Today, I would like to explain about warp.
There is no doubt that the weft plays a leading role in tapestry weaving, but there is the warp first and then there is the weft. I think it will be important for your project to use the correct warp thread and install it at the correct spacing.
The first handloom I purchased was a portable loom “THE SAFFRON POCKET LOOM” by Mirrix. It has SETT of 8 EPI and as a beginner I started tapestry weaving with this setup without any trouble.
And all my projects are still basically in 8EPI.
So what are “SETT” and “EPI” as I just mentioned?
In this article, I will explain SETT and EPI, give some guidelines for choosing warp threads, and also share my own experiences with warp threads.
1. What are SETT and EPI?
One of the first things to consider before starting your weaving project is how many warp threads to install and at what spacing.
The terms used there are SETT and EPI.
SETT refers to how many warp threads are placed within a certain width.
EPI stands for Ends Per Inch and is a measure of the number of warp threads in one inch of width.
The specific number of SETTs is indicated by EPI.
As I mentioned earlier, most of my projects proceed with a SETT of 8 EPI. As you can see in the picture, 8 EPI means that 8 warp threads are installed in 1 inch. Strictly speaking, there are 8 warp threads between zero and 1 inch before.
I am Japanese, so I grew up with centimeters and millimeters. I always convert from inches to centimeters in my mind. So, in centimeters, 1 inch is about 2.5 cm. When eight warp threads are installed within this 2.5 cm (strictly speaking, from zero to 2.5 cm before), it is called 8 EPI.
In the photo, for clarity, the upper side of the scale is in inches and the lower side is in centimeters. I hope this helps your understanding.
2. Guidelines for choosing warp threads
When purchasing warp threads, if SETT or EPI is indicated as a guide, those numbers are very helpful.
In addition to SETT and EPI, there is another helpful number: 12/6, 12/9, 8/4, 4/4, etc. (and there are many more) are sometimes shown on the warp threads.
The number in front of the slash indicates the thickness of the thread. The larger the number, the thinner the thread.
The number after the slash indicates how many strands of that thickness are twisted together.
I would like to explain this by looking at actual examples in the photo.
Warp #1 is a cotton warp of size 12/9, twisted with 9 strands of threads with a thickness of 12.
I looked up the appropriate EPI for 12/9 and found that it is generally 6-12 EPI. In fact, it fits my 8 EPI project perfectly and has become my favorite thickness warp.
Warp #2 is an 8/4 cotton warp, twisted with four strands of threads with a thickness of 8.
This warp is sold under the label “sett: 10-12 epi for rag rugs”, but it is almost the same thickness as warp #1 above (12/9), which fits my 8 EPI project and is also my favorite.
Warp #3 is a 12/6 cotton warp, twisted with 6 strands of threads with a thickness of 12.
This warp is sold with the label “6 to 12 ends per inch” as suitable, which also suits my project.
It is slightly finer than the warps #1 and #2 above, so I use this warp when I want softer finished pieces.
Warp #4 is a wool warp, no size number, twisted in two strands. It was sold under the label “Blanket Warp, Wool, 2 ply“.
Warp #5 is a 4/4 cotton warp with 4 threads of size 4 twisted together.
3. My experiences in warp threads
As explained in the section above, warps #1 through #3 fit my project perfectly and are easy to handle.
Although the size numbers in #1 and #2 are different, as you can see in the photos, they are almost the same in thickness. I prefer slightly firmer finished pieces including headers, so I tend to use #1 and #2 rather than #3, which is a bit thinner.
Warp #4 is the only warp I have that is wool in material. I bought it because I thought it would be interesting to use wool for the headers, but it was not suitable for my 8 EPI projects. Because the yarn is thick and wool, every time I switched sheds, the yarn stuck to each other and I couldn’t handle it well.
However, when I tried weaving in 7 EPI, I was able to weave without difficulty, so I found that this one EPI difference could change the situation.
One problem is that if you weave an 8 EPI design in 7 EPI, the aspect ratio will be different and the design will be deformed. I think this wool warp can be adapted if the design is not too sensitive to slight changes in aspect ratio.
Warp #5 is also thicker, as you can see in the picture. Likewise, it did not fit my 8 EPI projects, so I will save it until one day when I can use it.
I have prepared photos of an inch tape measure and a centimeter tape measure applied, so you can check the apparent thickness with the actual scale.
I hope the above will be helpful in selecting warp threads.
If your budget allows, I recommend you try several warps to find one you like.
Thank you for reading to the end!