Category Archives: countermarche tie-up

countermarche tie-up, table runners, Texsolv cord, towels
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After several days of interruptions and shifting priorities, I am back working on the CM loom. Days ago, I had found quite a number of tie-up cords missing, so I ordered a spool of Texsolv cord. Today I counted out cords to see how many long and short cords I had, cut those needed and with a lit candle, slightly melted the ends to make it easier to pass them through the holes in the lamms. Since I’m setting up for a ten shaft twill plus plain weave, I needed 60 long cords and 60 short cords (shown above).

Sitting inside the loom, I added the long cords to the upper lamms and my 16 year old daughter , after being shown how, added the short cords to the lower lamms. Then after tieing up the treadles, I’ll be able to thread the heddles, tie the warp on, and begin weaving.

In addition to the bleached and unbleached cottolin for weft, I have cones of white slub cotton, and also found cones of unbleached slub tow linen on my shelves, so I will have even more variety in design choices. I am going to enjoy weaving these towels and table runners.

cottolin, countermarche tie-up

Tweaking the Countermarche

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Since the countermarche loom was moved a few days ago, it seemed a good time to do a little tweaking of anything that needed to be adjusted. The rods were placed in the jacks (from the back), shafts were in their holders, and a “warp” thread was tied onto the front beam, through the reed, through a heddle eye, and tied to the back beam. The thread should have been resting lightly on the bottom of the heddle eye, but was up just slightly, so all shafts (and holders) were raised one hole in the Texsolv, and now the thread IS resting in the bottom of the heddle eye.

When the rods and holders are removed, the action will drop a bit, and the thread should then be in the middle of the heddle eye.

The long V-cords run down in back of the shafts and lamms as they are supposed to. The distance from the floor to top of lamms was checked, and though not exactly at the measurements provided to me quite awhile back by Joe (RugsbyJoe), they are only 1/4″ or so off, and changing by one loop in the Texsolv cord changes the measurements too much, so they changed back to where I originally had them.

Treadles are being tied up today for a 10 shaft twill though some of the tie-up cords are missing. I ordered more Texsolv cord, so while waiting for it to arrive, the warp will be made, a white and unbleached stripe, giving me options in weaving all-over plaids, border plaid, stripes, twill, plain weave, and so on, as well as varying the treadling. This will be a 12-15 yard warp, using cottolin that I have on hand, a fiber combination I enjoy weaving with.