Weaving Study Group: Twills on 4-Shafts

In this first weaving study group, we will work on getting started with weaving on 4-shaft looms and work towards weaving our first twill gamp. Following this study group, you’ll be able to design your own twill project using the yarns you’ve chosen to work with.

If you are wanting a little warm up to get started with a 4-shaft loom before we begin the study group, I encourage you to do these things to get ready:

• Assemble your tools and equipment: you’ll need a 4-shaft loom (either a table loom or floor loom works) with a 15″ weaving width for the gamp and a 45″ weaving width (I used the Leclerc Mira II to make the blankets). You can adjust your future twill project to fit whatever size loom you have.
• Work through the Multishaft Weaving Basics sampler and watch the Essential Weaving lessons
• Put on a narrow (7 or 8” wide) warp with a wooly, worsted yarn
• Practice winding bobbins, throwing the shuttle, checking the angle of your weft, and weaving good 50/50 balanced cloth (check your ppi and epi)
• Watch the Weaving Twills on 4-Shafts course for a preview of what we’ll be doing.
• If you want to weave the twill gamp as-shown in the course, you’ll need three cones of Gist Beam for the cotton version or three skeins of BFL+Silk Fine​​​​​​​ for the wool version.