Double weave on the Schacht Flip Loom

Above: double weave sampler: the herringbone pattern results when both layers are woven together. Below: Threading for double weave: measure and wind the warp with the first heddle, install the second one and thread it (see Schacht Winter 2007 on-line newsletter for warping details).

You can weave double weave on a rigid heddle loom—and it’s especially convenient to weave on our Flip loom because of its two heddle capabilities.

To begin, warp your loom as for two heddles (check out our Schacht Winter 2007 on-line newsletter for the details) with this special instruction. Warp two colors together, thread color A in the Heddle II holes and color B in Heddle I holes. Essentially, in rigid heddle double weave, you need a heddle and pick-up stick for each layer. Below are the basic instructions for preparing and weaving double weave.

Equipment: Schacht Flip rigid heddle loom, two rigid heddle reed of the same dent (8, 10 or 12), two pick-up sticks, two shuttles, another two pick-up sticks are handy (making four total).

Preparation

Pick-up pattern for dark layer on top:

1. Place both heddles in the down position.
2. For pick-up stick A: Pick up all of the dark raised threads to the left of the light threads (working along the fell of the cloth makes it easy to see which threads to pick up). Transfer threads to another pick-up stick behind the heddles and slide it to the back of the loom.
3. For pick-up stick B: place both heddles in the up position, slide pick-up stick A forward to behind the heddle and slide pick-up stick B into the narrow bottom shed.

Weaving

Weaving two separate layers:

Lower layer (light layer)

1. Pick-up stick B—use light weft
2. Heddle I in down shed—use light weft

Upper layer (dark layer)

1. Heddle II up—use dark weft
2. Pick-up stick A—use dark weft

Exchange the layers, light layer on top:

If you want to change the layers so that the light threads are on top and the dark threads are on the bottom, you’ll need an additional two pick-up sticks. (The first two can stay in place at the back of the loom until needed again.)

1. Pick-up stick C: Place both heddles in the down position and pick-up all of the light threads to the right of the dark threads.
2. Pick-up stick D: Place both heddles in the up position and slide pick-up stick C forward to behind the heddles and slide pick-up stick D into the resulting lower shed. Slide both pick-up sticks to the back of the loom.

Weaving:

Lower layer (dark layer)

1. Pick-up stick D—dark color
2. Heddle II down—dark color

Note: in order to be able to weave with Heddle II in the down position, bring both heddles in front of the heddle block, pull up on the front heddle and push down on the back heddle. This is a little awkward, but I can do it with one hand and then use my other hand to insert the shuttle.

Upper layer (light layer)

1. Heddle I up—light color
2. Pick-up stick C—light color