There has been a very interesting debate on WeaveTech on tensioning and advancing a warp on a Glimakra standard. I played around with putting some live weight tension on the cloth beam but it didn't do much for me so I took it off. Because the cloth beam is so low I had to involve a pulley and it all became to complicated to adjust - besides which I think that AVL have already done it!
I have reduced the weight on the back beam and use a bit of piping to fit over the spokes of the cloth beam ratchet wheel so that I can advance the warp without herniating myself. I am much happier with the weaving - there is nothing that a good robust bit of washing and spinning won't resolve.
The scarf that I am weaving at the moment is on the same warp that was causing me grief (
http://gangewifre.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/twill-streaks.html). After trying some technical solutions I have concluded that the deciding factor is practise - obvious really!
I suppose I would call it block twill stripes. I am trying to reduce my stocks of odds and ends of Bendigo 2 ply. I like the design; let's see how it executes!
I usually use end feed shuttles but on this scarf I am using boat shuttles because I don't have enough pirns for all the different colours. I am having a few problems with the selvedges as one of the pictures below shows. Little loops can be worked back into the scarf once it is off the loom but the occasional excessive draw in is a little bit more difficult to hide. As I progress I am getting better at controlling the tension of the warp using my finger on the spool. The truth of the matter is that because I am an occasional weaver I should allow for much longer samples on the warp so that I can weave myself back into the swing of it all.
I have decided to let all the warp ends at change of colour hang out and I'll thread then back in when the scarf is off the loom. I am doing this so as to get as few interruptions as possible to the actual weaving - it's the vibes man!
