If I put Anne\u2019s numbers into the denting calculator, this is what I get:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 10 DPI: 2-3-3-3-3<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 12 DPI: 2-2-3<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 15 DPI: 1-1-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Consideration 1: Length of the sleying repeat<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
My first instinct would be to choose the 12 dent reed because it’s got the shortest sleying repeat: just three dents per repeat, rather than 5 for the 10 dent reed, or a jillion for the 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A short repeat is good for two reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. It\u2019s easier to remember and to check while you\u2019re sleying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. It means that the \u201codd man out\u201d (the dent that\u2019s different from the others) happens more frequently, which means the density of the warp is more consistent all the way across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the odd man out happens infrequently, that means the majority of your warp is sleyed one way, with only occasional exceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, the warp threads will move around and adjust to some extent, but they won\u2019t move that much or that far. If the exceptions are few and far between, my gut tells me that the warp won\u2019t even out to the desired sett as readily as it will when the exceptions are closer together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most of the time, the length of the sleying order is all I worry about. If I\u2019m still not sure, or I have a couple of equally good options, I might take things a step farther.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Example 2:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Now say that the desired sett was 24 ends per inch rather than 28, and that the 12 dent reed isn\u2019t available. In that case, the denting calculator (such a handy tool!) tells me that my sleying options are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 10 DPI: 2-2-2-3-3<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 15 DPI: 1-1-2-2-2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Consideration 1: Length of the sleying repeat<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Both of these have five dents per repeat, so that isn\u2019t helpful for choosing in this case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Consideration 2: Number of ends per sleying repeat<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
In the 10 dent reed, the sleying repeat is 2+2+2+3+3 = 12 ends. In the 15 dent reed, it\u2019s 1+1+2+2+2 = 8 ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Suppose I\u2019m planning to weave rosepath and this is my threading:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/my.handweavingacademy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/rosepath-threading.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThis threading has eight ends per repeat. If I choose the 15 dent reed, the sleying repeat also has eight threads per repeat. Having a threading and sleying repeat of the same length will make it easier to spot both threading and sleying mistakes as I\u2019m dressing the loom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now suppose instead that I\u2019m going to weave summer and winter, and this is my threading:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/my.handweavingacademy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/summer-and-winter-threading.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nIn this case, my threading changes every 12 threads. The 10 DPI reed has a sleying repeat of 12 threads. Using the 10 dent reed instead of the 15 will make it easier to spot threading and sleying mistakes while dressing the loom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Rearrange exceptions to make things more uniform<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Notice that the denting calculator lists the number of ends per dent from lowest to highest, which means that all of the exceptions are at the start or end of the list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 2-3-3-3-3<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 2-2-3<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 1-1-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 2-2-2-3-3<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 1-1-2-2-2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>When there\u2019s only one exception per repeat<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
When there\u2019s only one exception, there\u2019s usually no benefit to rearranging things, because multiple repeats will even things out automagically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if my sleying order is 2-2-3<\/strong>, four repeats look like this: 2-2-3<\/strong>-2-2-3<\/strong>-2-2-3<\/strong>-2-2-3<\/strong>. The 3<\/strong> appears every third dent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If I rearrange the sleying order as 2-3<\/strong>-2, then four repeats look like this: 2-3<\/strong>-2-2-3<\/strong>-2-2-3<\/strong>-2-2-3<\/strong>-2. The 3<\/strong> still appears every third dent. It\u2019s the same pattern as before, it just starts in a different spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Usually it makes no difference where you start in the pattern, so there\u2019s no benefit to rearranging things to begin 2-3 instead of 2-2. If rearranging the sleying order would make it line up with your warp yarns or colors, though, it might still be worth thinking about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>When there are multiple exceptions per repeat<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
When there are multiple exceptions in each repeat of a sleying order, it\u2019s usually a good idea to rearrange the numbers to space the exceptions out as evenly as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If my sleying order is 2-2-2-3<\/strong>–3<\/strong>, three repeats look like this: 2-2-2-3<\/strong>–3-<\/strong>2-2-2-3<\/strong>–3-<\/strong>2-2-2-3<\/strong>–3<\/strong>. The 3<\/strong>s are grouped together and further apart. If the threads are grippy and not inclined to shift around, you might wind up with thinner columns where the warp is sleyed 2-2-2 and thicker columns where it\u2019s sleyed 3<\/strong>–3<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If I rearrange it to 2-3<\/strong>-2-3<\/strong>-2, however, three repeats look like this: 2-3<\/strong>-2-3<\/strong>-2-2-3<\/strong>-2-3<\/strong>-2-2-3<\/strong>-2-3<\/strong>-2. Now the 3<\/strong>s aren\u2019t grouped and are spread out more evenly. Most of the time, 2 and 3<\/strong> alternate, with the occasional spot where there are two 2s together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This pattern of 2s and 3<\/strong>s in the second version is more uniform, which means the fabric will be more uniform even if the threads are grippy and don\u2019t want to shift around much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>To sum up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When you don\u2019t have the ideal reed for a given sett, follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Make a list of the reeds you have available.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Figure out the sleying order for each of your options.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
If one of the options is much shorter or simpler than the others, great: there\u2019s your answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re still not sure, then:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Eliminate any long or confusing sleying orders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Compare the number of ends<\/em> per repeat of the sleying order to the number of ends in your threading repeat. If one is a match, a multiple, or a divisor of the other, that\u2019ll help you avoid threading or sleying mistakes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Regardless, if your sleying order has multiple exceptions (more than one dent that\u2019s different from all the others), then rearrange it to space the exceptions out as evenly as possible, keeping in mind that the pattern will repeat over and over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Janet\"](\"https:\/\/my.handweavingacademy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Janet-transparent-50grey-sig-first-name-only.png\")
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