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rigid heddle weaving

How to Use Pick-Up Sticks: Unlock New Possibilities on Your Rigid Heddle Loom

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Pick-up sticks are a game-changer for rigid heddle weaving. These simple tools expand your loom’s capabilities, allowing you to create intricate patterns beyond plain weave. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to elevate your skills, this guide will help you understand how to use pick-up sticks effectively.

What Are Pick-Up Sticks?

Pick-up sticks are flat, smooth lengths of wood designed to manipulate warp threads on your loom. They allow you to create patterns that mimic the capabilities of multi-shaft looms without adding complex equipment.

On a rigid heddle loom, the warp is divided into two “shafts”—slot threads and hole threads. By incorporating pick-up sticks, you can manipulate the slot threads to create additional “shafts,” opening up a world of pattern possibilities.

Why Use Pick-Up Sticks?

  1. Expand Your Weaving Capabilities:
    • One pick-up stick = 3 shafts.
    • Two pick-up sticks = 4 shafts.
    • Add more for even greater complexity!
  2. Create Beautiful Patterns:
    From simple designs to intricate motifs, pick-up sticks make it possible to weave beyond plain weave.
  3. Learn, Experiment and have Fun:
    They’re an excellent way to play, experiment, and grow as a weaver.

How to Use Pick-Up Sticks

Tools You’ll Need:

  • Pick-up sticks: Slightly longer than the width of your warp.
  • Rigid heddle loom: Set up for plain weave.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Start with the Heddle in the Down Position:
    • This raises the slot threads (shaft 2), making them easier to pick up.
    • The hole threads (shaft 1) remain fixed and cannot be manipulated.
  2. Pick Up Warp Threads:
    • Slide your pick-up stick under the threads you want to manipulate.
    • For basic patterns, follow a “1 up, 1 down” sequence (alternate threads over and under the stick).
  3. Position the Pick-Up Stick:
    • Push the stick to the back of your loom when not in use. It will rest flat between the warp threads without interfering with your weaving.
  4. Engage the Pick-Up Stick:
    • When ready to weave a pick-up pattern, bring the stick forward, turn it on its edge, and pass your shuttle through the shed.

Here is a simple weaving sequence as an example:

  1. Up (heddle up)
  2. Down (heddle down)
  3. Up, pick up stick (heddle up and slide pick up stick behind the heddle, leaving flat).

Tips for Beginners

  • Experiment Freely: Don’t worry about understanding all the technical details at first. Play with different sequences and see how the patterns emerge.
  • Follow Patterns: Written instructions like “1 up, 1 down” are straightforward and a great way to learn.
  • Start with Simple Projects: Try my Wash Your Hands Towel Set Project or Lux Hand Towels pattern for guided practice.

Explore More Pick-Up Stick Resources

Why You’ll Love Pick-Up Stick Weaving

Pick-up sticks let you unlock the full potential of your rigid heddle loom. Whether you’re weaving a simple scarf or an intricate towel, these tools are a must-have for any weaver.

If this guide has been helpful or if you have questions, leave a comment below—I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information please view my disclosure policy.

Troubleshooting Common Rigid Heddle Weaving Issues

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Weaving on a rigid heddle loom is an incredibly rewarding craft, but it’s not without its challenges.

Like learning anything new, time and patience are necessary to achieve your goals.

Something I have observed in my years as a weaving teacher is that most new weavers will experience the same issues that require troubleshooting. This is actually a good thing!

From a teaching perspective, I can identify problems that weavers are having very quickly by just looking at their work. And from a learning perspective, many weavers have gone before you with the same mistakes cropping up and there are many resources available to learn from to figure out where you went wrong.

Weaving should be relaxing, but common issues can unravel your peace.

Whether it’s uneven edges or frustrating warp tension issues, these common hurdles can leave weavers scratching their heads and feeling a bit disillusioned with the whole thing! The good news is that many of these problems are preventable with a little extra care, preparation and experience.

In this guide, we’ll explore why starting with a well-tensioned warp is essential, how patience in the setup process can save you from headaches later, and why taking the time to learn and reflect will make you a more confident and skilled weaver. Let’s turn those troubleshooting moments into learning opportunities!

1. Why a Well-Tensioned Warp is Non-Negotiable

I have no data to qualify this statement, but I feel confident is saying that at least 90% of negative issues encountered in the weaving process are due to something being off with the warp.

Consistency is more important than firmness of tension.

By this I mean that in the warping process you should aim to have all of your warp threads under approximately the same amount of tension, or as near as you can get it.

It’s no good achieving great tension on your edge threads and poor tension in the middle. Or vice versa. The idea being that if your tension is consistent while warping you can then focus on the tightness of the tension afterwards and all the warp threads will be under the same amount of tension.

Uneven tension causes a huge range of headaches to the weaver. Skipped threads, inconsistent edges, uneven or wavy weft picks, snagged or diving shuttles, heddle positions not holding correctly… I could go on!

  • How to achieve great warp tension: 

There are so many methods for warping your rigid heddle loom and it’s definitely not a “one size fits all” process. In my last article I discussed the importance of great warp tension in more detail, so be sure to check that out.

I also recommend that you check out this playlist on Youtube for a variety of methods to consider:

  • Quick tips for achieving good tension:
    • Adjust tension gradually and evenly.
    • Test warp tension by bouncing your hand across the warp once it’s tied on.
    • Separate your warp prior to weaving
    • Take your time and explore different methods to find one that works well for you.

2. The Virtue of Patience in Setting Up Your Loom – Don’t Rush!

There are many things in life that can be rushed and completed quickly. Weaving is not one of them 😆 Rushing will inevitably cause mistakes due to overlooking an important step or process, trust me on this one!

There is so much more to weaving than simply throwing a shuttle back and forth.

There is the planning of the project, sampling if necessary to ensure appropriate yarns and setts. There is the careful warping, threading and readying of the loom prior to weaving. There is the double checking to ensure correctness of threading and steps (especially important for newer weavers!) And that is all before we actually get to the weaving!

Embrace the process:

  • If you feel impatient initially, try to let the process envelop you and teach you to go slowly.
  • Setting up the loom is an integral part of the craft, enjoy it!
  • Take breaks if you feel frustrated—it helps avoid costly errors and gives you a breather.
  • Try to do your warping in a space where you can leave the loom if needed.

  • Tips for setup success:
  • Create a checklist for each setup stage so you don’t miss any steps.
  • It can be great to have a helper for your first project at least. They can hold the warp for you so you don’t have to focus on more than one thing at once. Another set of eyes can also help to pick up errors you may overlook.

3. Giving Yourself Time to Learn and Reflect

This ties in very closely with the last point on patience, but is less about the physical weaving and more about your learning journey.

We all learn in different ways and to be effective we need to give ourselves a lot of grace when learning something new. Perhaps you are the type of learner who just “get’s it” right away or perhaps you are more like me and need more time.

One thing that I do frequently, and have since I started weaving, is to grab one of my weaving books off the shelf and quietly flick through to see what strikes me that day.

Repetition is so good and necessary for learning. There have been many concepts that I had convinced myself I was not smart enough to learn, but it just takes persistence and not giving up on yourself.

Weaving is a journey, not a race:

  • Learning takes practice; each project builds skills. Start small and grow as you go.
  • Mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow.

Tips for cultivating a learning mindset:

  • Keep a weaving journal to note challenges and solutions.
  • Reflect on what worked and what didn’t after each project, and why.
  • Seek out advice and resources from weaving communities.
  • Have good quality books in your weaving library to refer to over and over.

4. Troubleshooting Common Issues (and How to Avoid Them)

These are what I see to be the most common issues that new rigid heddle weavers will encounter:

  • Uneven edges (selvedges):
    • Causes: inconsistent tension, improper beating, fraying edge threads, inappropriate warp threads used.
    • Solutions: Ensure proper warp tension to begin with, try to beat evenly, be sure to use a yarn that is suitable for warping. If edge threads are too loose, try using weights on those threads over the back of the loom. If they are too tight and middle threads are looser, try some wedging techniques as demonstrated in this video.
  • Broken warp threads:
    • Causes: tension too tight or uneven (so some threads end up super tight while others are loose), friction from the heddle (some yarns are more susceptible to this than others).
    • Warp yarn is not strong enough to be suitable for warping.
    • Solutions: choose a suitable warping yarn, ensure warp tension is not exceedingly tight, angle your weft before beating so it has room to settle rather than drawing in too much at the edges.
  • Skipped threads:
    • Causes: threading errors, uneven tension, incorrect angling of a stick shuttle as it travels through the thread. These problems will create floats and imperfections in your work.
    • Solutions: check threading, rethread problem areas if needed. Be vigilant with how you use your shuttle so it’s not inadvertently picking up warp threads it shouldn’t.
  • Gaps, uneven and slightly scrapping weaving:
    • Causes: uneven beat, inappropriate sett, slippery yarns.
    • Solutions: Getting a feel for a correct beat takes time and practice. For a balanced weave, you want a balanced beat. Try to think of pressing your weft into place, we are not whacking here! Hop up and view your work from a few different angles every now and then. Take photos of your progress and review. (Why? For some reason, mistakes stick out like a sore thumb when viewed as a photo! 🤷‍♀️) Again, an uneven warp will impact how your weaving appears. An incorrect sett will have a big effect on your finished weaving, so make sure you figure out the ideal sett before commencing.

It’s good to remember that challenges are part of the weaving journey. I have never personally made a weaving mistake that I couldn’t fix, which is very encouraging!

Having a community to turn to when your weaving is not going so well is invaluable. If you can’t meet with other weavers in person, online groups like my free Facebook group are wonderful for networking and inspiration.

Perhaps you’re ready to level up your weaving in a really supportive atmosphere with a library of online classes at your fingertips? Check out the Online Weaving School!

I hope these tips have been helpful to you, feel free to share your favourites in the comments below.

I have also put together a downloadable Rigid Heddle Loom Setup Checklist as a free resource just for you, enjoy!

Rigid Heddle Loom Setup ChecklistDownload

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

5 easy rigid heddle weaving projects for beginners

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Getting your very first rigid heddle loom is such an exciting experience! There are so many possibilities but at the same time, so much to learn.

It’s important to choose projects that are going to be suitable for your weaving level. Be realistic, we all start as absolute beginners and it makes sense to start with an easy project.

This will help you to start to get to know your loom without the stress and pressure of needing to weave at an advanced level.

Here is a list of 5 easy rigid heddle weaving projects for beginners to get you started.

  1. A SAMPLER

A sampler is not necessarily a finished, functional object but it will teach you so very much! Not only does it give you a chance to get familiar with your new loom, it also allows you to try out yarns, practice your weaving and get a better idea of what to expect.

Yes, you do need to use a bit of yarn to warp up a sampler, but I look at it the same way I would look at purchasing a weaving book or class. It’s an investment in my own weaving journey.

Very early on in my rigid heddle weaving journey, I warped a fairly long warp (for a sampler), grabbed my copy of Jane Patrick’s The Weaver’s Idea Book, flipped through until I found something I wanted to try and just went for it!

This was such a valuable project for me, just look at the variety of designs, yarns and colours I got to try! Many from the book, many were my own experiments. I still think of this project, all these years later, as one of the most fun I’ve undertaken.

A sampler can also become a useable item if you wish – a small purse, a mug rug, a notebook cover, there are lots of possibilities.

2. PLACEMATS

Placemats are such a perfect beginner’s project. They look great in plain weave and if you want to jazz them up you can always use a fun variegated yarn. Placemats are also a great opportunity to practice finishing techniques, whether that is by knotting, hemstitching or hand hemming and machine stitching.

In my beginner rigid heddle class we complete some simple but beautiful placemats. This is my most popular class as it shows you how to take a bare rigid heddle loom and complete a woven project. You are guided through, step by step on warping, threading, weaving and completing the project as well plenty of tips and encouragement along the way.

3. TOWELS

Towels can be a little like an overgrown placemat, and can be a simple project for newer rigid heddle weavers. I do have some advice though, as not all towels are created equal!

As a beginner, I do not recommend that you try to launch into your first towels with a thin and light yarn, like 8/2 cotton. It is better to get some experience and practice under your belt first, as generally a lighter yarn is more challenging to use with a rigid heddle loom.

However, weaving towels with a thicker cotton yarn can be a wonderful experience. Again, you can make it as simple as plain weave or you could incorporate either warp or weft stripes (or both!)

A thicker cotton will result in a light hand towels rather than a kitchen/dish towel.

My free project, the Wash Your Hands Towels pattern could be just what you’ve looking for. While some of the techniques may be considered a little more advance (like pick up sticks and colour placement) the weaver has the option of weaving both towels in plain weave if not ready for other techniques.

Some of the cottons that are suitable for this kind of towel would be:

Bendigo Woollen Mills 10ply cotton

I Love This Cotton

Sugar n Cream

Knit Picks Dishie

4. NOTEBOOK COVERS

Notebook covers in their most simple, low sew format are just a rectangle. The fun thing about a project like this is it can really be customised to reflect your own tastes. You can use a variety of yarns in plain weave and it just looks fantastic.

If you wove a sampler that was large enough, you could repurpose that as a notebook cover too!

If the thought of sewing with your hand woven fabric is a bit scary to you, rest assured that it can be a very simple process. If you have a needle and thread, that is enough!

Check out my free Notebook Covers project which guides you through the full process, from weaving the fabric to fitting and sewing it to an existing notebook, all the information is there for you.

5. FREESTYLE TAPESTRY

Oh boy, is this fun! The idea is similar to weaving a sampler, but this time you are weaving a weft faced item.

What on earth does that mean?

It just means that you’re going to use an additional beater (a household fork works just fine!) to beat your weft down to cover all the warp threads.

So, all the colour, texture and excitement happens in the weft threads.

What I really love about this kind of project is you need very little pre-planning and all the designing can be done on the loom, if you want to.

You get to use a variety of yarns from your stash and you have pretty free reign, as long as the weft packs down and stays down, you’re good to go!

Your design could be planned and pictorial or completely abstract and “made up on the spot”.

My free Freestyle Tapestry series was designed on the loom, just by building colour, bit by bit. My Van Gogh inspired tapestry was a little more planned but followed very similar principles.

I even have a Tapestry on a Rigid Heddle Loom online class that shows you basic tapestry techniques to get you started.

I hope you feel super inspired by these 5 easy rigid heddle weaving projects for beginners!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for further information.

3 ways to level up your rigid heddle weaving

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We all know that the humble rigid heddle loom is capable of a lot more than first meets the eye. That is why it’s such a wonderful loom for beginners – you can use it for it’s most basic function (plain weave) to begin with and increase your skills and exploration from there.

Many newer weavers though, are unsure of exactly what they can do with a rigid heddle loom. Or, on the other hand, there seems so much you can do but they are unsure of what to choose?

A bit of fear comes creeping in from a lack of confidence. “What if my skill level isn’t ready for the next step?” “What if I mess it up and lose my confidence entirely?”

These are really valid concerns that are common to many newer weavers. That is why I encourage new rigid heddle weavers to build skills in steps rather than leaps. Some weavers are ready to leap – many are not.

So, how does the fledgling weaver get his/her wings?

By taking off slowly. First the steps, building up, quickening as you go until you’re finally ready to stretch out those wings and fly.

If you feel like you’re in a bit of a rut with your weaving or you’re unsure of what to try next, here are a few suggestions to get those creative juices flowing!

Pick up sticks

Grab a pick up stick and hop to it! Pick up sticks are so easy to use but can totally transform your weaving. For my first foray into the pick up stick world I just put on a warp (not too long, not too wide) and just explored.

At its most basic level, pick up stick weaving can be started by placing your heddle in down and picking up whatever threads you like behind the heddle. I suggest starting with every second thread, so 1 up, 1 down. Next you can try 2 up, 1 down. Then 2 up, 2 down, and so on.

Once your stick is installed, place your heddle in neutral, slide the pick up stick forward and then place it on edge. Weave that pick and then change to a plain weave shed (up or down). Repeat, alternating between the plain weave sheds. An example of a repeating sequence could look like:

  1. Heddle up
  2. Heddle neutral, stick on edge
  3. Heddle down
  4. Heddle neutral, stick on edge

Then repeat the sequence from the top as many times as you would like. The variations on these theme are enormous, for example you could do a pick up stick row as a pop in between a few plain weave rows.

Next up with your pick up stick installed you can place the heddle in the up position and slide the stick forward (behind the heddle). Weave that row and note how it’s different to the other heddle/stick position.

Now you could try out the same 4 step weaving sequence I detailed above but this time use the heddle up/stick forward combination.

Once you’ve played around with those ideas, you can then start combining techniques. Here is a quick example for ideas:

  1. Heddle up
  2. Heddle neutral, stick on edge
  3. Heddle down
  4. Heddle up, stick forward

And then go back to the top and repeat. Are you starting to see how many variations you could come up with here?

Colour

Colour is one of the simplest and most effective ways to branch out in weaving. Again, it can be a bit of stumbling point for some who feel they have no talent when it comes to selecting colours. But I don’t think you need to be a colour expert to use colour effectively in weaving.

Most people are able to select 2 contrasting colours that they like and think go well together. That is a great starting point – one colour for the warp and one for the weft. Subtle, but classy!

Or if you’re looking to make a bolder statement, do blocks of colour in the warp and blocks of colour in the weft for Colour and Weave techniques.

If you’re not confident yet with changing colours in the warp, just change them in the weft. An example might be that you warp with a grey yarn. You use that same grey yarn in the weft but you add in a red. You alternate blocks of grey weft with blocks of red weft and voila! You have stripes!

You may feel ready to explore houndstooth or other colour and weave techniques.

What about variegated yarn? I love these yarns, as they do the colour work for you. You can choose to use it in either the warp or the weft (or even both – though the results may get messy!) One of my favourite ways to use variegated yarn is to warp with it and then weave with a solid colour. A more open weave (like one you might achieve with a pick up stick) can be the perfect pairing for a variegated yarn as it lets the range of colours really shine.

The scarf above was woven with fingering weight wool. For the warp I dyed a gradient, using the rainbow as a guide. In the weft I sed the same weight and type of yarn, but in a solid and commercially dyed grey.

Another example of a similar project is my free The Heart Scarf project.

Luxury yarns or special yarns

It’s true that not all yarns are going to be ideal for weaving, especially for the newer weaver. But there is a huge range of yarns available to today’s weaver, plus knitting yarns are often great to use with a rigid heddle loom.

A special or luxury yarn can really transform a weaving project. Think silk, or silk blends, tencel, cashmere and so many more.

For the pictured scarf I used a dk weight silk that I hand dyed. The end result was rather like a waterfall!

Luxury yarns can give your project new dimensions in a few ways:

  • Iridescence – silks, tencels and bamboos in particular create a wonderful gleam to your weaving.
  • Touch – All of the yarns mentioned are pleasing to the touch. They are soft, often slightly slippery and in the case of cashmere or a blend the softness factor can be next level!
  • Luxury/high end value – naturally more expensive yarns are going to be considered high end products. A luxurious gift or a higher ticket item to sell.

I hope these ideas are just what you needed to go to the next level with your rigid heddle weaving!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

42 Rigid Heddle Loom Tips

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My Youtube channel is packed full of helpful videos for weavers of all levels. But today I wanted to share a list of 42 rigid heddle loom tips that will make a difference.

Most of these videos are short and to the point and are all related to the rigid heddle loom! I want you to gain confidence and become the weaver you want to be. My hope is that gathering all these tips into one place means you have fast and easy access to a wealth of knowledge and information.

Whether you want to delve more into warping, threading, fixing mistakes or optimal weaving, you should find some help here:

Warping a different way…

What to do with weft tails…

How to fix wrong heddle size…

Packing the front beam…

Insert paper for warp packing…

Clamping hack for rigid heddle weaving…

Clearing the shed…

Strumming the warp…

5 rigid heddle warping tips…

Finding the sweet spot…

Lashing on technique…

Three heddles tips and tricks…

Independent warping…

Surgeon’s knots tie on trick…

Neater tie on trick…

2 tips for easier RH weaving…

Multiple heddle workflow…

Doubling your warp the easy way…

Targeted wedging for better tension…

Troubleshooting sticky threads…

What to do when you accidentally warp backwards…

Fix weaving floats…

How to read a RH weaving draft…

Try this trick for neater edges…

3 tips for weaving with finer threads…

How to use pick up sticks…

Heddle positioning…

Another neat edges tutorial…

Lifeline selvedge technique…

How to fix doubled up warp threads…

Calculating warp for the rigid heddle loom…

Rigid heddle book recommendations…

How to repair a broken warp thread…

Neat edges no matter what…

Weaving a slit or hole…

Hemstitch explained and demonstrated…

Rigid heddle threading tips…

How to determine sett…

RH weaving tools…

How to wind a stick shuttle…

How to make a heddle rod for RH loom…

Weave neat edges…

I hope this list is helpful to you.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Never heard of the rigid heddle loom?

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Then you might be wondering what exactly IS a rigid heddle loom?

The wonderful rigid heddle loom has gained considerable popularity in recent years due to it’s affordability, portability and versatility as a weaving loom.

The rigid heddle loom is essentially a rectangular, wooden frame loom. However, it differs from the simple frame looms that are now readily available and often used for simple tapestry, as it has a space for a heddle/reed, making it capable of producing sheds (gaps or spaces) to weave through.

It can be called a 2 shaft loom (though some argue that this is not technically true because it doesn’t have traditional shafts – whatever the case, 2 sheds are possible), but has further reaching capabilities with a healthy dose of inquisitiveness and exploration!

The “rigid heddle” that the loom gets it’s name from is an ingenious device typically made from a wooden frame and plastic vertical pieces. A single heddle/reed gives your loom holes and slots (these are what allow you to create the sheds) plus it doubles as a beater.

The more of these heddles/reeds you use, the greater the possibility and range of sheds, and therefore patterns, become available. Another benefit of using 2 heddle/reeds at a time is the ability to weave double width cloth, which is ultra cool and can be seen in my Double Weave Baby Blanket class or Weaving with Two Heddles technique class.

Some rigid heddle looms now come with a built in double heddle block, which means it is easy to have 2 heddle/reeds positioned on your loom.
In it’s most basic, 2 shed format, you place the heddle/reed in either an up or down position, creating a different shed each time. Using these 2 sheds will give you a plain weave interlacement.

This same heddle/reed will have a predetermined size or sett, which means that once you have established the sett for your project, you choose a heddle/reed that matches. As you thread the heddle/reed, the rigid plastic slots keep the threads at a certain spacing, and that is what makes your sett.

The rigid heddle loom, similar to table/floor looms, has a front and back roller, meaning that you can put on a long warp and you advance the warp as you go so that the cloth will roll around the front beam as you weave. Some looms will have the option of buying an additional warp beam that attaches to the loom and allows you to put on extra long warps. It also has a tensioning system, which varies from loom to loom, but usually involves winding a pawl or a crank at the side of the loom to achieve good tension. 

In addition to your loom, you can purchase a stand, which, in my opinion is a really good option. Buying a loom and stand combo can work out more economically. I talk more about that in this video.

*This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

If you purchase a rigid heddle loom new, it will come with everything you need to get started (except the yarn!)

I hope this has helped you to begin to wrap your head around what a rigid heddle loom is.

If you’re confused as to which loom is the right one for you I have a comprehensive First Loom Buyers Guide that covers a range of looms to help you make an educated decision.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Ask Kelly – Are two heddles worth it?

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One of the major challenges when you’re new to weaving is knowing exactly what tools you need. If you’re particularly budget conscious (and most of us need to be!) you don’t want to spend money only to find that you didn’t actually need or use the new tool.

Today’s Ask Kelly question is one about two heddles and whether it is worth the investment to purchase an additional heddle in the same size as an existing heddle. At first glance you might think, well I already have one 10 dent heddle, why on earth would I buy a second 10 dent heddle – isn’t that a complete waste of money?

Let’s delve into this discussion so you can find out why two heddles might be a worthwhile investment for you (or not!)


“Could you please suggest where I would get some information on why I would want to weave with two heddles on the flip. I am not new to rigid heddles but far from advanced. Some people have suggested two heddles is a waste and I should just leap to a 4 shaft. I want to make an informed decision about whether to invest in additional heddles for the flip. I appreciate your guidance. I have not yet done your classes on doing two heddles. Thanks so much.”

Marla

Hi Marla,

That is a very loaded question with a lot to unpack, but I’ll try to keep it brief and to the point. 

I guess one of the main reasons a rigid heddle weaver would buy additional heddles is to increase shaft capability without having to invest in another loom.

Yes, new heddles are costly, but if you compare that cost to a brand new 4 shaft table or floor loom it is a small investment.

I wouldn’t ever say that additional heddles for a RH loom are a waste, they are just another way to achieve a desired outcome. 

As demonstrated in my Weaving With Two Heddles online class, there are a lot of possibilities by adding just one extra heddle. You can weave a variety of 3 and 4 shaft (with the addition of heddle rods/pick up sticks) patterns, you can double your sett or you can weave double width or tubular.

Some of the questions I would be asking you are: Do you want a new loom? Are you interested in weaving on more shafts? Would it help you to have more than one loom so you can more projects going at once? Do you have the space for another loom? The budget?

The Schacht Flip rigid heddle loom differs a little to the Ashford rigid heddle looms in that the heddle positioning is not the same when using more than one heddle and some weavers are confused by that. But, as with everything in weaving, there are workarounds and you can find some more information about that on the Schacht website here.

You might also find these articles of interest:

Why would you weave with two heddles or more?

Doubling sett in rigid heddle weaving…

I hope this article has been helpful to you, feel free to share it with others so more can benefit. Leave your comments or questions underneath this article and

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

*This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

Ask Kelly – Doubling sett in rigid heddle weaving

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Doubling sett in rigid heddle weaving is relatively straightforward, but you might wonder whether there is more than one method for doing so. You might also wonder which projects or circumstances would call for doubling the sett?

Today’s Ask Kelly question is all about how to double the sett on your rigid heddle loom and which heddle size might be most useful.

Hi there,

“I just finished watching the what do all the numbers mean video and I have two questions for you- you suggest using a 10 dent heddle for 8/2 cottolin and indicated you should double the ends- when you said 2x 10 dent- do you mean use two ten dent reeds? I think I just figured it out! You mean use two 10 dent reed or double up the ends on one 10 dent reed- did I get that right? Also- I only have the one 7.5 reed that came with my rigid heddle loom (Ashford) would you suggest purchasing a 10 dent read next? Have a great day thanks!“

Cindy

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Hi Cindy,

Yes, you are correct that 2 x 10 dent means two separate heddles of the same size (in this case 10 dent). When you want to double your sett you have 2 options – you can simply double the number of ends in a single 10 dent heddle OR you can use 2 x 10 dent heddles to double the sett.

Whichever way you decide to go, you still need to double your total number of ends to double your sett.

For the second part of your question, I would ask what you weave the most or what you would like to. If you want to weave a lot of kitchen towels, a 10 or 12-12.5 dent heddle would be a very worthwhile investment. A 10 dent is also great for fingering weight yarn which can be lovely for scarves, runners etc.

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Now that I’ve answered Cindy’s questions, I want to go a little more in depth on the idea of doubling sett for a rigid heddle loom.

The two methods I mentioned for doubling sett are:

  • Using a single heddle and doubling all warp threads.
  • Using two heddles to double and space warp threads.

The next thing you might wonder is which method to choose and what the differences are.

Well, the single heddle is really advantageous because not everyone who wants to double their sett has a second heddle of the exact same size in their weaving toolkit. It is quick and easy to learn and means that when you get to the weaving, you just weave as normal with the one heddle. When doubling your sett with one heddle, you thread holes and slots at the same time as direct warping, completely negating the usual requirement to thread holes separately.

Why would you opt to use two heddles then, if one heddle is cheaper and (some will find) easier? If you’re more of a particular kind of weaver (that is SO not me! 😆) it might be more important to you that all the doubled warp threads are correctly and evenly spaced. I’ve also heard that some weavers actually like holding the two heddles together or banding them together. Again, that is not for me!

Another difference between the two methods is the threading. With one heddle, you will have 2 ends in every hole and 2 ends in every slot. With the two heddle method, you will have a single end in the hole on each heddle and 3 threads in the slots.

The single heddle method is presented in this video tutorial:

Some weavers prefer the look of the cloth that is woven by the two heddle method, as it gives more of a basketweave effect.

Another question that someone is bound to ask after reading this (because someone always does!) is whether to also use a doubled weft when using a doubled warp.

If you want to be technical, then technically you should double your weft for a balanced weave. But who says you always have to have a balanced weave? You certainly don’t!

For most of my projects I use a single weft. Why? Because I like the resulting fabric. It’s soft, it’s substantial but not too thick, it looks good to me. But I encourage you to experiment and find your own personal preference.

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

If you find you do prefer a doubled weft, then check out this video for an easy weft doubling method:

I hope you enjoyed this edition of Ask Kelly and until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Ask Kelly – Independent warping issues

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Today’s question is in two parts, but both are related to direct warping a rigid heddle loom.

Personally, I love direct warping, it’s one thing that makes the rigid heddle loom so attractive to me. Direct warping is fast and efficient and I just love it.

Starting out direct warping can be made more painless when someone has shared the best tips and tricks with you, and that is where I come in!

This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

Read on to find out some of my tips for more successful direct warping.

“Hi Kelly!

Can you help me with two problems I had with warping for a baby blanket when the warp has to be 62 inches?  I’m working on a Ashford rigid heddle – 24 inch with acrylic worsted yarn and 7.5 10/30 shaft/heddle.

  1. When winding the yarn, the peg can’t hold the yarn – I have to start overlapping it to get it all on the peg, plus I’m having great difficulty in not pulling too hard on each strand so it doesn’t pull the peg off the table. If I go loose, then I have terribly loose first warp thread that I have to tighten and the next and the next….so I lose a lot of yarn and time.

2. When taking the yarn off the peg and winding on to the back bar,  I tried to  hold the yarn myself – which I have done successfully for shorted warp length (I’m single and there’s no one else in the house)…didn’t work well because the middle yarns became too loose.  Do I just need to get someone else to hold the yarn while I wind the back bar?   How else to do this?

Greatly appreciate your help…“

Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth,

From what you describe, I’m seeing a few potential issues:

1. Acrylic yarn. Acrylics are so varied that sometimes you don’t know what you’re going to get. I’ve heard of some weaver’s warping disasters where the acrylic actually stretches as they’re trying to tension and they end up with a saggy mess no matter what they try.

I have used a few acrylics but not a lot. It has mostly been a positive experience for me, but admittedly they are not my yarn of choice for a bunch of reasons. I think the key to using acrylics successfully is to know your yarn before warping a project with it. The only way you can really know a yarn you’re not familiar with is by sampling. You only need to do this once for a new yarn, then you can determine whether it’s really going to be suitable for your project or not.

2. The weight of your yarn. It sounds to me like the weight is going to be too heavy for a 10 dent reed. Did you do a sett test before starting? 

3. Single peg. If your yarn is overlapping on the peg, a second peg would be ideal. Then you can place half of the warp on one peg and the second half on another. This helps distribute all of those threads and will also help to alleviate the other problem you were having – loose middle yarns as you’re warping. 

Additional tips:

When warping by yourself, you do need to pay particular attention to that mid section of warp because you are clenching the warp threads all together and the outer threads will naturally be more tensioned than the threads all buried in the middle of your hand. Take your time with the warp, roll a little bit and then go back to the front of the loom, finger comb and re-tension the warp before going to the back to roll again. If you just roll and roll, you don’t have time to nurture the warp with good tension.

Make sure you use good separation at the back beam, a roll of thick brown craft paper is ideal but use cardboard warping sticks or whatever you have on hand. The key here is to not have the warp rolling onto itself, threads on threads that slip in amongst each other as you rotate. By using separators, you’re providing a hard surface for the threads to face against as they roll on and you’re also providing resistance as you roll, which means better tension!

OK, I could go on because there are just so many little nuances that improve a warping experience but I think these are the main things that will help you at this point.

Don’t look at you independent warping as a disadvantage because it absolutely does not have to be, I warp exclusively on my own and have done for many years. 

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Rigid heddle warping tips

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  1. Don’t over complicate it

Warping a rigid heddle loom using the direct warping method is really very simple. Yes, it will take you a couple of warps to start to feel more comfortable with the “newness” of it all (like anything!).

But something I’ve realised, especially after using the more complicated and time consuming table and floor looms, is that direct warping a rigid heddle loom is fast and easy.

Get the key ingredients for warping right and you will be well on your way to being a happy warper (if that’s a thing!)

Over complicating the warping process will lead to frustration, it is so much better to narrow it down and take baby steps without the worry.

2. Use a calculations sheet

A calculations sheet will take all the guess work out of the project for you. It will give you a step by step process to follow and prevent you from accidentally forgetting an important step in the warp.

If you struggle with the mathematical side of weaving, you don’t have to worry, as I think you only need a fairly basic maths level for weaving (hello calculator!) but the sheet will also help with ordering the numbers so that they make sense to you.

I have a free rigid heddle calculations sheet for you to download and use, plus a free video on how to use it available here.

3. Taking threads to the warping peg

When you bring your threads through the slots in the warping process, keep everything straight and open. Keep the loop open and don’t twist your loop as you place it on the peg.

4. Keep threads in order on the warping peg

Place your loops on the warping peg one at a time and in order. Don’t just shove them on there willy nilly – there is a benefit to preserving order as when you come to rolling on the warp you will find a lovely, laid out warp that is well behaved!

Each loop sits just above the last one on the peg, there is no need for bunching. Keep the loops loose enough that you have space to get a finger in behind them, this will make lifting the warp off the peg easy and trouble free.

5. If you’re not enjoying warping, look at the reasons why

This will help you to determine steps to take to make it better and easier.

Try to make it a relaxing process, have a hot beverage or put on some music. If you make a mistake, it’s ok, mistakes are fixable! Take your time, no need to rush.

Perhaps you need some help in the form of an online class? My best selling class is my Woe to Go Beginner’s Rigid Heddle course. This class will take the mystery out of the rigid heddle loom with simple and achievable steps.

If you would like to view this post in video format, please watch here:

The photos you can see in this post are from The Weekend Scarf project. This is a great beginner’s or newer weaver’s project and is also great for anyone who wants a fast and fun project.

If you’re new to rigid heddle weaving, check out my free list of resources here.

I hope this article was helpful to you and until next time…

Happy Weaving!

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.