After the loom is set up, weaving can begin.  This page shows the steps and tools involved. 

Loom Parts:

1.Tension Arm   2.Warp Beam  3.Harnesses  4.Beater and Reed  5.Shift Handle 6.Doublebox Flyshuttle  7.Bench  8.Basket of Bobbins  9.Treadles  10.Cloth Advance  11.Cloth Storage Weight  12.Harnesses  13.Dobby Arm  14.Dobby Box and Fingers  15.Dobby Chain of Bars and Pegs  16.Cloth Storage Roller  17.Harness Cables  18.Warp Threads  19.Woven Cloth

The yarn that binds the warp together is called the weft (rayon chenille here).  It is wound onto bobbins at left.  At right, the bobbin has been placed in a shuttle which is placed in the flybox.

This fabric uses two colors alternately in every row of weft.  Therefore, I use two shuttles and a doublebox flyshuttle.

You can see the two levels of the flybox at left.  The attached cable lifts the proper box into place.

At right, another view of the flybox.

At left, I step on the treadle which is attached to a cable which pulls the dobby arm down (center photo).  The pegs on the dobby bar press into wooden fingers which are attached to the harnesses by cables.  At right, the corresponding harnesses lift, creating an opening in the warp.  This is called the shed.

With the shed open, I pull the shift handle to send the shuttle across. It comes out on the other side, and goes into the left shuttlebox.  

A closeup of the shuttle going across.

I pull the beater towards me to push the weft into place.  When I step on the treadle again, it advances the dobby chain to the next bar of pegs.  A new set of harnesses rises, and I send the second shuttle across.  In this way, the warp and weft threads interlock to produce fabric.  

There are 24 weft threads in each inch of fabric (called picks per inch).

When I have woven enough fabric for a garment, it can be removed from the loom without affecting the rest of the warp.  I cut the fabric apart at the storage roller.

I zigzag the ends of the fabric.  I repair any mistakes or knots with a tapestry needle and yarn.  I baste the two fabric ends together to form a tube of cloth.  This will keep the fabric from twisting around itself in the washing machine.  I use a handwash cycle.  The fabric is dried in the dryer on very low heat.  

The fabric will shrink about 8% in length and 20% in width to form a soft, drapey cloth.

It is now ready to be cut and sewn.

Go to the next page to see the sewing process.