Things you can do to fix an almost-working sett<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If your sett is close to right but not quite<\/em> there, you\u2019ve got some options short of resleying. You can\u2019t change the warp<\/em> sett without resleying, but you CAN change the weft sett – that is, weft picks per inch or cm. Similarly, you can\u2019t change the warp yarns<\/em> without chucking the whole project and starting over, but you can change the weft yarns<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the fabric is sleazier than you want it<\/strong>, you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the fabric is denser than you want it<\/strong>, you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few things to consider about the above options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting more (or fewer) picks than ends per inch\/cm will change the shape of any motifs in the pattern. With fewer picks per inch\/cm, diamonds, zigzags, and other motifs will get taller. With more picks per inch\/cm, they\u2019ll get shorter. This may or may not be acceptable to you – it depends what YOU want the fabric to look like. It will also affect how much you see the warp. Fewer picks per inch\/cm = more warp visible. More picks per inch\/cm = less warp visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Managing the hand of the fabric by changing the grist (thickness) of the weft yarn is a great option if you happen to have a yarn that is the correct size, colour, and fibre on hand. Keep an open mind as to what constitutes \u201cthe correct size, color, and fiber\u201d as well – there might be something in your stash that will give you great results even if it\u2019s not what you\u2019d originally planned to use. This can also affect how much warp you see: assuming the number of picks per inch stays the same<\/em>, thinner weft = more warp visible and thicker weft = less warp visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Changing your beat to pack in more (or fewer) weft ends per inch can also achieve the desired result but most weavers have a \u201cdefault\u201d beat and it can be tricky to convince your autopilot to do things differently. Instead, beat like normal and change the tension on the loom<\/strong> to adjust how much your default beat packs in. More tension = fewer picks per inch. Less tension = more picks per inch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resleying, changing the weft size, and adjusting your beat are all things you can do regardless of the structure of your fabric. There\u2019s an additional trick you can use in the specific case of twills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider the following drawdowns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n All three of these are twills with the same threading, the same warp, the same weft yarn and the same treadling. The only way they differ is in the amount of interlacement in the tie-up. The one on the left has the most interlacement: the fabric is actually about half plain weave. The one on the right has the least interlacement: all the floats are 4 ends or picks long in both directions. The one in the center is somewhere in between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more interlacement a structure has, the more space is needed to allow the threads to move from the top surface of the fabric to the bottom. The less interlacement, the less space is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The upshot is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, changing the tie-up also changes the appearance of your fabric, as the drawdowns above demonstrate. In particular, it affects how much warp and weft appear on each side of the fabric, and also how the warp and weft colours mix optically. (You can learn more about optical mixing in this blog post<\/a>). When it comes to trading off the drape of a fabric vs. the visibility of the design, only you can decide which is more important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, if your sett isn\u2019t quite<\/em> right but isn\u2019t too far off either, you have several ways to change the hand of your fabric without having to resley your warp! <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Managing twill sett with tie-up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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