I can "reed" you like an open book!

Hello! You have arrived just in time! It’s “Sleying the Reed” Day! My favorite part of dressing the loom! (See what good timing you have?)

When last we chatted, I had measured the yarn for a custom table runner that will lay on a high console table. Great masculine colors! Love them!

First things first! I need to slide in a pair of lease sticks that will keep the yarns in order.

Lease sticks are 2 sticks with holes in each end. It’s just that simple! But, let me tell you, all of us weavers would be crying without them! By sliding them into the project where I’ve made my cross (which tells me what yarns come next), I avoid lots of sadness and swearing. Without them, yarns get tangled and I have no idea what order the yarns are supposed to be in! So, Mr. or Mrs. Lease-Stick-Inventor, we owe you big!!!

And in comes the reed! A reed is a metal frame with dividers spaced evenly from end to end. I use either a 12 dent reed (which means there are 12 spaces in each inch) or an 8 dent reed for bigger yarns or bigger spaces between the yarns.

The plan is to create the runner using rep weave, or ripsmatta. It’s just fun to say, isn’t it? Ripsmatta… those Swedes can be so playful! Anyways, this type of weave is very dense. So, instead of placing 1 yarn in each slot or dent, I’ll be threading 2 in each!

I can usually just slide the yarn right in. But, there have been times when a sley hook comes in handy! A sley hook is a metal tool with hooks on each end. You pop the sley hook up into the dent, wrap the yarn around it, and pull it through! Brilliant!

Typically, I’m filling the entire reed. But, this is a much narrower project. So, it was critical that I centered everything.

Next up, the reed will slide right into the loom and all will be right with the world! I’ll tackle some heddles next… Good times!! Have a great week..