Lessons in Warping

This is the longest warp I've ever put on my loom. It is also the widest. And I'm learning lots! The mess of warp chains hanging off the front of the loom has been cleaned up some since I took this picture. Part of the mess is that I started warping from the center of the piece and the number of threads needed did not match the number of threads in a single chain, so the threads from a single chain are split over different stripes. (That seems awkward to describe--one warp chain split into two different groups in the reed.)

Another learning point comes from the winding of the warp. I only recently learned to use more than one cone of yarn while winding the warp. It cuts down on the number of times around the warping board if you use more than one cone. However, there must be a trick to using more than TWO cones. My blue yarn was warped using two cones and has worked fine. My natural yarn was warped using three cones. Every now and then, while I was winding the warp, I would feel a twist or a snag as the three yarns twisted. As I'm winding the warp on the back beam these twists are causing problems.

See the twists in the yarn? When these get twisted tight they act as a knot and stop the beaming process.

So, I'm making progress--slowly! I can beam a foot or two before untangling the warp threads. I've broken one thread because I tried to force one of these knots through the heddles. Ick.

The next time I wind a warp like this (which should be soon. This is part one of two!) I will plan my warp chains to fit my warp stripes, and will use no more than two cones of yarn at a time while I warp!