How to weave double width fabric with a 4 shaft extension kit on a rigid heddle weaving loom: Tips and Hints

Introduction: Weaving hints and tips for weaving a double width fabric on a rigid heddle loom using a 4 shaft extension kit.

A TabbyandTweed rigid heddle weaving loom is perfect for making a scarf or table runner. However, with the use of the 4 shaft extension kit it is possible to weave a fabric which is double the width. This blog details how this can be achieved outlining some of the challenges of double weaving with some weaving hints and tips .

Wooden loom with colorful plaid fabric, including yellow, pink, and gray, on a wooden floor. Yarn in blue and mustard is visible.

Setting up the loom

For the project outlined in this blog I used a double knit cotton yarn using a TabbyandTweed rigid heddle weaving loom. Double weaving on a 4 shaft loom is a tabby weave with two shafts used for the top layer and the other two shafts used for the lower layer. I used an 8 epi heddle which is what I would normally use for DK weaving. Because you have two layers you need to warp 4 threads through each slot. The holes are not used at all.

Yellow, white, and grey yarns are woven through a woodenloom, creating a striped pattern. The setting appears craft-based and precise.

Setting up the heddle rods

Going across the loom the warp is threaded as a straight 4. What this means is that the first warp thread is connected to the first heddle rod, the second warp thread to the second heddle rod, the third to the third heddle rod and the fourth to the fourth heddle rod with this pattern repeated across the warp.

Close-up of a weaving loom with multicolored threads in yellow, pink, grey, and cream, and bundles of yarn on wooden rods.

Weaving the double width fabric

I started on the left hand side of the loom and followed the lifting pattern as follows:

Lift shaft 2
Lift shaft 1, 2 and 3
Lift shaft 1, 2 and 4
Lift shaft 1

Steps 1 and 4 are weaving the top layer and steps 3 and 4 are weaving the bottom layer. It is easy to see how the weaving on the top layer is progressing along with any weaving errors but this is more difficult for the bottom layer. It is useful to look at the underneath of the loom to check that the weaving of the bottom layer is good.

A weaving loom with a plaid pattern of yellow, pink, and grey yarn. 3 shuttles with matching threads lie on a wooden surface.

What do the selvedge edges look like?

The left hand selvedge is open and forms the edges of the fabric. For this reason it is best to do any weft changes at this edge either after step 1 or after step 3 with the old and new thread then changed at this selvedge edge rather than in the middle of the fold.

Close-up of a loom weaving multicolored threads of yellow, gray, pink, and white. Wooden frame marked with a number 8 on a wood surface. — The left hand selvedge is open

The right hand selvedge is the fold.

Wooden loom weaving colorful threads in patterns of grey, yellow, and pink. Strings are taut, creating a structured textile design. — The right hand selvedge forms the fold

Here you can see that the weaving at the top is successful.

Colorful plaid fabric being woven on a wooden loom. Threads in yellow, red, grey, and white create a detailed pattern. Focused and intricate.

The finished fabric

I wove a relatively short piece of fabric about 1 m in length. The finished width after washing was 16.5 inches wide as a result of the shrinkage of the cotton yarn.

Wooden loom with colourful plaid fabric, blue and yellow yarn balls. Neutral wood floor background. — The finished fabric

Issues and tips for success

Double weaving is a little more challenging than standard width weaving. Below I have outlined a few issues and made some suggestions on how they can be addressed and avoided.

If the yarn is sticky then separation of the warp threads in the two layers can be problematic.

In order to overcome this issue the choice of yarn is important. A fluffy, sticky yarn is not ideal. Here I used cotton which does allow for a good separation but some wool yarns would be suitable too. Having a really good warp tension is important. If you have any loose warp threads then they will not separate correctly at the reed.

The centre fold can look cramped

The centre fold is where the weft thread changes over from weaving the top and then bottom layer of the fabric. In order to minimise this fold looking cramped it is important to make sure that the weft thread is not pulled in too tightly at this edge. Having a colour and weave pattern in this area in particular is also helpful because it focusses the eye on the pattern rather than the centre fold.

Separation of the warp threads from the top to the bottom layer

In addition to having a good warp tension, it is useful to ensure that the warp is wound on frequently giving the largest possible shed. Running your hand along the warp threads after changing the sheds can also help move any problematic sticky warp threads.

Rigid heddle looms with scarf weaving kits and the 4 shaft extension kit are available in our TabbyandTweed website shop for UK delivery and our TabbyandTweed Etsy shop for delivery elsewhere. We sell a variety of scarf rigid heddle loom weaving kits which include the pattern and yarn for both 8epi and 10epi reeds.

In the fast paced world we now live in it is our opinion that it is something quite special to take time out of life to be creative. Weaving fabric and scarves as unique items of clothing for yourself or gifts is hugely rewarding and helpful when trying to both unwind or keep warm!

Interested in learning to weave? Then our workshop page has all the details found by clicking the link here.

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