# Accessories



## BrownYaks (Mar 6, 2013)

So, our loom is in getting "tuned up"

Two things I KNOW we need are a warping board and a shuttle. 
What are your recommendations? What size of warping board? What type of shuttle. Do we need more than one shuttle?

What else would you recommend? What is a necessary tool and what would you suggest to make life easier?


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## featherbottoms (May 28, 2005)

I have a 14 yard Schacht warping board and the Schacht horizontal warping reel. I bought the warping board at a thrift store but bought the reel new. I like them both.


















I prefer Leclerc boat shuttles that take the 4" bobbin. I have close to a dozen boat shuttles and two antique end feed shuttles. In the boat shuttles I have a Schacht, a Harrisville, and a couple other brands but my very favorite is this Leclerc. I have several other Leclerc but the curved shape, and light weight of this particular shuttle is pleasing to me. I would like to get two more.











Some may disagree but I don't find I need more than one shuttle per loom. I just spent a day playing with bobbins and shuttles. Once I tested them all again I found that I didn't pick up any to use except that one Leclerc. Needing one for each loom is why I'd like to have two more of that particular style. What you will need more of are bobbins. Whenever I'm working on a project I try to keep 4 or 5 filled so I don't have to stop and wind them as often.

Things I would suggest:

A bobbin winder of some kind. I have an antique hand crank that works well on dk weight and up but for lace and fingering weight it takes forever to wind one bobbin. I can't afford an electric winder right now so we made one out of an electric drill. It works just fine.

A ball winder. If you don't have one already they are much easier to use than having someone hold your skien or using the back of a chair.

At least 4 lease sticks. I use them for the cross but also lay them across the breast and back beam when I thread the reed. Lease sticks can be yard sticks, or any other stick that's smooth enough for the yarn not to catch

I also have binder rings that I use to hold the lease sticks together when I use them to hold the cross. Drill holes in the lease sticks and stick the binder rings through. It keeps the sticks a good distance apart and you don't have to worry about them coming apart and losing your cross.

A couple of stick shuttles. I use them for weaving the waste yarn on at the beginning and end of the warp. These can also be homemade from yard sticks. Just make sure they are sanded smooth.

Tapestry needles. I have a bunch of the blue plastic ones. I like them better than the metal because they bend to go over and under the warp threads. I use these to needleweave my weft protector on both ends, and for repairs of warp threads.

"T" pins. These are also used for repairing broken warp threads.

Really long metal tapestry needle. I have one that's 6" or so long that I use to repair mistakes in the warp after I've taken the project off the loom. I like using the long one because I can catch the warp threads several inches from the mistake and weave through to the other side of the mistake all in one piece.

A small tool box that holds the wrenches and other tools that keep your loom straight. If you use your loom often you will probably find that you have to tighten screws occasionally.

Enough heddles to make whatever you want. One of my looms has about 300 extra heddles that I keep in the toolbox.

I know people talk about sleying the reed for different setts but I like having several reed sizes. A 6, 10, 12, would be good starting reeds. My small floor loom only has a 6 and a 12. I use that loom enough to know that I really would like something inbetween.

Graph paper, vinyl page sheets, a note book, camera, pen, etc. Used for keeping up with your project.

A couple of good books, maybe a dvd or two, and time to watch some weaving vids on youtube. There are lots of good books out there and I've decided that Tom Knisely's dvds are worth the money. I particularly like Weaving with Novelty Yarns because he shows a really simple way of sleying the reed. I tried it last time I sleyed and it really was simple. I've not decided if I'm going to continue that way (I still had tangled threads but it may have been user error), but tt was nice to watch something different. Like Laura Fry's warping valet. I'm going to have to see if I can figure out that, too.

Elizabeth Wagner's videos on youtube are an excellent introduction to weaving. She starts at the beginning with the parts of the loom. I think you have a counterbalance loom but most of the material is still relevant. Here's a link to one of her videos

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nHMIBiylVI[/ame]

On my particular wish list is a two bobbin shuttle and a good mannequin, with arms, to photograph scarves and wraps.

For a beginning weaver, I'd also recommend patience. It takes a little bit to get used to winding a warp and making the cross. I've dropped warps, made two or three crosses in one warp (newbie errors) and then forgotten which I wanted to use, warped backward, wound my warp so tight I couldn't hardly get it off, crossed threads, gotten one silk warp so tangled I just gave up, and done a bunch of other things I can't even remember. So far, I've not gotten frustrated or aggravated or thrown anything. I love weaving and those patience testing things are just part of learning.


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Im a newbie ..... I would say ......

A bobbin winder for sure ..... the electrics are a dream , I was just GIVEN one at the weavers guild !! 

Join a guild, there's lots of info there , and things you can borrow or rent !! 

Shuttles ..... I have a variety because I dont know what I like yet ! Bluster Bay's are nice, and inexpensive .... I have an 11" no name brand that I seem to gravitate towards .... 

LOVE the Elisabeth Wagner videos !! She is so good at explaining and making things so easy !!

I have the Schacht larger warping board ... works fantastic !! 

Ask lots of questions... thats how we ALL learn from each other !

Can wait to see your journey with pictures !!


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## Osiris (Jun 9, 2010)

Everything FB said! :thumb: Elizabeth Wagner is a good set of videos too.
You might need some.....yarn!  I know a lot of people who spin and dye their own!!!

If you plan on doing rag rugs, a good rug warp is essential. Cotton is good, Cottolin is better. 8/4 is the standard size warp. Also for rag rugs, get yourself a _good rotary cutter_. Here's a good video on making a continuous warp from fabric for rag rugs. 
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C3mQEEmPsA[/ame]


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## Rosepath (Feb 18, 2011)

Depends on what you're planning on weaving. If you have a rug loom, with a sectional warping beam (little pegs sticking out of the beam ever inch or so, or on a Leclerc the sections are divided with metal "loops") a sectional counter is good, since you'll be winding small sections of the entire warp instead of winding all the warp at once.
I also love the Leclerc boat shuttles, and if weaving rags I use home-made-by-someone vintage rag shuttles.
Ball winder and bobbin winders are essential to what I do, but if you have to choose get a bobbin winder first. The warping boards with room for several yards of warp are very good, you can always wind a short warp if you want to, and being able to wind on 20 yds or so is great for those production projects (placemats, clothing yardage).

Of course the other essential is a cat-free zone for weaving, LOL, we can all dream.


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## Osiris (Jun 9, 2010)

Yardage counter! If you're making a warp 11 yards, you want something to measure your guide string pretty accurately. I found one for real cheap.
http://www.crafttownhobbylandusa.com/proddetail.php?prod=3407578&cat=109
Always shop around - these things vary in price. 

I think the temptation is to buy everything at once. That can be pricey. Lots of these things can be made relatively cheaply. If you have a spouse or friends that are handy with tools, ask for their help! ;-) Lease sticks are a cinch. Just be sure they have rounded edges and you sand them very fine (800+)and coat them with poly. Any wooden items you make for weaving need to be sanded very fine so as not to snag yarns. A warping board too is not a cheap item, tho a warping 'reel' is really cool. But again a handy person can make a warping _board_ pretty easily. Just needs to be strong wood. (maple or harder) My first was out of pine and it worked just fine. 

Look over videos, do google searches, look at all the weaving accessories you can find and see what you can make yourself. It makes the process a lot more rewarding when you've created some of your tools too. 
Here's a plan for a warping board. The dimension aren't cut in stone. If you're off by an inch here or there it isn't the end of the world. You want the pegs 'about' a yard apart. Measure twice - cut once. ;-)

You may need a heddle hook. I thread with my fingers. Personal preference. You will need a reed hook tho, or something like it. 
Here's a neat item that's on my wish list: Auto Reed hopper
It's not a 'must have', but it's cool. 
https://www.etsy.com/listing/108705...enter&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery
This is a knockoff but it's the cheapest I've seen. The original is $50.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I would think that making a warping board would be one of the easiest of all the tools to make. I know some people have them on a wall, almost like art.


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## featherbottoms (May 28, 2005)

I have the yardage counter that Osiris links to and it's ok. The problem I have with it is the sucker feet don't hold well. I had to learn how to hold it while winding. It works though and is a good buy for that price.

I completely forgot about heddle and threading hooks. I use the Harrisville brass one with the big end and little end and it fits through my 12 dent reed. Haven't tried it with the 15 yet but it should work with that, too. I like the angled one that came with my Ashford rigid heddle looms, too, especially for threading. I don't particularly like the short ones with two ends and both the plastic and brass I've tried didn't work for me in the finer reeds, plus they are short so I have to sit really close to the reed to sley and can't use them at all for threading. The Harrisville lets me do both with one tool.

eta: For real fine threading I'll use the funky tool that came with my Glimakra rigid heddle loom. It's a thin wire loop with a wood handle. It will work great for fine reeds and yarns.

I have my warping board on the wall but that's just because it's the only place that it fits


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

I'm going to put my warping board on the wall because otherwise there is only the floor.


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## Osiris (Jun 9, 2010)

FB: ".....The problem I have with it is the sucker feet don't hold well...." Same problem here!! It's the price that sold me. 
MarchWind, a warping board is easy to make. Drill the holes and pound those puppies in! Just be sure the holes are drilled straight and the pegs are good wood. You don't want them to flex. You do need to round the ends of the pegs and sand everything good. My second WB is made out of 2x4s. The pegs are birch. I think I threw it together in about 3 hours. Homemade is so much more 'fun'.


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## BrownYaks (Mar 6, 2013)

So, for now anyway, I think I'll just be picking up a leclerc shuttle and bobbins. 
Thanks everybody!


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## Osiris (Jun 9, 2010)

BrownYaks, always keep your eyes open on Ebay and Etsy for 'vintage weaving *whatever*' You can get some good deals sometimes. People just want it gone. I've snatched up a few that way. You do want several shuttles.


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