All Tied Up

I got the solid cream warp, long enough to weave two baby wraps onto the Macomber loom. Here it is, all ready for me to throw the first shuttle.

The amazing part is how long it took.

For that first sample warp, also long enough for two wraps, it took me 20 hours to get to this point; for this warp it took me 10.5 hours.

WHAT??!! Just over half the time?! How did THAT happen?

Start at the beginning. It took me 6 hours to wind that first warp, 3.75 hours for the second. I think a bit of that time difference was because I’m using a rented (and better) warping mill now, but I think more of the time was saved by winding with a single color. Every color change slows down the measuring process substantially.

Spreading the warp in the raddle – 3/4 hour each time.

Beaming the warp — here’s a real time saver. I said I was going to change my processes some and hoped that they both worked and saved me time. Did they ever! I went from 6+ hours with the first warp to 1 hour with the second. AMAZING!

Next step is threading the heddles. From 4 hours the first time to 2.5 hours the second time. I’ve thought about this. Sure, I was threading 130 fewer ends, but that wouldn’t save 1.5 hours! All I can figure is that I counted in that 4 hours the time I needed to move heddles around on harnesses and add those new heddles I’d bought, and in the right places. Early on I decided that I would thread all baby wraps in point twill; there are a HUGE number of tie ups and treadlings to change the weaving pattern. By always threading in point twill, I would not have to move heddles around. So from here on, that will be a savings. Unless, of course, I decide to weave something else – like a shawl – that requires me to change the heddles.

Threading the reed went from 1.75 hours with warp 1 to 1.25 hours with warp 2. That’s the result of 130 fewer ends.

Similarly, tying on to the front apron (what you see in the photo) went from 1.5 hours to 1.25 due to fewer ends.

I am THRILLED. Those first two wraps represented a HUGE investment of my time – a disproportional amount given the price I had quoted. As a result, I told all inquiring moms I wouldn’t quote any more prices till I had another sample wrap that (a) allowed me to improve my processes (it worked-YAY!) and (b) have more testing to see if I got the weight right.

Obviously that second part remains to be seen. I have to weave a wrap, cut it off the loom, wet finish and hem, send out to my testing mamas, and wait to hear from them. Based on their feedback I’ll either weave the second wrap as it exists on the loom or make changes to the number of ends per inch.