Wind the Warp - How to Warp a Loom

From the previous example, or from your project plan calculations, you will have determined that you will need to prepare a warp of 390 ends, each 3.5 yards in length. Special tools have been created that will help you to do this - Warping Boards and Warping Mills. If you don't have access to a warping board or mill, you can thread your yarn by wrapping it around anything that is the correct distance apart, such as the backs of 2 chairs, making sure that you create a cross in the yarn with each revolution.

Warping Board

Warping Boards are generally used for projects up to 13 yards in length. Longer warps require a Warping Mill. On a Warping board, the distance between each peg is generally 1 yard. If your project is shorter than 12 yards, it is usually easier to thread your warp using the full length of the board.

This photo shows a 5 yard warp length.

The example given above required a 3.5 yard warp length. I usually round up 1/2 yards to the nearest yard (if I have sufficient yarn) i.e. 4 yards. To begin warping, I tie the yarn to the first peg on the top Right side of the warping board. Going Left, I run the yarn Over the first peg and Under the following peg, then Over the far Left peg and reverse direction. Then to the next peg on the Right side of the board, reverse direction and on to the next peg on the Left side of the board and so on until there is a length of 4 yards on the warping board.

Then reverse direction and work your way back up to the top of the warping board. At the top, go over the Left peg, Over the next one, Under the following and back to the Far Right peg. This creates a Cross in the warp chain. The Cross is very important, as it keeps the warp yarns in the order that you threaded them.

Warp Chains

In the above example, you would repeat this procedure until you have 390 ends. A warping board doesn't generally hold 390 ends, so you will need make several warp chains. I usually do chains of 50 - 100 ends depending on the thickness of the yarn.

Counter Thread

To keep track of the number of ends that I have wound onto the board, I use a counting thread; a contrasting piece of yarn and lace the ends in groups of 10.

Keep Even Tension

As you are winding the warp, you might find that the tension on the warp may tend to get tighter. If this is occurring, you will notice that the pegs are drawing in. For this reason, many warping boards do not have the pegs glued in. If the warp is tightening too much, the pegs will come loose rather than breaking on you. Try to keep an even tension while winding on. Otherwise, as the tension increases, each successive warp end is shortening and you will end up with a warp of different lengths.

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Tie Off the Warp Chain

Return to:

10 Steps to Warping

• Part 1: The Project
• Part 2: The Sett
• Part 3: The Reed
• Part 4: Calculate Yarn
• Part 5: Warping Board
• Part 6: Warp Chains
• Part 7: Sley Reed
• Part 8: Thread Heddles
• Part 9: Wind Warp
• Part 10: Tie Warp to Loom

Wind the Warp - 10 Steps on How to Warp a Loom - All Fiber Arts