Assembly on the Loom

1-The rope is raised against the rear beam and the heddle bars near it. Then the warp is stretched to the extent that the groups of yarns are perpendicular to the beams, and the knots well inserted into the groove of the front beam. The verdillon must not above all be at the point of tangency of the warp and the beam, but bent (at least 1/8th of a turn) on the front of the loom.

2-The board is moved away from the front beam, and the heddle bars are slipped into this space. With a cotton yarn of the same size or a little thicker than the warp used, four passées will be stretched between two nails driven into the beam, a few centimeters from the verdillon. The left hand, passed between the bench and the beam, alternately pulls on the heddle bars while the right hand passes the shuttle (flûte) through the opening thus created.

3-The four passées will be well stretched between the two nails, and tightened against each other using the comb.

4-The heddles are pushed back towards the rope, the board is advanced against the beam and the yarns are equalized one by one or two by two using the awl. The equalization on each lame must slightly exceed 40 centimeters and can reach 41 cm.

5-Using the awl, the warp is equalized on the rope near the rear beam. It is important to check as the equalization progresses the width of the warp on one hand, and its location on the beam on the other hand, that is to say the spaces between the selvedges and the ends of the beams.

6-Then the warp will be loosen and coiled about one turn on the front beam of the loom. The photo clearly shows the still “untreated” part in the foreground, while the warp is well equalized between the rope and the front beam (A). Then the rope is raised, the heddles also, the warp is stretched again, and the equalizing begins anew, etc.

7-When the entire warp is equalized and coiled on the front beam, the rope must be replaced with a cotton yarn rather larger than the warp used (or the same yarn doubled). Simply attach this yarn to the ends of the rope and gently pull on it, with the warp lightly tensioned.

8-Against the verdillon of the rear beam, we find the 6-yarns cross (encroix). Above it (approximately 10 cm), we will tighten the passées which replace the rope, then very carefully equalize on it. And this always depends on the location of the lames marked on the beam.

9-This equalization is very important, it must be carried out with the greatest care, because it is the basis for rewinding the warp. The passées which replace the rope, and which play the role of comb, must remain in this place.

10-Now, we are going to re-coiled these on the rear beam, stretching as much as possible with each turn of the beam. This operation consists of cailler the warp, that is to say ensuring a strong and homogeneous tension of the layer of yarns on the beam, so that the thicknesses of the turns fit into each other. This operation is done by only pushing back the heddle bars as you go, but without pushing back the yarn-to-yarn cross (encroix) which must remain near the verdillon of the rear beam.

11-The completely coiled and caillée warp is now in the weaving position. The tension trolleys are lifted to the maximum (lowering the yarns being easier with a large space between the beams). The front verdillon should not be on the top of the beam, the warp will therefore be coiled a few centimeters to prevent the verdillon from getting out of its groove and also to facilitate the final equalization on the four passées.