Tips for weaving with handspun linen singles warp - TOW!

Weaving with handspun linen tow, warp and weft.

​Yes, you can use your handspun linen singles for weaving.  Weavers for thousands of years of history did.  You can too.

Most linen warp is spun from the long, luscious flax fibres called line.  These make for strong, shiny, and fine yarns.  When wet spun by an expert, the yarn is smooth.  All these qualities make it perfect for warp and weft.

But what about poor tow?  This often discarded fibre is described as hairy and weak.  Not suitable.  A waste of time and space.

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A tangled mess of tow left over from hackling flax.

flax stricks, stored in bundles ready to spin into linen

Being a advocate of the underdog, I decided to learn to love tow.  I wanted to discover if Tow's reputation was unbreakable, or if maybe different techniques would make it strong enough for warp.  So I spun up a bunch of tow, playing with different techniques and discovered there is no reason for tow to be hairy or fragile.  It's all in the spinning.  Which is to say, how tow behaves is entirely up to the spinner.  You have complete control.  

Here are a few tips and tricks for weaving with handspun linen singles - tow.

1. Card the tow for easier spinning, then spin with a tight twist.  Spin worsted style, and wet the yarn with your front fingers, so that the moment the twist enters the fibre, and it becomes yarn, your smoothing down the hairs and trapping them in the yarn.  With a bit of practice, this makes a yarn that is perfect for warp.
2. Be sure to finish your yarn.  Take it off the wheel and tie it into a skein.  Boil it with washing soda or ashes.  Block the yarn while it dries.
3. Wind your warp with several threads in your hand.  I usually hold four threads, one between each finger and make the cross 4/4.  This evens out any discrepancy in the yarn across the entire warp.  Having the cross 4/4 instead of a regular cross of one/one, makes it so there is less friction and abrasion on the warp - for a more even tension.
4. Pay attention to humidity in the room where you are weaving.  Linen is stronger when wet, so paint water on the warp if the air is too dry, or use a humidifier. 

5. Weaving with handspun singles is the best way to learn to spin a stronger yarn.  Places were new fibre was joined to the yarn, can cause the worst problems.  Join the fibre, by fluffing out the ends of the yarn, not by wrapping the fibre around the already spun yarn.  If you do the latter, it rubs on the reed and falls apart. 

​As you can see from this picture, the yarn is almost apart.  I could try to glue it down with some water, or add in a new thread now.  

On the whole, I've found handspun tow to be softer and stronger than commercial line linen, once finished.  It's fun to work with and I encourage you to give it a try.