Ask to try this beautiful wheel at your favorite Schacht dealer.

Reeves Wheels, made for over 20 years by Rick and Marge Reeves, are known for their refined style and outstanding reliability, and are championed by spinners for their quality, attention to detail, and superb spinning.

When the Reeves wheel was suddenly taken out of production three years ago, it left a void in the handspinning market for quality Saxony spinning wheels − but this provided us an opportunity to collaborate with Rick and Marge on making a Saxony-style wheel of our own.  Now, after a year and a half of development, we have started shipping to dealers across the country.  For a list of dealers who have ordered Schacht-Reeves wheels, see the page SR_dealer_list.htm on our website. 

Schacht-Reeves Saxony wheels are available with 24" or 30" drive wheels, in ash or cherry, and can be fitted with single or double treadles.  In addition, all wheels come equipped with single drive and scotch tension spinning modes.  For those preferring right-hand-mounted flyers, this is an option as well.  For all the details, please visit our website at www.schachtspindle.com.
 

Convergence
Denver, Colorado
June 30 - July 3, 2004
Don't miss this grand conference this summer in Denver.  At Convergence, the biennial conference of the Handweavers Guild of America, you'll find keynote speakers, workshops, lectures, fiber exhibits, exciting commercial displays, and a professionally produced fashion show.  A plethora of workshops precede the conference.  To find out more, visit the HGA website at weavespindye.org.

Visit Us -
we're only 35 miles from downtown Denver!

Whether you're attending Convergence or traveling in Colorado, we invite you to tour our factory, visit our showroom, and see the Schacht Student Showcase, a juried exhibit of university textile student artwork.  Click below to download driving instructions.  If you're in doubt, don't hesitate to call us. Our local number is 303-442-3212.  Address: 6101 Ben Place, Boulder, CO  80301
Driving Directions
See you this summer!

By using a thick weft, a sturdy band suitable for a belt can be woven.  5/2 pearl cotton is used for warp and weft.  Eight strands together for the weft make a thick band and produce a scalloped edge.  The thick weft causes the pin stripes to become little wavy lines.

Dear
Violet Rose,
I have one of your rigid heddle looms on a stand and am just starting my weaving classes.  I am interested in weaving with some fabric strips and have heard some say you can do that on a rigid heddle loom and some say you can't. I am interested in learning about the different heddle sizes and what I could do with the various dents.  Thanks, Elizabeth Harkins

Dear Elizabeth,
I've woven fabric strips oodles of times on the rigid heddle loom with no problems.  Fabric strips woven as weft make great placemats, pillows, and mug rugs, but don't expect to weave a rug on a rigid heddle loom.  A rug requires a heftier loom that can sustain high tension, as well as a heavier beater for packing in the weft.  (Perhaps this is what the person was thinking about in regard to fabric, or rag, weaving on a rigid heddle loom.)  I like to set cotton carpet warp at 10 ends per inch and use 1/2" rag strips or two 1/4" strips together.  A common mistake is to cut the fabric strips too wide, which prevents them from packing in, as well as making a flimsy fabric.  Sometimes I use a hand beater to make the fabric super firm.

Our rigid heddles come in three dent options: 8, 10, and 12 ends per inch. Dent denotes the number of spaces in an inch. An 8-dent reed, for example, has 4 pairs of alternating slots and holes (or 8 spaces) per inch. Generally you will use a wider-sett dent for a fatter yarn and a closer-sett dent for a finer yarn. I always

Weaving.  This band is woven with a weft bundle of 8 ends of purple.  To avoid joining while weaving, measure 8 ends each 13 yeards long, then tightly wind your shuttle.  To ensure that your band remains a consistent width, check your band every few rows and adjust your weaving accordingly.  Weave as long as possible.  About 12" of warp will remain unwoven. 

Finishing.  Remove the belt from the loom.  On one end of the belt, make a twisted fringe (see box), using 2 ends for each grouping.  Secure each group with an overhand knot.  On the other end, trim the fringe short.  Place a line of washable fabric glue, such as Aleene's OK to Wash It, along the cut edge.  Trim the fringe along the glue line.  Fold over the D-rings and stitch closed about 1 1/2" from the end.                 
 

How to make a twisted fringe:  Divide a group of 4 threads into two groups of 2 threads each. Twist each group of 2 clockwise until it kinks.  Hold the ends so that they don’t untwist.  Put the two groups of two together, secure with an overhand knot, and allow them to twist counterclockwise around each other.
Two groups of 2	Four twisted together

(Violet Rose, cont'd.)
recommend sampling before beginning a project. If you’re unsure how to set a particular yarn for a balanced weave, first try wrapping one inch of a ruler with the yarn.  Divide this number by two for the number of warp ends per inch. If you get 24 wraps per inch, then chances are good that a 12-dent reed will work. I also like to run the yarn I intend to use through the holes and dents to see if there’s sufficient room for it to move without excessive abrasion. If the yarn seems too snug in the heddle, then I choose the next bigger heddle. An excellent book on rigid heddle weaving is Hands On Rigid Heddle Weaving by Betty Linn Davenport, published by Interweave Press. 
− Happy weaving, Violet Rose

Hi Violet,
I am a spinner and knitter and have just been given a Schacht loom. I am very excited and can't wait to get started but the loom was brought to me in pieces and there are no instructions for assembling it. Is there a way for me to get the instructions? I don't know the model number, however, on the front of the loom is a metal plate with sheep that says "Schacht Spindle Company" on the top and "Boulder, Colorado" on the bottom. I don't know the age of the loom. My friend states that it was originally a table loom but now has legs and a bench and a shelf. Any help or direction you could give me would be much appreciated.  Thank you, Rachel Kurtz

Dear Rachel,
Many of our instructions are posted on our web site: www.schachtspindle.com. On the home page, click on Instructions, go to Weaving, and then click on the product instructions you need. It sounds like the floor stand you have is a model we no longer make. Check the table loom pictures on our web site. If what you have differs from what you see there, you can request instructions, enclosing $5.00 with the request to Schacht Spindle Co., 6101 Ben Place, Boulder, CO 80301.  
− Violet Rose