Having the floating selvedges in a slot makes them a “free agent” that we can then manipulate in the weaving process to ensure that our edges are always wrapped with a weft thread. This is the slot you will thread your yarn through. It doesn’t really matter what position the heddle is in at this point, but it make sense to have it in the neutral or resting position.įind the next slot, next to your outer most edge warp thread that is empty. It makes no difference whether you do the right or left side first.ĭrape the tied yarn over the top of the heddle. It’s doable, but preferable to have a little more than you need so you don’t run out.Ĭut your length of yarn and tie one end in a secure, double knot to the front apron rod on one side of the warp. A little more is fine, a little less is not so great, as then you may have to install the floating selvedges again in the same project. is to measure out a length of yarn that is similar to the length of your warp. If I am weaving a project where I intend to have multiple and frequent weft colour changes, I will use the same yarn that I used for warp for my floating selvedges. So, in the example above, I will be using a white weft. I most often use the same yarn for my floating selvedges as I use for my weft. The photos from this tutorial are taken from my member’s only Floating Selvedges on a Rigid Heddle Loom class. I like to install my floating selvedges when the warp is all tied on and I’m almost ready to weave. Scroll to the end of this post to find a video tutorial specifically for table loom floating selvedges. Today’s tutorial is specifically for the rigid heddle loom. I use them mostly on my floor loom and table loom, and on my rigid heddle loom if I’m weaving something other than plain weave. The idea is that, once your piece is off the loom and finished, you won’t be able to tell that there was a floating selvedge introduced (other than the fact that your edges will look really nice!)Ĭan you use a floating selvedge on any loom? If I am going to be changing the weft colour multiple times within that one piece, I will choose the same yarn and colour as my warp. If I am weaving my piece with just one, solid coloured weft, I will choose that same yarn and colour for my floating selvedges. This makes them independent of your warp and pattern, and means that we can adapt them to our own purposes.Īlthough floating selvedges are not necessarily a part of the original warp, they do become a part of the finished woven piece – they are not removed afterwards.įor this reason, it’s important to choose a colour that will blend well with the project. They are always threaded into an empty slot next to the last naturally occurring warp thread. When we install floating selvedges, they are usually not a part of the original warp. The path of the weft thread is determined by your action with the shuttle when you begin weaving, ensuring that every edge warp thread (now your floating selvedge) is wrapped with weft yarn. Now, there is a manual method you can use to prevent this from happening, but I find it easy to install floating selvedges and I also love the neat edge finish this gives me.Ī floating selvedge will provide you with an unchanging edge thread, unlike your natural edge thread that may change according to the pattern, or the way you have threaded your loom. If you don’t do anything to combat this problem, the result will be messy edges and a cloth that lacks integrity at the selvedges. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.īut when you are weaving something other than plain weave, you will often find that the weft skips the outer warp thread – either in every shed or, more likely just in certain sheds. You alternate between the two plain weave sheds and the weft thread always naturally wraps around the outer most warp threads. When weaving a simple plain weave, the interlacement of weft and warp doesn’t change. This may lead you to wonder why you would want or need to replace your edge threads? If you’ve been weaving for a little while now it’s very likely that you’ve come across the term “floating selvedge”.įloating selvedges (FS) are used on either side of a warp and are replacement threads for the original edge warp threads.
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