Shetland Wool Week 2018: Day 15: The warp weighted loom

Day 15 Sunday 22 Sept

I had been looking forward to this workshop for months. It was my first choice when I got the brochure in May and when I was booked on one of the 6 places I was over the moon. Now the day had finally arrived. The workshop was with Elizabeth Johnston and taking place at Hoswick. 3 of the participants were from abroad and 3 more local ....one from Shetland, one from Kent and myself. I had been to The Warp  Weighted Loom talk that Elizabeth gave last year with Hildur and Marta and read quite a bit of the book and so was keen to now have a go. (1) 

Michael was going on Chris Dyer’s Tour of his Croft on Bressay so he dropped me early and then drove up to ferry. 

We had a chat from Elizabeth to start and were able to examine her lovely fabrics woven on these looms...4 shaft equivalent is possible! 

There were 3 different looms to the same plan and we were to work two to a loom. 

After the chat we began making an individual warp to work on. This, of itself was interesting, as the Vikings as you might imagine used the loom itself as a warping frame. (I have a Kromski rigid Heddle and one of the things I really like about that is that the back flips over to provide a warping frame when needed). The other real plus for me was that a cross was essential.(2) We also learnt that a tablet woven band provided a good start. I couldn’t ‘see’ the advantage of this initially but the ‘cleverness’ of it became evident later. I have done one workshop on tablet weaving and decided it was not for me. Perhaps I needed to change my mind about this. 

Elizabeth had worked out a good ‘warps per inch’ for us, something realistic in width to allow some weaving on the day but wide enough to get a good sample. We used some of her hand spun yarn.  Calculating the length involved more maths and finally each of us used our loom in turn made a warp, secured the cross and hung the warp on the loom. It was all very exciting and ‘clever’ how it worked. Next we selected stones to tie onto the warp and chained the threads to keep them in place. It was all looking good. 

My stones

Making and attaching the heddles came next and despite one to one tuition, diagrams and  demonstration we all admitted later that this was ‘challenging’ but so important to the functioning of the loom. 

2 warps on the loom

Fortunately during all this we had tea and coffee and cakes whenever we ‘made time’ and a superb lunch which was included. 

Time was ticking on and I was wondering if I would weave anything by the end of the class. Next we were taught how to wind the weft for efficient and easy use and so weaving happened. It was a moment of great joy having spent a day of full concentration to get  this far.  The looms were being left set up and we could go in and weave in our  free time(?!) during the week. 

I chose to weave using my naturally dyed quince yarn which I had dyed to form an edging for the little shawl  that Elizabeth had designed for the Wool  Week annual 2017 and which I knitted and loved.  It seemed appropriate. 

Beginning weaving

As I wove during the week other challenges arose,  the edges started pulling in. However, we had been shown  how to solve this simply with three modern use of a temple. 

It was a wonderful workshop to start the week with and provided far more than I hoped for... and I had hoped for a lot. 

I am going to pursue Warp Weighted Loom Weaving. The first thing is to read the book again, now I have had this practical experience it means so much more. ‘Wow’ is the word to describe the day. 

I am aware that several friends want to know how to do this too. I am also aware of the words of a Professor of Education..... ‘ never try and teach anything until you know 10 times more than you will teach’. This is very wise advice which I aim to follow. (3) I have managed plain weave, the thoughts of 3 and 4 shaft are for the future. 

Another realisation came to all the workshop participants - the Viking women were very intelligent indeed. (4)  

Michael had had a great trip to Bressay too and got some stunning photos. (I kept forgetting to take photos). His report of his trip: 

We had first met Chris Dyer when we called in at Old Scatness to see the Broch and Iron Age Village on our first trip to Shetland this year in June and I was keen to see his croft. (One of his other jobs is to be an archeologist and look after the site there at times)  A party of about 12 of us picked up the minibus at the Bressay terminal for the ferry and drove down to the croft.    We arrived and after an introduction by Chris went to see his sheep, the stars of the show.  They came rushing over at the sight and sound of food being rattled in a bucket.  Feeding them was what they wanted though several were very interested in anything you might have in your pocket.  Chris and his wife breed Shetland sheep specifically for the colour of the fleece so he can sell many of them locally to spinners.  We also met his pigs, turkeys and had a tour of his polytunnel to warm us up and let us hear about the dry stone walls he is building to shelter some of his crops.  All in all it was a very interesting and informative trip and one can't but envy him for the wonderful place in which he lives with the view over to Lerwick.
Some of Chris’ sheep

However the day was not over. It was Sunday and the evening of the opening ceremony. We drove to the new High School car park where we made a light supper and then into the school. As retired teachers we were impressed by the design, a feeling of openness and space  but would have loved to have seen in the labs! 

We were a little concerned that there would not be much seating for the ceremony but there seemed ample and the speeches were reduced in length. Elizabeth (as the Patron) had a short and very memorable speech about the way  the weather inspires Shetland Textile Folk....and all who experience it I think!(5) Afterwards there was a drink and mingle session, where we met past wool week friends and then there was the group photo of the Mirrie Dancers hats done in hundreds of variations...quite a sight.  

This photo was taken by the Shetland  Wool Week team 

If you go just to the front of centre and then look right you can probably find me in a pink and black jacket and M in a red fair isle jumper.

1. See blog post of 16Jan 18 for a description of this. The book is: The Warp Weighted Loom by Hildur Hákonardóttir, Elizabeth Johnston and Mart Kløve Juuhl 

2. I am not a believer in any warping method that involves a single peg, as my scientific background tells me that is not going to help the tension of the warp. The warp threads made this way are not going to be all the same length and you have given yourself a disadvantage before you start. 

3. It always brings a smile to my face when I occasionally notice, for example, a non dyer  who from attending a single natural dyeing workshop is suddenly a natural dyer teaching workshops and selling dyed yarn. To me there is no surprise that in the past the apprenticeship for any of these disciplines was many years. (I could substitute other textile disciplines here eg spinning, weaving, sewing, etc. ) 

4. Making and using the heddles was just one such example. The knowledge and skill would have been passed on down the generations. To me there are parallels with attending classes on knitting with Shetland knitters, one is so fortunate to be able to benefit from the knitting expertise passed on through their families. 

5. If you would like to hear this then go to Fruity Knitting Podcast number 63 where you can hear (and see) this and much more about Wool Week.