On Sep 11, 2022, at 22:29, Debbie Kaplan <deborahkaplan@...> wrote:

Hi Marie,

Ramie is a bast fiber, like linen, as you probably already know. As such it will behave similarly to linen. I've used ramie as warp with no problems. I almost always size linen warp. I did not find that necessary with the quality of ramie used, which was probably a 30/2 or so.

The question for this yarn in particular is probably much more about how it was spun and processed. So some general rules that, again, you probably already know: Some dyes, particularly dark shades, will cause weakening of the fibers, just sitting on the shelf over a period of years. If you try to snap a length of it between your hands, does it break easily? Does it have a comparable twist to a linen of similar size?  Does it abrade easily? You could rub it back and forth over the edge of a butter knife to test or rub one length against another. 

Good luck! 
Debbie Kaplan

On Sep 12, 2022, at 12:01 AM, Inga Marie Carmel via groups.io <ingamariecarmel@...> wrote:

Thanks. I love the butter knife test. This is unbleached I think, at least it’s off white. I’ll check the twist. Appreciate the advice. 

marie

Inga Marie Carmel

ingamariecarmel.com

ingamariecarmel@...

An interesting plainness is the most difficult and precious thing to achieve -  Mies van der Rohe

On Sep 11, 2022, at 22:29, Debbie Kaplan <deborahkaplan@...> wrote:

Hi Marie,

Ramie is a bast fiber, like linen, as you probably already know. As such it will behave similarly to linen. I've used ramie as warp with no problems. I almost always size linen warp. I did not find that necessary with the quality of ramie used, which was probably a 30/2 or so.

The question for this yarn in particular is probably much more about how it was spun and processed. So some general rules that, again, you probably already know: Some dyes, particularly dark shades, will cause weakening of the fibers, just sitting on the shelf over a period of years. If you try to snap a length of it between your hands, does it break easily? Does it have a comparable twist to a linen of similar size?  Does it abrade easily? You could rub it back and forth over the edge of a butter knife to test or rub one length against another. 

Good luck! 
Debbie Kaplan

On Nov 29, 2022, at 23:05, Sara von Tresckow <sarav@...> wrote:

Maybe brush some sizing on the exposed warp, let dry and weave until unsized
warp comes up.

Sara von Tresckow, Fond du Lac, WI
sarav@...
Author of “When a Single Harness Simply Isn’t Enough”
http://www.woolgatherers.com Öxabäck Looms, Ashford products, yarns, books
and more - visit us in Fond du Lac or contact us about your weaving/spinning
needs

On Dec 1, 2022, at 9:31 AM, bigwhitesofadog <sandra.eberhart@...> wrote:

Just FYI, the "donuts" you mention, where the yarn twists back on itself, is called hockling.

Sandra 

On Dec 1, 2022, at 3:05 PM, Debbie Kaplan <deborahkaplan@...> wrote:

It may be too late by now, but my 2 cents.

So it sounds like you are doing front to back beaming?

Keeping the threads from rubbing on each other will help prevent donuts. The way to help control this during beaming is to keep everything under tension at all times. This can be accomplished with a trapeze, a helper or two, or weights (think big books) on the warp chain in front of the loom enabling them to slide along the floor under tension. 

You may still need to separate the threads by hand at the lease sticks. Spraying them with sizing may be of use in this situation, but I have no experience with it. I would say that if you try spraying with a product, it would be really wise to ensure everything is under tension when you do it.

I hate to say this, but this situation makes a great case for a trapeze and raddle where there is no thread by thread, heddle or reed abrasion while beaming. Maybe something to think about for a future warp?

Debbie Kaplan

On Dec 1, 2022, at 5:46 PM, Inga Marie Carmel via groups.io <ingamariecarmel@...> wrote:

Heavens no! I wouldn’t dream of it..I’m warp b2f in the tried and true Swedish way, as I’ve done for at least 40 years.  

Raddle, trapeze, weights, under tension, the whole shebang! I always do. And I wind with 2 threads.  It’s beamed now with spray starch, and a vaporizer to increase humidity, plus a lot of patience and a lot of very careful undoing of the hockling (yay new word).  The spray starch seemed to do the trick.It is exactly the rubbing between bouts of 2 that is causing alot of the mischief. I’m good with the wiry inelasticity of  linen, but this fuzzyness threw me for a loop! 

I also found that tying the lease sticks so there’s a lot of space really helped. And I suspect that changing the sett to 30 from 35 gave it a bit more space.. social distancing for warp threads!

Glad for the advice, 

marie

Inga Marie Carmel

Instagram @ingamarie

ingamariecarmel@...

An interesting plainness is the most difficult and precious thing to achieve -  Mies van der Rohe

On Dec 1, 2022, at 3:05 PM, Debbie Kaplan <deborahkaplan@...> wrote:

It may be too late by now, but my 2 cents.

So it sounds like you are doing front to back beaming?

Keeping the threads from rubbing on each other will help prevent donuts. The way to help control this during beaming is to keep everything under tension at all times. This can be accomplished with a trapeze, a helper or two, or weights (think big books) on the warp chain in front of the loom enabling them to slide along the floor under tension. 

You may still need to separate the threads by hand at the lease sticks. Spraying them with sizing may be of use in this situation, but I have no experience with it. I would say that if you try spraying with a product, it would be really wise to ensure everything is under tension when you do it.

I hate to say this, but this situation makes a great case for a trapeze and raddle where there is no thread by thread, heddle or reed abrasion while beaming. Maybe something to think about for a future warp?

Debbie Kaplan