Some Fine-Tuning in your Warping
On a Warping Reel
The biggest problem is getting your finished warp length to measure
exactly your need. First, do the math for the desired finished
length. For most warping reels, the pegs (2 or 3) will be in a
moveable bracket bolted into into the
middle of the vertical span, one bracket at the top and one at the bottom.
Then get a tape measure and measure between the vertical spans
on an angle - it must be on an angle because that's how one
warps (or else you won't get your length!).
These 1" (or more) squares of vertical pieces of wood must be measured
at the middle of the rounded outside, then across and on angle
downward to the middle of the neighbouring vertical piece. Only
then do you multiply that distance (between all the rungs) and
then add on the distance at the top and bottom brackets from the rounded
corners to the furthest peg on that bracket.
If you start off using a measured piece of yarn, no matter how
firm it may be, it will not work out correctly - all yarns have
a certain stretch and if you are working on a team doing a guild
project, it will be uneven and you will be cutting off threads and
throwing them away!
Okay, so now you have the proper distance from the top pegs down
to the bottom peg(s). Now is the time to use a guide thread, because
for some large warps, the threads could be close together and hard
to follow as you go round and round - this is particularly important for
tea-towels or anything with hundreds and hundreds of threads.
If this doesn't make sense, please write and let me know.
