $25 and $20.

 These shuttles are meant for a fly shuttle unit, which Macomber rarely makes. We have about 20 of these Crossley's shuttles left in stock. They are an incredible end feed with adjustable tension. They are solid hard wood with brass inserts and  priced at $60. Apparently this company went out of business in 2006. So I cannot offer a link. There are plenty of weavers who own them and swear by them, just Google Crossley's shuttle. 

Heddles ~ these have been in BIG demand all spring! It appears that there is only one manufacturer in India, and the customs folks in New York decided to impound one shipment this spring! That caused us all kinds of grief!! Hopefully that won't happen again. All the heddles made now are the inserted eye style pictured here. The one pictured here is for a CP style loom.

 My last image is of a lamm depressor for the smaller type B floor looms. This lamm depressor is a wooden dowel on a string. It works similar to the metal bar in the larger B Model looms. You use the dowel to depress the lamm while you connect the tie-up hook to between the treadle and the lamm.

 

So that's all the Macomber shop news for this posting. A bit of my news.....I will be teaching two workshops this weekend (9/11-12, 2010) at the Fiber College on the shores of Penobscot Bay in Searsport Maine. One workshop is Drafting and Fabric Analysis Made Fun and Easy and the other is The Amulet Pouch~a heartful pocket. Perhaps I will see some you there! I am really excited about this opportunity.


And lastly..more BIG news!!! Saving the most exciting for last...I am having a one person show at Maine FiberArts in Topsham Maine. This show titled "Thread by Thread" opens on September 15 and runs through December 1st. I will be offering an artist talk and having a gala opening mid-way through the show on November 6th from 2- 5 PM.