I just started my first weave and I am having a terrible time getting the design threads to stick to the masking tape. I have been trying the Doc Ski method, and the thread will just not stick to the tape. I use Madeira Polyneon as Doc does, so what is the trick. Very frustrating to have this kind of an issue before I can even start the weave.

So is there a trick or a special brand of masking tape that everyone uses? Thanks for any suggestions.

John

Your best fix is to make or buy a jig or loom. That said you can try double sided tape. It's stickier than masking tape. Wrap the area where you want to use it with blue painters tape first and put the double sided tape over the painters tape. If you don't you will find the double sided tape a pain to get off the blank. One of the problems you are having is the silicone on the thread and the fact that masking tape has changed over the years. It dries out much faster than in years past. Depending on the number of design threads in your pattern you might be able to make a simple jig out of cardboard.

Using tape to hold your design threads is an exercise in frustration. If you have the jigs use them? Of course, experience is a great teacher, so I'm sure when you are through you will gained that and will know "from experience" why we don't use the that method anymore. The carpet tape will work. Some better than others due to the way its made. They are gummy though.

Jim Upton Wrote:
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> Using tape to hold your design threads is an
> exercise in frustration. If you have the jigs use
> them? Of course, experience is a great teacher,
> so I'm sure when you are through you will gained
> that and will know "from experience" why we don't
> use the that method anymore. The carpet tape will
> work. Some better than others due to the way its
> made. They are gummy though.

So if you don't use tape how do you use a jig? In the article I cited above (which for some reason was redacted) Owen uses both jigs to load the jigs, then uses zip ties to secure the left hand side. Is that pretty much what you are talking about? Here is a link to my setup with the threads loaded and the weave started. [drive.google.com]

John,I am basing what I say after seeing your picture of your setup. You may find things easier if you don't literally go by the direct numbering on your looms. By that,I mean if you centered the threads more, it could prove easier altogether. The way you have your threads laid out, you will find the design wants to "wander" off center. That can present an issue in keeping it centered on the axis you want to use,as well as tightening it. The threads would have to be pulled downward when tightening to keep them centered. The threads are tougher to align properly doing that as you need to pull harder on them and possibly pulling them out. Let's say you have a design that has 20 threads. Use numbers 50-70 on your looms to keep it centered.

As for using tape to hold your threads,you may find using too much tension to keep them perfectly straight can be part of the problem. When doing weaves using tape, I only use my dental tool to press the thread onto the tape and leave it just a bit loose between the weave as it develops on the blank and the tape.

I hope this makes sense....

Chuck McIntyre Wrote:
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> John,I am basing what I say after seeing your
> picture of your setup. You may find things easier
> if you don't literally go by the direct numbering
> on your looms. By that,I mean if you centered the
> threads more, it could prove easier altogether.
> The way you have your threads laid out, you will
> find the design wants to "wander" off center. That
> can present an issue in keeping it centered on the
> axis you want to use,as well as tightening it. The
> threads would have to be pulled downward when
> tightening to keep them centered. The threads are
> tougher to align properly doing that as you need
> to pull harder on them and possibly pulling them
> out. Let's say you have a design that has 20
> threads. Use numbers 50-70 on your looms to keep
> it centered.
>
> As for using tape to hold your threads,you may
> find using too much tension to keep them perfectly
> straight can be part of the problem. When doing
> weaves using tape, I only use my dental tool to
> press the thread onto the tape and leave it just a
> bit loose between the weave as it develops on the
> blank and the tape.
>
> I hope this makes sense....


Chuck, it all makes perfect sense and many thanks to you and Jim for the lesson. I have decided to start over again using your suggestions, now that I have some ideas on how to proceed. Here is what I am trying to weave. Not too complicated, just red and white design threads and black as wrap thread.
[drive.google.com]

John, I hope it does help. Let us know how it turns out and best of success with it.

Chuck,

Spent the afternoon re-doing the wrap. I used carpet tape and it worked fine. I also took your advice and moved the threads to the center and split in half on the loom. It does work much better. Should have it at least half done tomorrow. Many thanks.

John

John...You are welcome.

John; I'm sorry, I misunderstood your original post. I thought you were using the old method of weaving where tape wrapped back on itself was used in place of the jigs. In your case if its just to hold the threads in place so you can wrap them down before starting the weave, I do that differently. I wrap the blank with blue masking tape then a layer of double sided tape where I want the design threads taped to the blank. I mark the pattern center line on the tape.

I wrap my design threads on a flat 3" wide 9" long rectangular piece of plastic. Pack the threads side by side and put a piece of tape across one end to hold them all together. Then cut the threads above the tape. That will give you 18" strands of thread laid side by side stuck to a piece of tape at one end. If my pattern has no more than 50 or so threads I do them all at once, marking the center thread with marker pen at the base (where the tape will be) so I can find it later when putting the thread on the rod. If more, I divide them into two groups starting with the center thread of the pattern and working outward in both directions. For example, for a pattern of 98 threads, I will wrap 49 threads in the first bunch and put them on the rod with thread number 49 laid over the center line marked on the rod. I pick up the center thread (in this case #49) and put it in the same numbered slot in the jig on the right side. Work out to thread number 1. Often I will put on another piece of double sided tape to take the next bunch of threads. Work out from thread 50 to 98. I wrap down each layer of thread and repeat the process for each color layer of a color change weave.

Hope this helps, if not send me an E-Mail and I'll try to give you a better explanation.

I am so confused about that picture....what is it I am looking at?? What are all the numbers on the left and right side??

Jon,those numbers on the looms correspond to the design threads used to make the pattern. Each slot in the foam is numbered to allow the weaver to quickly identify each thread for movement back and forth. This reduces confusion. Usually anyway... ;)

My hat is off to you guys, you’re much better than me. Attempting to do a weave might possibly overload my decrepit brain cells.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Mark Talmo Wrote:
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> My hat is off to you guys, you’re much better
> than me. Attempting to do a weave might possibly
> overload my decrepit brain cells.

Mark, well it has overloaded my brain this week. First the problem with the tape that started this whole thread. Now after two false starts where I got the first 20 or so columns woven, I had to start all over again because I lost threads and the design was way off. I am now doing a complete rebuild of my looms because I found the slots I cut were not equally spaced and too close together and that created huge problems keeping track of the thread. So I bought some electrical Gormetts as shown in Doc Ski's You Tube video and I am starting all over again. The only problem I am facing is trying to find the foam Doc uses. I can't find it any place, but probably looking for the wrong thing. I did find some hobby foam that I think should work. I will be re-assembling the looms this afternoon.

So anyone know where I can find the orthopedic foam Doc uses in his looms?

Merry Christmas everyone.

John