A Glossary of Weaving Terms
Advancing the warp
Releasing the pawl on the ratchet on the warp beam and winding some of the woven cloth onto the cloth beam.
Balanced Weave
A fabric with the same number of wefts per inch as warps per inch.
Bubbling
Allowing some looseness in the weft to provide the extra length needed for the weft to be beaten in without causing draw-in.
Changing the shed
Lifting the foot and placing it on a different treadle to cause a different shed to be formed.
Draw-in
The narrowing of the weaving at the selvages due to the natural shrinking of the web. Excessive draw-in is caused from the weft being too tight.
Fell
The edge of the weaving where the last weft has been beaten in.
Finishing
The final treatments of the woven piece such as washing, fulling or pressing.
Heading
The first weaving of waste thread which will be discarded. In rug weaving, tapestry and some placemats, it is the first few wefts which strengthen the edge.
One shuttle weave
A weave which is woven with one shuttle, allowing the weaver to develop a rhythm of movement as the shuttle does not have to be set down between shots.
Opposites
A treadling sequence where one weft shot is followed by treadling the opposite shed. The opposite of 2 3 is 1 4.
Pattern Weave
A weave which requires two shuttles, two wefts, and often different colors or threads. The pattern is usually threaded or treadled differently from plain weave.
PPI
Picks per inch, or the number of wefts per inch.
Selvage
The woven edge of a fabric.
Selvage Loops
The extensions of the weft beyond the selvage from the weft tension being too loose.
Shed
The opening created on a loom where the weft passes.
Shot (pick)
A single pass of weft through the shed.
Tabby
Plain weave and ground weave for a pattern weave.
