So it is back to the Bronze Age for my next project, with handspun (!!) wool that is around 9 wraps/inch wide for the weft!
However, since I don't trust my handspun yet in the warp, I'm planning to warp with Briggs and Little Sport wool, which is a knitting size 2 and sett of 10-12 (courtesy of The Woolery website). The only heddles I have, however, are two 7.5 dpi, so I'm wondering what my best option would be.
My aim here is for as close to a balanced plain weave as possible, with 8-11 epi and ppi. I can:
- Warp up the 7.5 heddle singly, and end up with a slightly weft-faced plain weave
- Warp up the 7.5 heddles for a 2/1 twill, which would be nicely balanced but is not plain weave
- Warp up both heddles for 15 dpi, which would likely come out somewhat warp-faced
If you were me, what would you opt for here? Thank you all in advance!
If you want to show off your handspun, why not go for the single warp option and let the fabric be very weft-faced? On the other hand if you like the colour combination I'd be inclined to try the twill option.
But I say boo, boo to warp-faced fabric with your handspun wool. Let it shine!
How about warp one of the reeds fully and the other reed skipping every other slot and eye. It might be a little striped looking, but often these things even out in the wet finishing, especially if you kind of stretch it on the bias several times up and down the length before you start the wet finish.
This is my thought as well. Sometimes it take a bit of testing— so I’d use the bought yarn to make sure it works before using your nice hand spun. You may have to re-sley once or twice to get it right.
When I first got my loom I really tried to hold off getting more heddles. But then I spent just as much or more on yarn to go with the heddle I had as it would of cost to get a new heddle - and I didn't like the results that much.
So my advice is going to be, get that heddle or buy the yarn to do your handpsun justice.
(Conversely, some people go way too far in the other direction and I have more than once seen a used loom for sale with 2 of every size of heddle most still in their original packaging!)