Using a Warping Board

I am excited, this is my first weaving tutorial!  And it is about using a warping board, which is something that intimidated me for a long time.  When I first got my rigid heddle loom, I was quite happy to wait until the kids went to sleep and use the warping peg to measure my lengths of warp.  (This is a direct warping method, unlike the use of a warping board, which is an indirect method.  Indirect methods allow you to prepare your warp threads and then warp your loom at a later time.) However, after my husband made my four-shaft loom for me and I started in on some more elaborate weaving, it did not seem practical to rely only on my little peg to get me through.  300+ ends is a lot for a peg.  So, my darling husband made me a warping board and we mounted it on the wall in the family room so I would have easy access while still hanging out with my kiddos.  It's a strange feature for the wall, I am sure guests do not understand what it is- either some modern art or a strange torture device.  Tell them it's a "warping board," their doubtful looks do not improve.  

Now, you do not need a large warping board nor do you need an "official" construction.  I've seen people use chairs flipped over, pegs on a bookcase, really anything where you can make a cross and find a pre-measured path (we will talk about these things in a moment).  I will say that having a warping board is nice, though.  Ideally, it is a yard (or meter) from one peg across to another peg.  Mine is not. My sweet husband got so focused on making nice joins, he didn't think about the practicality of maintaining exactly a yard between pegs until it was too late.  But it matters not!  I love my warping board- as long as you can find a path, you do not need exactly a yard or meter between pegs.

Anyway, long story short, a warping board is super easy to use and it was silly that I avoided it for so long.  I warp my loom from front to back, so I can only say with confidence that this method is full proof for preparing warp for that method.  So, let's get going.

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1.  Figure out how long your warp needs to be in addition to how many ends will be in your project.  This information is readily available in weaving patterns and there are equations you can use if you are creating your own project.  Once you have established this information, you are ready to get started.  Measure out a piece of scrap yarn that is your prescribed warp length.  (I like to use a bold color so it's easy to see.  You can even label these guide threads for later use- especially for the common length warps.)  You will be making loops on either end of the thread, so make sure you give yourself an extra couple of inches before you cut.  Secure one end of the thread to a peg on your warping board, it doesn't really matter which one.  Once this is done, you might have to play around a little bit to find where to secure the other end.  Wind the thread around the pegs on your board until you get to the end of your measured thread and that end is at a peg.  Also, do not double back or cross over any part of the thread that is already on the board. When you find a path that works, tie the the end of the guide thread to the peg that it lands on by making another loop.  (This is where a board that is 1/2 yard or 1 yard across from peg to peg comes in handy.  Let's say you need three yards of warp.  Your path would be obvious.  You would simply work from one peg to the one across the board three times.  For fractions of warp length- like three and three quarters yard- or if your warping board is not a yard across, you might have a more unique looking path and that's okay.)

2.  I like to establish where my cross will be right from the start.  With this in mind, wherever I tie on as my starting peg I make sure to go under the neighboring peg and then back over top the third peg.  This is illustrated in the photograph below.  If you follow my red path, you can see it starts on the peg all the way on the right, travels under the middle peg, then goes over top the third peg on the left.  This will act as a reminder for you as you measure out your warp.  Some people like to make their cross at the end of the guide thread.  That's fine, too.  It just needs to be on one end or the other- don't try to make it in the middle.  

3.  You're now ready to start with your warp thread.  Tie your warp thread onto the first peg.  Then, follow your guide thread with your warp thread.  Notice below that I make sure to follow the guide thread under the second peg and then back over the third thread (just as we did with the guide thread in step 2).

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4.  When you get to the end of your path, go over the top of the last peg, around, and then under.  Then retrace your path back to the top.  If you make your cross at the bottom, please apply step 5 here.

5.  I have referenced the "cross" an number of times in this tutorial.  What is it?  Well, it is the crux of this warping method.  The cross serves to keep your warp threads neat and untangled as you sley your reed.  Especially with a large number of ends, without this cross, your threads would get hopelessly jumbled.  What the cross does is order your threads one over another so you can peel them off in the proper order.  So, to make your cross, think of a figure eight.  Remember that one peg we went under on the way down the warping board?  Well, on the way back, you will need to go over that peg then under your starting peg. Go around your starting peg, and just as you did the first time you journey forth from this peg, follow your guide thread under the second peg.  Every time you leave your starting peg you will go from the top of the peg to under the second peg, every journey toward your starting peg you will go from the top of the second-to-last peg to under your starting peg.  This is illustrated in the photographs, but if you keep the number eight in mind, it will help.  (If you put your cross at the end of your path, you would make these same motions on the second-to-last peg and the last peg of your path.)

6.  Let's take a moment to think about our warp threads.  You measured the length you need for your project- that is equal to one journey along the guide thread.  However, you journey both to and fro on that guide thread.  So, every time you return to your starting peg, you have made two warp ends.  This is important to remember when you are counting how many warp ends you have measured.  If you count the threads going over the top of your starting or ending peg, make sure you multiply this number by two, since half the warp threads are above and half of them are below these pegs. When you have the desired number of warp ends, break your thread and tie it to the peg.  

​7.  Stand back and appreciate your work.  Your cross should be clean and you should be able to clearly see your figure eight.  You are now ready to tie some choke ties.

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8.  Find some scrap yarn that is a contrasting color to your warp thread.  You want to make sure you can clearly see what is a tie and what is a warp thread...it is a sad day when you accidentally snip a warp thread.

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9.  You will make a total of five choke ties on your cross to maintain its integrity.  First, you make a horizontal tie around the X of your tie, as shown below.  You want to make it snug, but not too snug that you cannot snip it away.  If you know no curious little finger will mess with your ties, you can tie secure bows so that you do not need to worry with scissors.  Once this horizontal tie is made, you will want to secure all the legs of the X with four additional ties.  These five ties are best explained in the photographs below.  

10.  Next, it is helpful to make choke ties at least every yard (or meter) along your warp length.  I like to make little bundles in these ties- like the kind you see in hanks of yarn.  This isn't really necessary, you can just tie the great big bundle together, but I feel it keeps things a little tidier for me.  

11.  Your now ready to take your warp threads off the warping board.  It might be a bit snug, but wiggle the end without the cross off the peg.  Tie this end loop in a simple overhand knot while keeping the rest of your warp on the board.  

12.  From this end that you have pulled off the board, you will make a loop and then begin a chain of your warp threads through this loop as you pull the warp from the warping board.  If you are familiar with crochet, you are really crocheting your warp threads using your hand.  So, you make your initial loop, as shown in the picture on the far left below.  Hold this loop in your left hand.  With your right hand, reach through this loop toward the unchained warp thread, as shown in the middle photograph below.  Grab the warp threads and pull them through the previous loop to create a new loop, as shown in the photograph on the far right.  Repeat this process until you have chained all of your warp.  

Tadah! You now have a warp chain.  If you think you will suffer numerous interruptions when you are warping your loom, keep your warp threads to small bundles.  For example, if you need to measure 300 ends but have two toddlers, you can make six bundles of 50 warp ends. This would give you six warp chains, all with their own crosses.  Also, each color for your warp would be its own bundle.  So, if your project has three colors, you should have at least three warp chains.  These warp chains can be easily stored without worrying about destroying your hard work.  I like to use my warping board to store mine, I simply drape them over some free pegs.  You can measure out warps for more than one project, too...though if you do this, I would recommend you come up with a reliable labeling system.  The next step from here is to actually warp your loom, which is beyond the scope of this post.  But you can be confident that with these chains, you are ready for some warping action.  

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