I've been gifted enough Harrisville Shetland Wool to easily make two wraps or a nice size blanket. I've never used it and it seems too fine for warp however I know that is supposed to be usable in a warp. What are the tricks to keeping it from breaking? I weave on a Oxaback Lilla countermarche loom if that matters. Thanks.

I know this is an old thread, but in case it's helpful... I also had the same response to Harrisville Shetland wool. It didn't seem twisted tightly enough and I thought it would break as warp. But I've used it for three different projects now -- two warps with two long scarves each and now a blanket. Have never had a single broken warp thread with this yarn. It's a joy to weave with and it does soften with washing.

I have only used Harrisville Shetland once on a scarf I made on my rigid heddle before I got my floor loom. I had no problems whatsoever, even though I had the same concern because you can snap it so easily. I am looking forward to making blankies with it.

I used the Harrisville Shetland on a Toika Countermarch loom to weave double weave with an 8 dent reed and 2 ends per dent for a cloth that was 8epi, balanced weave. It was fine. You have to have the warp tight enough so the shuttle doesn't dive through the 8epi when waving the bottom layer. Your tie up on a countermarch has to be done well so the shed is even across the different shafts/treadle combinations, so your shuttle doesn't skip or dive some of the threads when shafts are in the down position.

Hello all- help needed please! I am putting a wool warp onto my Jane loom for the first time, having always used cotton up to now. My problem is that when I get to the stage of threading the heddles, the ‘waiting’ warp threads, hanging over the lease sticks behind the frames, all tend to twist around each other, looking a bit like a hank of yarn might, sort of all twisted together in a rope like fashion. I don’t know if this twisting effect is a result of how I chained the warp off the warping board, or if perhaps it was caused as the wool fed off the cone onto the warping board? Whatever the reason, it means that each small bundle of threads that I take to thread the next few heddles has to be carefully detached from the threads beside it, and the wool tends to get even more twisted and entangled…so it’s a slow process! Luckily the warp this time is only 90 threads with a set of 10 epi, but I am concerned that if I can’t sort this issue out, any future projects with a wider warp would be next to impossible, as threading the heddles would be a nightmare! Any advice would be very welcome!! Thank you.

I see that replied to this a long time ago, however, since that post, I have woven several blankets with Harrisville Shetland, and haven’t had any issues with breakage.

As an aside, I HAVE had problems with the baby alpaca breaking in the warp, and the same with cotton bouclé in warps. I will never use those yarns in a warp again. Weft? Yes, but not warp.

Hi Sandra and Deb - thanks to you both for replying. I tried what you suggested Sandra and have included a photo of the result along with photos of the cone , label and weaving sample. As you will see, there was some twisting together of the two strands. It feels strange to be considered not a ‘new weaver’ as I must admit, I still am very much at the beginner stage….which is one of the reasons why this forum is so invaluable!! Any further insights welcome! Thanks again. ( having problems attaching photos so will try to send them separately!)

https://ibb.co/zxp27qs

https://ibb.co/f0K3F4D

https://ibb.co/VHRSyxQ

https://ibb.co/yfPFZ75

This shows the twisting better than the earlier photo I think.

Katherine, To me, it just seems like there is some over twist in this yarn.

I would just slowly and carefully, separate the next thread in line to be threaded and tie your threaded bits in bouts of whatever your epi is, into a slip knot as you progress.

They will want to twist again as you sley your reed.

I bet your finished project will be lovely...

Thanks for the photos Katherine. I looked up the yarn shown in the photo you posted and Kilcarra Donegal Yarn - Soft Merino Tweed is a lovely knitting yarn. You can't often substitute one for the other. Knitting yarns have some stretch and softness built into them for the knitters in our world. Weaving yarn is spun to be able to handle the tension that is put on it during the weaving process. That's why you can't always tell how fabulous your finished project will be until you have finished/fulled it when it's off the loom. So, I would take Cheryl's advice and finish threading your loom, hem stitch and see if you can weave a sample large enough to hem again, cut off and see what happens when you full it. Keep us posted, please.

That’s very useful information thanks. I’ll let you know how I get on. All part of the learning process!

https://ibb.co/QQbxDBc

Just checked the manufacturers website out of curiosity and they seem to think that yarn can be used for both weaving and knitting…but maybe they were not thinking of handweaving….who knows! Anyway- I’ll keep going with the sample!

What love so much about this group is how everyone tries to help. 🥰