Assembly on the Loom

1-Lower the tension trolleys all the way down to ensure the beams are parallel. Fix the rateau on the loom’s jumelles very close to the rear beam (on the pawl side, inside the loom). The rateau is a wooden batten on which headless nails are driven in a staggered pattern, spaced one centimeter apart. Its use is universal regarding the thinness of the warp (see below). The toupies, camperche, treadles, plank are removed to free the inside of the loom.

2-Mark out the location of the lames on the rear beam using small pencil marks, centering the warp width on the beam. The location of the lames on the rateau is delimited by shuttles (flûtes) which are opposite each marker marked on the beam. It is necessary to check that the space between each flûte is 40 cm. The crenilles are then placed on the rateau and arranged in these intervals, on the six-yarn cross (encroix) side on the rear beam. That is to say, by checking that this end of the crenille has a single ligature (2) and the two small knots of the start and end of warping (1).

a) Closed crenille

3-You must first open the crenille by undoing the first link (b). Then, you must loosen the ligature which is a closed loop (above all, do not undo the little knot). Then, pass the verdillon through the first opening of the six-yarn cross (encroix), taking care to check that the two half-portées of the start and end of warping pass well around it (3 yarns above/3 yarns below).

4-A strong yarn is attached to one end of the beam near the rear verdillon (possibly around one of the iron dowels holding it, otherwise around a small nail driven into the beam). This yarn coiled on a shuttle (flûte) is engaged in the same opening as the verdillon, then stretched and tied securely to the other end of the beam.

5-The shuttle (flûte) passes back through the second opening of the cross (encroix) and joins its starting point at the end of the beam. When the warp has several lames, this operation is carried out for each of them in the same way, one after the other.

6-After checking that the guide thread stretched on the beam followed the same path as the ligature, and after ensuring the tension and good fixings of these two yarns against the rear verdillon, the ligature is cut and removed.

Note : The yarn which follows the same path as the verdillon (first opening of the cross – encroix) is a sort of security in the case where we have to, for example, remove the latter to rethread a small knot which has gone incorrectly, or else a portée that has been forgotten.

7-The portées must be regularly distributed between the teeth of the rateau, and between the dowels which hold the verdillon.

Each group of six yarns is cleared, at the base, near the verdillon and the cross (encroix), and then placed between two nails on the rateau.

This involves carefully moving the yarns along the verdillon, without pulling on each half-portée at the risk of tangling the crenille.

8-On the rateau, we have forty intervals between each shuttle (flûte). Depending on the density of the warp, it will be enough to regularly distribute the remaining intervals. This rateau will be ideal for a warp of 20 portées since we will have 6 warp yarns per centimeter; for thinner warps, it will be necessary, from time to time, to place 12 yarns between two nails. But for warps that have less than 20 portées, it is better to stick to 6 yarns for each space occupied, even if it means skipping an interval between each group of yarns.

It is important to recount the number of portées during this distribution. If there were more, it would be possible to remove some, unless the lame is widened accordingly.

Before continuing, you must ensure that the verdillon is securely in place in its groove by possibly blocking it with small wedges ; on the other hand, check that the (or both) pawl(s) of the rear beam properly lock the latter.

9-Now, you have to go around the loom and untie the crenille by gently pulling on it. If it does not unravel at some point, you will have to undo each link from the end on the yarn-to-yarn cross (encroix) side.

10-To the extent that there is sufficient distance in front of the loom, it is first a matter of pulling on the end of the crenille so as to release and tighten the warp yarns. You must pull downwards (so as to not pull the yarns out of the rateau), with a sharp movement and several times, while going up towards the back of the loom. This gesture allows you to “lighten” the crenille and slightly tighten the groups of 6 yarns, rather than untangling them. It is not desirable to comb the yarns using your fingers, which would, on the contrary, risk further tangling them. This involves finding a homogeneous but low tension, equivalent to that of warping.

11-We return near the rear beam to coil the warp on it one turn. It is rolled up loose (no need for another person to stretch it). It is important to check during this operation that the yarns do not get tangled at the level of the rateau. After that, you have to go around the loom again, then pull on the crenille from its end going backwards, and coil the warp again one turn, etc.

12-The end of the crenille is now near the rateau. The warp is completely coiled on the rear beam.

13-The yarns of the crenille are carefully lifted and released from the teeth of the rateau, then completely coiled on the beam. The  rateau is detached from the jumelles and removed from the loom.

14-The ligature of the yarn-to-yarn cross (encroix - 3) is loosened, a rope (the length of which is designed in order to stretch it between the jumelles) is passed through the two openings. You must carefully check as it passes that it follows the initial cross (encroix) exactly. The photo clearly shows the location of the two ligatures which corresponded to the top of the warping machine (ourdissoir).

15-The board and the camperche of the loom are removed.

The rope is stretched between the jumelles, near the rear beam. This rope (which will form a large closed loop) must be tied temporarily, so that it can subsequently be moved and placed on the loom board.

The weaver enters the loom and cuts the ligature of the yarn-to-yarn cross (encroix) which is now replaced by the rope.

16-The other ligature, which only served to hold the loops of the crenille, is also cut.

17-All the yarns of the crenille are cut while maintaining this large loop horizontally, so as to obtain two layers (even and odd yarns) of the same length.

18-The lame is divided into several groups of yarns temporarily knotted (tension knots, see below). When the warp has several lames, it is useful to make the same number of knots for each of them, so as to clearly locate, subsequently, the beginning and the end of them when threading. If, during this operation, an error is noticed in the cross (encroix) of the rope, it must then be corrected before continuing. An isolated doublot would not be a problem, several doublots close to each other can compensate for each other by re-threading the yarns one by one. But you must not remove any yarns.