WEAVING GLOSSARY

This glossary grows with every post in the Weavers Weft blog series. Terms are added with each new post - check back as your weaving vocabulary builds.

Analogous Colors

Colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel, such as yellow, yellow-green and green. They blend easily and give a calm, harmonious look. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Beat

The act of pressing each weft pick firmly into place using the beater on a floor loom or the heddle on a rigid heddle loom. Your beat determines how dense your finished fabric is - too light and the weave is loose and open, too heavy and it becomes stiff. Consistent beat is one of those things that improves naturally as you find your rhythm. Introduced in Your First Weaving Project

Color Wheel

A circle that arranges colors by hue. It starts with the three primary colors, then shows the secondary colors between them and the colors that fall between those. Neutrals are not on it. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Complementary Colors

Two colors directly across from each other on the color wheel, such as red and green. Side by side they make each other look brighter. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Cone

A yarn package that is wider at the base and narrower at the top. Cones unwind best when placed vertically. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Cottolin

A yarn blend of cotton and linen. The linen adds absorbency and durability while the cotton keeps it soft and easy to work with. Maurice Brassard Cottolin is the same size as 8/2 cotton and they can be used interchangeably in warp or weft. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Draft

A diagram that shows how a weave structure is set up - which shafts to thread, which treadles to press, and in what order. Most beginner patterns include the draft for you. You won't need to write your own until you're ready to design original structures. Introduced in Your First Weaving Project

End

One individual warp thread. When a pattern says "280 ends," it means 280 separate threads in your warp. Introduced in Your First Weaving Project

EPI (Ends Per Inch)

The number of warp threads that fit in one inch of your reed. EPI determines how closely packed your weave will be. A higher EPI creates a tighter, finer fabric; a lower EPI creates a more open, relaxed weave. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Heddle

A looped wire or flat piece with an eye (hole) in the center through which individual warp threads are threaded. Heddles are held in frames called shafts and are raised or lowered to create the shed. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Hemstitch

A hand-finishing technique worked while the weaving is still on the loom, at the very beginning and end of each project. Hemstitch locks the weft in place and creates a clean, even fringe. If your pattern calls for it, don't skip it - it's what keeps everything intact after you cut the cloth off the loom. Introduced in Your First Weaving Project

Mercerized

A finishing process applied to cotton yarn that adds shine and strength. Mercerized cotton has a smoother, slightly silkier appearance than unmercerized cotton. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Neutrals

Black, white and the grays between them. They are not on the color wheel because they have no hue: white is all color and black is no color. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Pick

One single pass of weft across the warp. Picks per inch (PPI) tells you how many of these passes fit into one inch of finished fabric. Introduced in Your First Weaving Project

Plain Weave

The most basic weave structure, where the weft thread passes alternately over and under each warp thread. It's the foundation of most weaving projects. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Ply

The number of individual strands twisted together to make a yarn. In yarn sizing notation, the second number indicates the ply. For example, 8/2 cotton is two plies twisted together. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

PPI (Picks Per Inch)

The number of weft passes per inch in your finished fabric. PPI is controlled by how firmly you beat. A consistent PPI produces an even, balanced cloth. For most dishtowel projects in 8/2 cotton, a target of 20 PPI works well. Introduced in Your First Weaving Project

Primary Colors

Red, yellow and blue. They cannot be made by mixing other colors, and all other hues start from them. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Reed

A comb-like device inside the beater of a loom through which warp threads are sleyed (threaded). The reed determines the spacing of your warp threads and is measured in dents per inch. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Secondary Colors

Orange, green and violet. Each is made by mixing two primary colors. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Selvedge (also spelled "selvage")

The finished edges that run along both sides of your weaving. Clean, even selvedges are the first technical goal most weavers set for themselves - and they get better naturally as you find your rhythm at the loom. Your first project's selvedges will teach you more than any book can. Introduced in Your First Weaving Project

Sett

The number of warp ends per inch in your weaving, determined by your yarn weight and weave structure. Sett is typically expressed as EPI. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Shed

The opening that forms between raised and lowered warp threads when you press a treadle or move the heddle. The shed is where you pass your shuttle through to lay in the weft. No shed, no weaving. Introduced in Your First Weaving Project

Shuttle

The tool that carries your weft yarn across the shed. A stick shuttle is a flat piece of wood - inexpensive, easy to use, and perfectly suited for narrower widths. A boat shuttle holds a removable bobbin and makes weaving faster at wider widths. Introduced in Your First Weaving Project

Sley

The process of threading your warp ends through the dents of the reed, one or more per dent depending on your sett. "Sley 2 ends per dent in a 10-dent reed" gives you 20 EPI. Introduced in Your First Weaving Project

Split-Complementary

One color plus the two colors on either side of its complement. It has the contrast of complementary colors with a little less intensity. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Tetradic

A scheme using four colors, made of two complementary pairs. It offers lots of variety, so it helps to let one color lead. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Thrum

The short warp ends left on the loom after a finished project is cut off. Too short to weave with, but full of possibility - weavers often save thrums for stuffing, felting, or tassels. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Treadling

The sequence in which you press the treadles on a floor loom to raise specific shaft combinations and create a pattern. Changing the treadling sequence on the same warp is what gives you different weave structures - plain weave, twill, and beyond. Introduced in Your First Weaving Project

Triadic

Three colors spaced evenly around the color wheel, such as red, yellow and blue. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Tube

A straight cylindrical yarn package, the same width from top to bottom. Maurice Brassard 8/2, 8/4, and Cottolin are all sold on tubes. For best results, wind off a tube horizontally rather than vertically to avoid adding extra twist to the yarn. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Twill

A weave structure that creates a diagonal pattern in the fabric. Twill requires a higher EPI than plain weave and produces a denser, more durable cloth. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Unmercerized

Cotton yarn that has not gone through the mercerizing process. Unmercerized cotton has a natural matte finish and excellent absorbency, making it ideal for towels and other functional projects. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Value

How light or dark a color is, separate from its hue. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Value Contrast

The difference in lightness between two colors. Your eye relies on it more than hue to see a pattern, so a stripe with little value contrast fades into its neighbor. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Warm and Cool Colors

Reds, oranges and yellows are warm; blues, greens and violets are cool. In the tool, you can see which side of the wheel a color sits on. Introduced in Color Theory for Weavers, in Maurice Brassard Colors

Warp

The threads that run lengthwise on the loom, held under tension. The warp is set up before weaving begins and determines the length and width of your project. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Weft

The thread that is woven crosswise through the warp threads to create the fabric. The weft is carried back and forth on a shuttle or bobbin. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had

Yarn Count/Sizing

A numbering system that describes a yarn's thickness and construction. The first number indicates thickness (higher = finer), and the second number indicates the number of plies. For example, 8/2 cotton is a fine yarn with two plies. Note that Canadian mills like Maurice Brassard reverse the numbers - so 8/2 and 2/8 are the same yarn. Introduced in The Yarn Guide I Wish I'd Had