![]() Take one end of the string heddle yarn and wrap it around your template (remember, I’m using a hardcover book). If you would like to make a warping stand for a fraction of the price of a store bought one, click here for our free tutorial. My warping stand is perfect for this task. Something else that is handy but non essential is something to hold the cone of yarn as you wind off yarn to make the string heddles. You can use one of your heddle/reeds to measure around as a template, or my preferred method is a hardcover book measures at 10″ around – I like that length for my string heddles. Too long and they are uncomfortable to lift, too short and they may lift your warp threads when you don’t want them to (for example, when you bring your pick up stick 1 forward) and confuse your shed. This comes down to personal preference and how long you want your heddles to be. Little scissors are handy for this job, but use what you have.ģ. It doesn’t get fluffy, sticky or static – y (I know, that’s not a word!) all of which will interfere with lifting your warp threads effectively.Ģ. I use seine twine (in Australia it’s available here) and find it excellent for two reasons. A strong yarn suitable for string heddles.To make string heddles, here is what you will need: Today (because this article is already getting long and I don’t want to keep you all day!) I will cover the string heddle component, and next week we will look at the rod and installation component. Now that I’ve sung the praises of the heddle rod highly enough to have convinced you that you really need them in your weaving life, I’m going to show you how to install one. Here is what your weaving sequence would look like if you left pick up stick 1 in place and installed a heddle rod to replace pick up stick 2:Īha! So now our weaving goes much more seamlessly because we are flowing through the weaving sequence instead of having to stop and re-do that second pick up stick all the time. Then pick up and remove again the next 4 picks. To weave the above sequence with 2 pick up sticks in place would mean that for every 4th pick, you would have to pick up then remove pick up stick 2. Heddle in neutral, pick up stick 2 forward, on edge.Heddle neutral, pick up stick 1 forward, on edge.Pick up stick 2 sequence – 2 down, 2 up, repeat Pick up stick 1 sequence – 2 up, 2 down, repeat Let’s look at a 2 pick up stick pattern as an example: The string heddles lift up with the rod and in turn, lift up the warp threads they are looped around. One you have your rod installed, you lift the rod each time you want to weave that pattern pick. These strings, once made, looped around your picked up warp threads, then looped around your rod, will replace the second pick up stick. The circumference is a personal preference, but not too thick is better – you want it to be light and easy to handle, as you’re going to be lifting it often. It needs to be wider than the width of the piece you’re weaving and it needs to be smooth but preferably not slippery. It can be as simple as a piece of round wooden dowel or a flat, narrow piece of wood. Hey presto, now you’re weaving a 2 pick up stick pattern with only one stick and a heddle rod! The first pick up stick can slide back and forth behind the rod and sit at the back beam when not in use. Luckily for us, there is a relatively quick and easy way to navigate this problem – a heddle rod.Ī heddle rod replaces the second pick up stick and sits behind your heddle. ![]() That can be incredibly tedious, especially when using finer threads or a more complicated pick up pattern. One of the sticks can be left in place, but the other has to be removed and the threads re-picked up each time you want to weave that pick up stick row. For further information, please see my disclosure policy. ![]() ![]() When you start experimenting with pick up sticks you will discover very quickly that when you are using more than one, the two sticks cannot slide past each other at the back of the warp. There are lots of lovely patterns you can weave with just one pick up stick, but introducing a second (even 3rd, 4th!) pick up stick opens up so many more pattern possibilities ![]() Never heard of a heddle rod? If you’re a rigid heddle weaver looking to expand your repertoire of skills by using pick up sticks, a heddle rod is a must learn! Ask Kelly – How sturdy is hemstitching?.New to rigid heddle weaving? Start here!.Free Rigid Heddle Weaving Projects and Patterns.Easy, frugal, bread, onion and tomato bake.How to make bread – my No Knead Whole Wheat Bread Recipe.How I use free content – article for Teachable.Business from the heart – Article for Teachable.Handwoven Magazine, September/October Issue, 2023 – “Photography Tips for Weavers” article. ![]()
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