What does it mean that the rigid heddle combines the heddle and beater in one tool, and why does this mechanically couple sett to beat force?

On a floor loom, the heddle and the beater are two mechanically independent components. The heddle (held in a shaft frame) divides the warp threads into two groups — heddle threads and open-shed threads — creating the opening (called the shed) through which the weft shuttle passes. The beater is a separate hinged frame holding a reed, which is swung forward after each weft pass to pack the weft against the fell (the edge of the woven cloth). Because they are independent, a floor loom weaver can adjust beat force by changing the angle of the beater swing, change the reed dent spacing to adjust sett without changing the heddle shafts, and vary the number of shafts (and therefore the threading complexity) independently of the reed spacing. On a rigid heddle loom, a single tool does both jobs. The rigid heddle is a frame holding alternating slots and holes. The warp threads are threaded through alternating holes and slots — each hole thread passes through a small hole drilled through the heddle material, and each slot thread sits in an open notch on either side of the hole. When the heddle is raised, the slot threads rise above the hole threads, creating the up-shed. When the heddle is lowered, the slot threads drop below the hole threads, creating the down-shed. After the weft is passed through either shed, the weaver moves the heddle to a neutral position (approximately horizontal) and pushes it forward toward the fell. The forward push of the heddle body packs the weft into position — this is the beating action. The coupling consequence is direct: the spacing of holes and slots in the heddle is fixed at manufacture (a 10-dent heddle has 10 holes and 10 slots per inch, a 12-dent heddle has 12 holes and 12 slots per inch), and that spacing determines the warp sett. Sett cannot be changed without replacing the heddle. Furthermore, the beat geometry is constrained by the heddle frame itself — the angle at which the heddle can swing and the force it can transmit to the weft are mechanically limited by the frame and the attachment points. On a floor loom, a weaver might use a lighter reed for one project and a heavier beat for another; on a rigid heddle loom, the beat force is largely a function of the heddle mass and the weaver's push angle, neither of which can be fine-tuned the way a floor loom beater can be angled or weighted. This is not a defect of the rigid heddle loom — it is a design tradeoff. The coupling of heddle and beater into one tool simplifies the loom's mechanical complexity and makes it portable and inexpensive. The tradeoff is that sett selection and beat consistency require planning the project around the available heddle dent options rather than adjusting the loom around an arbitrary sett target.

What are the two sheds on a rigid heddle loom and why do they limit the loom to plain weave without additional tools?

The two sheds produced by a rigid heddle loom correspond to the two positions of the heddle: up and down. The up-shed is created by raising the heddle. Slot threads, which sit in open notches, are free to move up with the heddle. Hole threads, which pass through fixed holes in the heddle body, cannot move vertically — they stay at the level of the heddle's neutral position. When the heddle is raised, slot threads are above hole threads, and the shed opens between these two groups. The weft shuttle is passed through the up-shed from one selvedge to the other. The down-shed is created by lowering the heddle. Slot threads drop below hole threads, reversing the groups. The shuttle passes back through the down-shed in the opposite direction. Alternating up-shed and down-shed picks (each pass of the weft through one shed) produces plain weave, also called tabby. In plain weave, each warp thread alternates over one weft thread and under the next weft thread across the full width of the cloth, in every row. Slot threads go over one pick and under the next; hole threads go under one pick and over the next; together they produce the standard over-one-under-one interlacing structure. Plain weave is the simplest and most stable woven structure. It requires exactly two sheds alternating in sequence. The rigid heddle loom produces exactly two sheds in alternating sequence. It cannot produce a third shed — the heddle has no intermediate position that creates a partial-shed differentiation within the slot-thread group or within the hole-thread group. To produce twill weave (over-two-under-two, or over-two-under-one), the weaver needs to selectively raise some but not all of the slot threads for some picks and all slot threads for other picks, creating at least three distinct shed positions. The rigid heddle heddle mechanism cannot do this. To produce lace weaves, the weaver needs to float specific weft threads over multiple warp threads in a pattern that differs from the plain weave alternation. The rigid heddle mechanism cannot produce these floats through heddle position alone. This is why pattern weaving on a rigid heddle loom requires a pick-up stick: the pick-up stick creates a third shed by selectively lifting some slot threads while leaving others in position, creating a partial-shed differentiation within the slot-thread group that the heddle mechanism cannot provide. Without a pick-up stick (or an additional heddle — some rigid heddle looms accept a second heddle for supplementary warp structures), the loom is limited to plain weave at whatever sett the installed heddle provides.

What is the difference between direct warping and indirect warping on a rigid heddle loom, and how does warp length planning differ between the two methods?

Direct warping and indirect warping are two methods of loading the warp onto a rigid heddle loom. They differ in sequence, in the handling of thread order, and in the practical limits of warp length each can produce. In direct warping, the warp is wound directly onto the loom without first building it on a separate frame. The method uses a warping peg or hook attached to the wall or a surface in front of the loom. The warp yarn is tied to the front apron rod, passes through a heddle slot (not a hole — slots are used first in direct warping), around the warping peg, back through the same or adjacent slot, around the back beam, and then the process repeats for the full warp width. Because the thread passes through slots during warping, the slot threads are loaded first; the hole threads are added afterward by picking up every other thread between the heddle and the back beam and threading it through a hole using a threading hook. Direct warping is fast (a beginner project can be warped in 20–30 minutes) and requires no additional equipment beyond the peg. Its limitations: the warp length is constrained by the distance from the loom front apron rod to the warping peg (typically 2–3 yards maximum for most studio setups), making it unsuitable for projects requiring long warps. Additionally, because the thread order is determined by the order threads are wound through the slots, the threading sequence is fixed during warping and cannot be easily changed — each slot-then-hole pair is loaded in the order it is wound. In indirect warping, the warp threads are built on a separate warping board or warping frame before being transferred to the loom. The warping board has multiple pegs arranged in a figure-eight pattern. The yarn is wound from peg to peg in a path that traces the full desired warp length on each pass. At the two outermost pegs (the cross pegs), the thread alternates: on the outward pass the thread goes over the first peg and under the second; on the return pass it goes under the first and over the second. This alternation creates the cross — the point where consecutive threads pass each other in an over-under sequence that preserves the thread order. The cross is the critical structural element of indirect warping. It ensures that thread 1 is always adjacent to thread 2, thread 2 is always adjacent to thread 3, and so on, across the full width. When the completed warp chain is removed from the board and transferred to the loom, the cross is secured with lease sticks (two flat sticks inserted on either side of the cross to maintain it), and the threads are threaded through the heddle holes and slots in the order established by the cross. Warp length planning differs significantly between methods. In direct warping, total warp length equals the distance to the peg multiplied by two (the thread travels to the peg and back). In indirect warping, total warp length is the measured path length around the warping board pegs. Warp length must account for: the desired woven length, loom waste at front and back (typically 9–12 inches at each apron rod where the warp is tied on and cannot be woven), take-up (the weft causes warp threads to undulate over and under, shortening the effective warp — typically 10–15% for plain weave depending on sett and yarn size), and sampling or hem allowance. A project requiring 36 inches of woven fabric in plain weave at 10% take-up needs approximately 36 ÷ 0.90 = 40 inches of warp in the woven section, plus 18–24 inches of loom waste, plus any sampling allowance. The warping board allows this length calculation to be implemented precisely; direct warping requires the peg-to-loom distance to equal or exceed the calculated warp section length.

What is the difference between sett in ends per inch and heddle dent spacing, and why can the same heddle produce different setts?

Sett is the number of warp ends (individual warp threads) per inch in the finished cloth, measured across the width of the warp in the heddle. Heddle dent spacing is the number of dents (slot-hole pairs) per inch in the rigid heddle. They are related but are not the same measurement. A 10-dent heddle has 10 slot-hole pairs per inch. At standard threading — one thread through each slot and one thread through each hole, for two threads per dent — the sett is 10 ends per inch. Each dent contributes one slot thread and one hole thread, and there are 10 dents per inch, so 10 slot threads per inch plus 10 hole threads per inch produces 20 ends per inch total. Wait — this is the standard confusion. Let me be precise: a 10-dent rigid heddle has 10 slots and 10 holes per inch, for 20 openings total per inch. Threading one thread per opening (one per slot, one per hole) gives 20 threads per inch = 20 epi. Threading one thread per slot and one thread per hole with a 10-dent heddle gives 20 epi sett. A 10-dent heddle at this threading is a 20-epi heddle, not a 10-epi heddle. This is the source of the sett-versus-dent confusion in rigid heddle literature: manufacturers and instructors use dent count to name heddles but the actual epi depends on threading density. A 10-dent heddle threaded one per dent (every other opening filled) gives 10 epi. A 10-dent heddle threaded two per dent (both slot and hole filled) gives 20 epi. A 10-dent heddle threaded with two threads in each slot and one in each hole gives 30 slot threads and 10 hole threads = approximately 25–30 epi depending on yarn diameter. Warp sett selection is not arbitrary. For a balanced weave (warp and weft threads equally visible in the finished cloth), the sett should equal the yarn's wraps per inch divided by 2. Wraps per inch is measured by wrapping the yarn around a ruler for one inch and counting the wraps. A yarn that wraps 20 times per inch should be sett at 10 epi for a balanced plain weave fabric. A yarn that wraps 16 times per inch should be sett at 8 epi. The available setts are constrained by the heddles available: if the only heddle available is 10-dent, the sett options are 10 epi (every other slot/hole), 20 epi (standard full threading), or 5 epi (every fourth opening). A 8-epi target cannot be achieved with a standard 10-dent heddle at any straightforward threading. For Patreon pattern documentation, this means: publish both the heddle dent count and the threading density (threads per slot, threads per hole, or openings skipped) as separate specifications. A pattern documented only as 'use a 10-dent heddle' can be threaded at 10 epi, 15 epi, 20 epi, or 5 epi depending on the patron's interpretation of threading density. The heddle specification and the sett specification must both appear explicitly. Additionally: when two threads are placed in the same slot (double-slot threading), those two threads move together as a unit when the heddle is raised or lowered — they are mechanically equivalent to a single warp end at the shed level, even though they are two individual threads. This changes the apparent texture of the fabric: two threads in a slot produce a warp pair that weaves as a unit, producing a warp-dominant texture if the sett is higher than balanced.

How does the pick-up stick create pattern sheds beyond plain weave on a rigid heddle loom, and what structures can be woven with a pick-up stick?

The pick-up stick is a flat, smooth stick — typically 18 to 24 inches long for most loom widths — that can be inserted into the warp between the heddle and the back beam to create a third shed. The mechanism relies on the fact that only slot threads move when the heddle is raised or lowered; hole threads remain at approximately the neutral heddle height regardless of heddle position. In the down-shed position (heddle lowered, slot threads below hole threads), the weaver inserts the pick-up stick by passing it selectively over some slot threads and under others, from selvedge to selvedge. The pick-up stick passes over slot threads that the weaver wants to lift in the pattern shed, and under slot threads that the weaver wants to leave down. Hole threads are skipped entirely — the stick passes either over or under slot threads only. Once the pick-up sequence is set, the stick is pushed toward the back beam and stored there with the warp in the down-shed position. To weave the pattern pick: the heddle is placed in the down-shed position, the pick-up stick is slid forward toward the heddle, and turned on its edge. Turning the stick on edge creates the third shed: slot threads over the stick are pushed up by the stick's edge, while slot threads under the stick remain down. The hole threads remain at the neutral heddle height. The three-way differentiation (slot threads over stick up, slot threads under stick down, hole threads mid) creates an opening through which the weft can pass. After the pattern pick, the pick-up stick is turned flat and slid back toward the back beam. The next pick is typically the down-shed (heddle lowered, stick not used) or the up-shed (heddle raised). The most accessible structure produced with a pick-up stick on a rigid heddle loom is huck lace: a weft-dominant lace structure with pairs of weft floats creating small windows in the plain weave ground. The pick-up sequence for huck lace alternates picked-up slot threads in a regular pattern (pick up slots 1, 3, 5 — skip slots 2, 4, 6 — then reverse the pick-up for the next pattern row). The floating wefts create the lace windows; the intervening plain weave picks ground the structure and prevent the floats from migrating. Pattern pick-up weaving on a rigid heddle loom differs fundamentally from floor loom pattern weaving. On a floor loom, threading a pattern shaft is a one-time threading decision that determines the pattern for all subsequent picks; the weaver changes pattern by pressing different treadle combinations. On a rigid heddle loom, the pick-up stick sequence must be re-picked for each pattern repeat cycle, or the stick must be carefully moved without disturbing its pick-up sequence. For Patreon pattern documentation, this means: a pick-up diagram showing which slot threads are over or under the stick for each pattern shed position is a separate document from the weave draft. Floor loom drafts cannot be directly converted to rigid heddle pick-up diagrams without calculating which threads are slot threads and which are hole threads in the rigid heddle threading, then determining which slots need to be picked up to produce the same interlacing sequence at each pick. This conversion is non-trivial and must be documented explicitly in the pattern.

Why does selvedge management on a rigid heddle loom require weft angle control rather than a temple, and how is the bubble technique calibrated?

A temple is a stretcher device used in floor loom weaving. It consists of two arms with toothed ends that hook into the selvedge edges of the cloth at the fell (the most recently woven row). The temple holds the selvedges at exactly the warped width, preventing the weft from drawing the selvedges inward as the shed closes on each pick. Without a temple on a floor loom, the weft, which enters the shed at a slight diagonal angle, straightens as the shed closes and the heddle returns to neutral. As the weft straightens, it shortens across the warp width and pulls the selvedge threads inward. Over many picks, this produces increasingly narrow selvedges and ultimately a distorted, narrowing cloth. On a rigid heddle loom, the selvedge threads are slot threads and hole threads in the outermost dents of the heddle. The heddle physically constrains the spacing of these threads: each is held in its dent at the fixed dent spacing. This constraint does not allow the selvedge threads to migrate inward under weft tension the way they can on a floor loom with a floating reed. The heddle's physical presence means the selvedge threads are always spaced at the dent pitch, and a temple is not needed to maintain that spacing mechanically. What the heddle does not control is the amount of weft thread between the last selvedge thread and the shuttle exit point. When the weft is passed through the shed and the shuttle exits at the right selvedge, the weft thread traces the path from left selvedge across the full warp width to the right selvedge. If the weft is pulled taut immediately after passing — shortening the weft to exactly the heddle width — the weft has no extra length to curve over and under each warp thread during beating. Beating packs the weft against the fell, causing each warp thread to push the weft slightly downward as it passes over, and each under-thread to push the weft slightly upward as it passes under. This undulation requires the weft to be slightly longer than the straight-line distance across the warp. If no extra length was provided, the weft borrows the needed length from the selvedge threads, pulling them inward by the amount it needs. The bubble technique compensates by providing that extra length before beating. After passing the weft shuttle through the shed and before closing the shed, the weaver uses a finger or the shuttle to push the weft up into an arc or bubble above the fell. The height of the bubble determines how much extra weft length is provided. The correct bubble height can be estimated as approximately one-quarter to one-third of the warp width for plain weave at balanced sett: a 10-inch-wide warp requires a bubble approximately 2.5 to 3.3 inches above the fell. The precise height depends on yarn diameter, sett, and the undulation ratio of the specific weave structure. Finer setts (more threads per inch) produce more warp-thread crossings per inch of weft, each requiring a tiny length increment, so finer setts need relatively larger bubbles. After creating the bubble, the heddle is moved to the next shed position and then brought forward to beat. The beating action presses the weft down and in toward the fell while simultaneously distributing the extra weft length into the undulations at each crossing. A properly sized bubble produces a selvedge thread that bends at exactly 90 degrees at the selvedge edge — the weft exits the cloth at a right angle to the warp. Too-small a bubble produces a concave pull at the selvedge. Too-large a bubble produces a convex loop at the selvedge (the weft loops out beyond the selvedge thread). For Patreon pattern documentation, this means the bubble height must be specified as a fraction of the warp width or in inches for the project's warp width, not as a vague instruction to 'leave some slack.' Different warp widths and different setts require different bubble heights, and the correct height is calculated, not guessed.

What is the Apple Tax for rigid heddle weaving creator Patreons from November 2026, and how large are the monthly losses at realistic tier structures?

Rigid heddle weaving is one of the largest and most actively growing craft creator categories on YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. The accessible price point of rigid heddle looms (entry-level looms from Ashford, Rigid Heddle Weaving, Schacht, or Kromski start around $150–$400) means the audience skews heavily toward new craft learners who discover the niche on mobile devices. Audience iOS proportions for rigid heddle weaving content are among the highest in the fiber arts: YouTube rigid heddle weaving tutorial channels 58–72% iOS; Instagram rigid heddle weaving content 70–82% iOS; Pinterest rigid heddle weaving project boards and pattern saves 72–84% iOS; Facebook rigid heddle weaving community groups 60–72% iOS. Rigid heddle instructors on Patreon typically offer pattern downloads, project plans, technique deep-dives, and pick-up stick charts as patron rewards. Monthly revenue for active rigid heddle instructors with established Patreon programs ranges from $150 to $800 per month, with the median active instructor earning in the $250–$400 range. At $150 per month with 70% iOS (YouTube-primary creator with instructional content): $150 × 0.70 × 0.30 = $31.50 per month ($378 per year). At $300 per month with 73% iOS (mixed platform creator with active Instagram and YouTube): $300 × 0.73 × 0.30 = $65.70 per month ($788.40 per year). At $500 per month with 76% iOS (established instructor with Pinterest-primary audience and full pattern library): $500 × 0.76 × 0.30 = $114 per month ($1,368 per year). The fix is a web-only checkout page for new patron subscriptions. Apple's 30% in-app purchase fee applies only to subscriptions processed through the iOS Patreon app. A patron who subscribes through a browser checkout page does not trigger the fee regardless of whether they subsequently access Patreon content through the iOS app. The communication to existing iOS-subscribed patrons is most effective when framed around the specific dollar amount diverted to Apple: a patron paying $10 per month who subscribes via iOS generates $3 for Apple on November 1, 2026 — $36 per year diverted from the creator's income at no benefit to the patron.

Explainers › Patreon for rigid heddle weaving creators

Patreon for rigid heddle weaving creators: the rigid heddle as combined heddle and beater, the two-shed plain weave limit, direct versus indirect warping, sett versus dent spacing, the pick-up stick, selvedge bubble technique, and the Apple Tax in 2026

2026-08-22 · ~5,400 words

Rigid heddle weaving tutorial videos demonstrate the hand sequence — how to thread the heddle, how to pass the shuttle, how to beat. What they cannot demonstrate is the mechanical logic beneath those motions: why the heddle couples sett to beat force in a way the floor loom does not, why the loom cannot produce pattern weaves without a pick-up stick, how the cross built during warping board warping determines thread order in the finished cloth, or why the selvedge management technique on a rigid heddle loom is physically different from floor loom practice. These properties are structural and invisible to a camera showing hand motion. A patron who understands the motion but not the mechanics cannot diagnose why their sett is wrong, why their pattern shed failed, or why their selvedges are pulling in. This post documents the mechanical layer.

The rigid heddle as combined heddle and beater

On a floor loom, the heddle and the beater are two separate mechanical components that operate independently. The heddle frames (shafts) hold individual heddle wires or string heddles through which the warp threads are threaded; raising or lowering a shaft group creates the shed. The beater is a separate swinging frame that holds a reed — a comb of closely-spaced metal or plastic dents through which the warp threads also pass, maintaining their spacing. After the weft shuttle passes through the shed, the weaver swings the beater forward to pack the weft against the fell of the cloth, then swings it back before changing sheds. Because they are mechanically independent, a floor loom weaver can adjust beat force by changing the beater swing angle and momentum without changing the sett; can change the reed to alter the warp spacing without re-threading the shafts; and can adjust the number of shafts (and therefore the pattern complexity) independent of the reed spacing.

On a rigid heddle loom, a single physical object does both jobs. The rigid heddle is a flat frame, typically made from plastic or wood, with alternating slots and holes across its full width. The holes are drilled through the solid material of the heddle — each hole is a fixed point through which one warp thread passes. The slots are open notches, cut from the top or bottom of the heddle frame between adjacent holes — each slot holds one warp thread in a notch that allows the thread to move up or down relative to the heddle.

When the heddle is raised by holding its frame and lifting upward, all slot threads — which sit freely in their notches — rise with the heddle frame. All hole threads — which pass through fixed holes — stay at the level of the hole (approximately the neutral heddle position) and cannot rise. This creates the up-shed: a triangular opening between the raised slot threads above and the stationary hole threads below, through which the weft shuttle passes. When the heddle is lowered, slot threads drop with the frame and hole threads stay at their fixed positions, creating the down-shed with slot threads below and hole threads above. After each weft pass, the weaver moves the heddle to a neutral horizontal position and pushes the heddle frame forward toward the fell. The frame itself packs the weft — this is the beating action. The rigid heddle is both the heddle and the beater in one tool.

The coupling consequence: the heddle's dent spacing — the number of slot-hole pairs per inch across the heddle width — is fixed at manufacture and determines the warp sett. A 10-dent rigid heddle has 10 slot-hole pairs per inch, and at standard threading (one thread per slot, one thread per hole) produces a fixed sett that cannot be adjusted without changing the heddle or changing the threading density. The beat force is similarly constrained by the heddle mass and the weaver's push angle — fine-tuning beat weight the way a floor loom weaver adjusts the beater's hanging weight or swing arc is not possible on a rigid heddle loom.

This is a design tradeoff, not a defect. The coupling makes the loom mechanically simple, inexpensive, and portable. The tradeoff is that project planning must work within the available heddle dent options rather than treating sett as a free variable. A Patreon pattern that specifies "use any loom" without specifying the heddle dent count and threading density will produce unpredictable results on a rigid heddle loom, because the patron's heddle determines the sett rather than the pattern specifying a sett and the patron choosing the heddle to match.

The two sheds and the plain weave limit

The rigid heddle loom produces exactly two shed positions: up-shed (heddle raised, slot threads above hole threads) and down-shed (heddle lowered, slot threads below hole threads). These are the only two positions the heddle mechanism can create. Alternating up-shed and down-shed picks — one weft pass through the up-shed, one through the down-shed, repeating — produces plain weave, also called tabby.

In plain weave, every warp thread alternates over one weft pick and under the next across the full width of the cloth. Slot threads go over one pick and under the next; hole threads go under the same pick that slot threads go over, and over the next. Together, the full warp produces the standard over-one-under-one interlacing that is plain weave. It is the simplest woven structure and requires exactly two alternating sheds. The rigid heddle provides exactly two alternating sheds.

The loom cannot produce a third shed — a position where some but not all slot threads are raised, or where some hole threads are differentiated from others — through heddle movement alone. There is no intermediate heddle position that splits the slot-thread group or the hole-thread group into sub-groups. This is the structural ceiling of the loom at its plain operation: plain weave, full stop.

Any pattern structure beyond plain weave requires a mechanism outside the heddle. The standard mechanism is the pick-up stick. Some rigid heddle looms accept a second heddle (mounted either in front of or behind the primary heddle) that creates additional shed positions when operated in combination with the primary heddle. But the two-shed ceiling is inherent to the single-heddle loom, and understanding it is foundational: a rigid heddle patron who expects to weave a floor loom twill pattern directly on their rigid heddle loom is working from a false premise, and no amount of instruction on hand technique will bridge the gap.

Direct warping versus indirect warping

Warping is the process of loading warp threads onto the loom in the correct order, at the correct length, and at the correct tension. On a rigid heddle loom, two methods accomplish this: direct warping and indirect warping.

Direct warping winds the warp threads directly onto the loom without using a separate warping device. The process begins with a warping peg or hook, which is typically clamped to a table or mounted on a wall at a measured distance from the front apron rod of the loom. The warp yarn is tied to the front apron rod, threaded through a slot in the heddle, carried across to the warping peg, wrapped around the peg, returned to the heddle, threaded through the next slot (passing from the other side), and wound around the back beam. This back-and-forth path is repeated across the full warp width. Because threads pass through slots during winding, the slot threads are loaded first; after all slots are filled, the weaver uses a threading hook to pull every other thread (the threads that cross between slot groups at the back of the heddle) through the heddle holes.

Direct warping advantages: it is fast, requires no additional equipment beyond the peg, and a beginner can complete a simple project warp in 20–30 minutes. The limitations are significant for longer projects. The warp length is bounded by the distance from the loom's front apron rod to the warping peg — for most in-home setups this is 1.5 to 3 yards. Projects requiring longer warps (complex yardage, multiple project repeats on one warp) cannot be direct-warped at these distances without complex peg arrangements. Additionally, the threading order is determined by the winding order and cannot be rearranged after the warp is on the loom.

Indirect warping builds the warp on a separate warping board or warping pegs before transferring it to the loom. The warping board has multiple pegs arranged so that the yarn path from one end to the other traces the full desired warp length. The yarn is wound from peg to peg repeatedly — each circuit contributes one thread to the warp width. At the cross pegs (the two outermost pegs at one end of the board), the thread alternates: outward pass goes over the first cross peg and under the second; return pass goes under the first and over the second. This alternation creates the cross: a point in the warp chain where consecutive threads pass each other in an over-under sequence that preserves thread order.

The cross is the critical element of indirect warping. It records which thread is thread 1, which is thread 2, and so on. Without the cross, the threads of the warp chain are an undifferentiated bundle; when a thread is pulled from the bundle to be threaded through the heddle, any thread might be thread 1. With the cross intact and secured with lease sticks (two flat sticks inserted on either side of the cross and tied together at their ends to prevent the cross from collapsing), the threads can be threaded through the heddle in sequence — first thread from one side of the cross, then the first thread from the other side, alternating — and the order is preserved.

Warp length planning differs between methods. Direct warping: the usable warp length is approximately 2× the peg-to-loom distance (thread travels to the peg and returns). Indirect warping: the warp length is set by the warping board path and can be made as long as needed by routing through additional pegs or winding the board multiple times. For project planning, total warp length must account for: woven length target, plus loom waste at both ends (the warp is tied onto the front and back apron rods and those sections cannot be woven — typically 9–12 inches at each end), plus take-up (plain weave warp take-up is typically 10–15% of woven length, meaning a warp must be 10–15% longer than the target woven length to produce the target after take-up), plus any sampling or hem allowance. A 36-inch-woven scarf at 12% take-up needs 36 ÷ 0.88 ≈ 41 inches of woven warp, plus 20 inches of loom waste, plus any sampling allocation.

Sett in ends per inch versus heddle dent spacing

Sett is the number of warp ends per inch in the set warp, measured across the warp width between the selvedges. It determines how densely the warp threads are spaced and, in combination with weft sett (picks per inch), determines the weave structure balance. Heddle dent spacing is the number of slot-hole pairs per inch in the rigid heddle. They describe related but distinct measurements, and using them interchangeably produces specification errors.

Consider a 10-dent rigid heddle: it has 10 slots per inch and 10 holes per inch, for 20 individual thread openings per inch. At standard threading — one thread per slot and one thread per hole — this heddle holds 20 warp ends per inch: 10 slot threads and 10 hole threads. The sett at standard threading is 20 epi, not 10 epi. The heddle is named by its dent count (10-dent) but the sett at standard threading is double the dent count.

The same 10-dent heddle can produce different setts by varying threading density. At half-sett threading — every other slot and hole filled, every other slot and hole empty — the sett is 10 epi. At double-sett threading — two threads per slot and two threads per hole — the sett is 40 epi (4 threads per dent × 10 dents per inch). At mixed threading (two threads per slot, one per hole) the sett is 30 epi.

Choosing the correct sett for a yarn requires measuring the yarn's wraps per inch (WPI): wrap the yarn snugly around a ruler for one inch without overlapping, count the wraps. For a balanced plain weave (warp and weft equally visible), sett ≈ WPI ÷ 2. For a warp-dominant fabric (warp threads visible, weft hidden), sett ≈ WPI × 0.6–0.7. For a weft-dominant fabric (weft visible, warp hidden, as in tapestry), sett ≈ WPI × 0.3–0.4.

A yarn with 20 WPI needs approximately 10 epi for balanced plain weave. The correct heddle configuration: a 10-dent heddle at half-sett threading (every other opening filled). A yarn with 16 WPI needs approximately 8 epi — but a 10-dent heddle cannot produce 8 epi at any standard threading option (10, 20, 5, 40 epi are the options). This yarn requires either a different heddle (an 8-dent heddle at standard threading produces approximately 8 epi for warp-dominant or a 16-dent heddle at half threading) or an acceptance that the sett will be slightly off the calculated balanced point.

For Patreon pattern documentation: publish both the heddle dent count and the threading density as separate specifications. A pattern stating "10-dent heddle, one thread per slot, one per hole" is unambiguous. A pattern stating "use a 10-dent heddle" is ambiguous by a factor of 4 in sett (5, 10, 20, or 40 epi all use a 10-dent heddle). Additionally, note that two threads in the same slot weave as a unit — they both rise and both fall together when the heddle moves — so double-slot threading is not the same weave structure as the equivalent single-thread sett.

The pick-up stick and pattern sheds beyond plain weave

The pick-up stick is a flat, smooth wooden or acrylic stick, typically 18–24 inches long for a standard rigid heddle loom. It creates a third shed by selectively differentiating within the slot-thread group — lifting some slot threads while leaving others down — which the heddle mechanism cannot do.

The setup process begins with the heddle in the down-shed position (heddle lowered, slot threads below hole threads). In this position, the slot threads are accessible in the warp between the heddle and the back beam. The weaver inserts the pick-up stick by passing it from selvedge to selvedge through the warp, going over selected slot threads and under others, following the intended pattern. Hole threads are not picked; the stick passes either over or under slot threads only. Once the entire pick-up sequence is set across the full warp width, the stick is turned flat and slid toward the back beam, where it rests stored in the warp without disturbing the slot threads.

To weave a pattern pick: with the heddle in the down-shed position, slide the pick-up stick forward toward the heddle. Turn the pick-up stick on its edge by rotating it 90 degrees so its thin dimension faces up. The slot threads that were over the stick when it was flat are now lifted by the stick's edge standing upright. Slot threads that were under the stick remain down. Hole threads remain at the neutral heddle position. The three-group differentiation creates the pick-up shed: an opening between the lifted slot threads above, the hole threads in the middle, and the dropped slot threads below. The weft passes through the pick-up shed. After the pick, the stick is returned to the flat position and slid back toward the back beam.

The pattern then alternates between pick-up sheds and plain weave sheds (up-shed or down-shed) in whatever sequence the weave structure requires. Huck lace, the most commonly taught rigid heddle pick-up structure, uses a repeating sequence of: pick-up shed, up-shed, reversed pick-up (the inverse of the original pick-up: the slots that were up in the first pick-up are now down, and vice versa), down-shed. This four-pick repeat creates pairs of weft floats at the picked-up positions, separated by plain weave picks that anchor the floats and create the lace windows.

Pick-up stick pattern documentation must specify: (1) the pick-up sequence from selvedge to selvedge, identifying which slot-thread positions are over the stick and which are under; (2) which pick positions in the sequence use the pick-up shed and which use plain weave sheds; (3) whether the pattern uses one pick-up configuration across the whole project or whether the pick-up sequence changes between pattern repeats. A pick-up diagram — a grid where rows represent picks and columns represent slot-thread positions, with marks indicating which slots are over the stick — is the clearest documentation format and cannot be replaced by prose description for anything more complex than a 2–3 slot repeat.

Pick-up stick patterns cannot be converted from floor loom threading drafts without recalculation. A floor loom draft specifies which shaft is raised at each pick; the pattern it produces depends on the threading (which shaft each thread is on). Converting to a rigid heddle pick-up requires knowing which threads are slot threads and which are hole threads, then determining which slots must be in the pick-up sequence at each pick to produce the same interlacing — a calculation that depends on the entire threading sequence. Rigid heddle patterns should provide pick-up diagrams in rigid heddle format, not floor loom draft notation.

Selvedge management: the bubble technique

On a floor loom, selvedge management typically uses a temple: a stretcher tool with toothed ends that hooks into the outermost warp loops at the fell and holds the cloth at full warp width. The temple compensates for the weft's tendency to draw the selvedges inward as the weft thread shortens from its angled entry path to its beaten position.

On a rigid heddle loom, a temple is not used for the primary selvedge management function. The heddle physically occupies the warp at all times — it holds the slot and hole threads in their dent positions across the full heddle width. The outermost slot threads and hole threads at each selvedge are held by the heddle at the fixed dent spacing, and cannot migrate inward the way they can on a floor loom with a freely-hanging beater. The heddle's presence mechanically maintains the warp width.

What the heddle does not control is the amount of weft thread between the selvedge thread and the point where the shuttle exits the shed. When the weft is passed through the shed and the shuttle exits at the right selvedge (for a right-to-left pass), the weft thread traces the straight-line distance from the left selvedge thread to the right selvedge thread. If the weft is pulled taut immediately after the shuttle exits, shortening the weft to the straight-line distance, the weft lacks sufficient length to undulate over and under each warp thread during beating.

When the heddle beats, it presses each warp thread against the weft, causing a slight vertical displacement — over-threads push the weft down; under-threads push the weft up. These vertical displacements require the weft to be longer than the straight-line warp width by the cumulative displacement amount. A warp with 10 warp threads per inch over 12 inches has 120 warp threads; each crossing requires approximately the yarn-diameter distance in extra length. If the weft is at exactly the straight-line width, it borrows the needed length from the selvedge threads, pulling them inward. Over many picks, this produces selvedges that draw progressively inward.

The bubble technique provides the extra length before beating. After passing the weft shuttle through the shed and before returning the heddle to neutral for beating, the weaver uses a finger or the edge of the shuttle to push the weft thread upward at the center of the warp, creating an arc or bubble above the fell. The height of the arc determines the extra weft length provided.

For balanced plain weave at standard sett, a bubble height of approximately one-quarter of the warp width is a commonly taught starting point: a 10-inch-wide warp needs a bubble approximately 2.5 inches tall above the fell. The precise height is calibrated by examining the selvedge angle after several picks: if the selvedge threads angle inward toward the fell, the bubble is too small. If the selvedge threads angle outward (a convex loop at the selvedge), the bubble is too large. A correctly-sized bubble produces a selvedge thread that exits the cloth at a 90-degree angle to the warp — perpendicular to the fell line.

Finer setts require relatively larger bubbles because more warp-thread crossings per inch of weft means more accumulated undulation length needed. A 10-dent heddle at full threading (20 epi) needs a larger bubble proportionally than a 10-dent heddle at half threading (10 epi) for the same warp width. Yarn diameter also affects the required bubble height: thicker yarns produce larger vertical displacements at each crossing and require more extra weft length.

For Patreon pattern documentation, the bubble technique must be specified as a fraction of warp width or in inches for the project's actual warp width and sett. Instructions that say only "leave some slack" or "don't pull the weft too tight" are not actionable — the patron has no calibration target. A specification of "bubble height approximately 2 inches for a 10-inch warp" at the project's sett and yarn gives the patron a starting point they can adjust by observing selvedge angle.

The Apple Tax for rigid heddle weaving creators on Patreon

Rigid heddle weaving has become one of the fastest-growing craft audiences on YouTube and Pinterest over the last several years. The accessible entry point — a quality rigid heddle loom costs $150–$400, compared to several thousand dollars for a floor loom — means the audience skews toward new craft learners who discover the practice through recommendation algorithms on mobile devices. Mobile-dominant discovery patterns produce a high iOS proportion in the audience.

Audience iOS proportions for rigid heddle weaving content: YouTube rigid heddle weaving tutorial channels 58–72% iOS; Instagram rigid heddle weaving project content 70–82% iOS; Pinterest rigid heddle weaving boards and pattern saves 72–84% iOS; Facebook rigid heddle weaving community groups 60–72% iOS.

Rigid heddle instructors on Patreon offer pattern downloads, project plans, pick-up stick charts, warping guides, and technique deep-dives as patron rewards. Monthly revenue for active rigid heddle instructors with established programs ranges from approximately $150 to $800 per month. The median active instructor in the $250–$400 range is the most common case.

At $150 per month with 70% iOS (YouTube-primary creator): $150 × 0.70 × 0.30 = $31.50 per month, $378 per year — diverted from creator income to Apple beginning November 1, 2026.

At $300 per month with 73% iOS (mixed platform creator with active Instagram and YouTube): $300 × 0.73 × 0.30 = $65.70 per month, $788.40 per year.

At $500 per month with 76% iOS (established instructor with Pinterest-heavy audience and full pattern library): $500 × 0.76 × 0.30 = $114 per month, $1,368 per year.

The mechanism of the loss: Apple's in-app purchase (IAP) policy requires that any digital subscription sold through an iOS app must use Apple's IAP system, which charges a 30% commission on each transaction. Patreon's iOS app processes patron subscriptions through Apple IAP. From November 1, 2026, Patreon will pass this 30% cost to creators rather than absorbing it. Every iOS-subscribed patron generates a 30% fee on their pledge amount, paid by the creator.

The fix requires no technical work and no platform migration. Apple's IAP fee applies only to subscriptions processed through the iOS app. A patron who subscribes to a Patreon page through a web browser — on any device, including an iPhone or iPad — does not use the iOS app checkout and does not trigger the IAP fee. That patron can subsequently access Patreon content through the iOS app without any fee consequence; the fee applies at subscription time, not at content access time.

The creator's action: direct all potential new patrons to the Patreon page URL in a browser, not to the Patreon app. Add a visible note to the Patreon page ("Join from a browser for the best value — joining through the Patreon iOS app adds a fee that comes from my income"). Communicate to existing iOS-subscribed patrons: identify the specific dollar amount that will divert to Apple on November 1 from their subscription, ask them to cancel their current iOS subscription and re-subscribe through the web browser. The dollar-amount framing is more motivating than an abstract policy description. A patron paying $10 per month who subscribes via iOS will send $3 per month to Apple — $36 per year — starting November 1.

KeepTier provides a hosted web-only checkout page at your own domain that handles this transparently: the page is web-only by design, with no iOS app to trigger an IAP fee, a Stripe Checkout integration for direct subscription processing, and messaging that explains to patrons why the web checkout protects the creator's income.

The deadline is November 1, 2026. The communication to existing iOS patrons needs to happen with enough lead time for patrons to cancel their app subscription at the end of their current billing cycle and re-subscribe via browser before the next billing date. For a patron with a monthly subscription renewing October 15, the window to act before the November 1 cutover is approximately 16 days after receiving the message. The communication should go out in September 2026 to allow all patrons sufficient lead time regardless of their billing cycle date.