Here’s how we make our Texsolv Repair Heddles.
What you’ll need for each repair heddle:
Two Texsolv Heddles in the length appropriate for your loom
a Scrap of yarn approx 4″ (this isn’t a terribly precise measurement – if it’s too long, you can cut it off, but if it’s too short, the knot may loosen and cause trouble later)
How to Make the Repair Heddle:
We highly recommend that you watch the video instructions. But for those of you who prefer to read, here are the instructions:
Loop one heddle into the top of the other heddle. This will be a temporary slip knot that will stay in place as long as you need to use this heddle.
Put the joined heddles at the bottom of the shaft bar with one heddle on one side of the shaft bar and the other heddle on the other side of the shaft bar.
Thread one heddle into the eye of the other so that the eyes have very low movement (they will move slightly, but once you insert the warp thread into the two heddles, the movement will be very low and the shed will not be significantly impacted)
Fold the scrap of yarn in half, then thread the loop of the scrap into the loops of the two sides of the repair heddles. MAKE SURE you have positioned the repair heddles around the top shaft bar! Thread the ends of the scrap yarn into the loop of the scrap yarn to create a slip knot that will be easy to remove after you’ve finished your project. You could make a knot if you’d prefer not to do a slipknot, but the reason we use a slip knot is because you don’t want to accidentally cut the heddle when you cut the knot. If you don’t tie the knot tightly (to make it loose enough not to cut the heddle), then the heddle might shift and that thread may be loose in the shed.
Why don’t You Use String Heddles?
Ahhh…interesting question. Here’s why:
We found it difficult, even with a jig, to tie them precisely (fingers too big, jig too small)
We then tried to use safety pins – this works well on American style looms with narrow metal rods to support metal heddles. This doesn’t work on Scandinavian Looms with wood shaft bars because the wood is too thick to go into the safety pin.
Texsolv is cheap and you can reuse these heddles as “regular” heddles or “repair heddles”. A poorly tied heddle will cause problems the ENTIRE project. “Ain’t nobody got time for that…”