OLD WARP TIED DOWN
Comb a section of old warp ends, raise the front harness,separate yarns into
 odd threads (front harness) and
even threads (back harness)
Place old warp ends on velcro stick:

NEW WARP TIED DOWN
Tie first warp chain to breast beam, on the right side
Tie the cross bar (piece of wood with the two tinker toys stick in it) to the breast beam
Put the weavers cross in the warp on the cross bar
Untie ends and trim evenly
Tie the cut ends down
You need the chain stable to pull each thread out of the cross

Wind corrigated paper (or other heavy paper) into the warp on the warp beam
(at the back of the loom) to keep threads even
Every few yards beamed, give each chain a hard pull to work excess slack out of the warp



TIE ON TO CLOTH BEAM ROD AND BEGIN WEAVING
When there are about 20 inches of the warp left unwound in front of the reed,
untie the ends of the warp and tie them to the cloth beam apron rod
Tie from the center outward
Tighten the warp to a moderate tension on the finished warp
Begin weaving

LOOM HISTORY

I was given this loom by a lady who worked at Merrill-Lynch in Huntington, WV.  She said she wanted to clear out her basement.  As far as I can remember, she may have said her grandfather would use the loom for some rug weaving, when he needed new rugs.  I can’t recall if he was the maker or not.

 I think the loom was made in 1923.  There’s some legible carving on the top of the hand carved beater that says 1923, faintly.  The maker had good woodworking skills but had probably never made a loom before.  Some of the proportions are awkward:  the distance between the breast beam and the beater is too long; the cloth beam is set too close to the front so your knee hits it when treadling; the treadles are too low.  The treadles were lower but someone added a rough wood beam at lower back to raise them somewhat.

The maker made the loom with materials he had in hand, in 1923.  The loom is made with mortise and tenion joints, so you can take it apart and move or store it.  The warp and cloth beams are rough logs.  Door hinges to swing the beater and treadles.  UNIQUE to this loom:  a delicate bicycle sprocket as the back beam brake.  Hand shaped metal pieces.  The only pieces purchased are the reed and the harnesses.