Denim test warps
Before going ahead with a full width denim warp, we sample on our smaller looms.
Every mill waste cotton quality we get our hands on will behave differently on the loom, will have a different thread count, and will dye differently in the indigo vat. The result depends on the thickness of the yarn, the twist, and whether it has. been bleached or is a natural ecru.
We use our old WeaveMaster looms for the tests - these looms were made and used by war veterans for work and therapy in the past.
Aviary Denim
Southend-on-Sea, England
Sampling some freshly dyed yarn on the loom before committing to full lengths and meterage, Sarah Ward
Denim samples fresh off the loom, all hand woven using industry waste yarn, Sarah Ward
Denim sample qualities finished and drying, ready to be pressed. Some of these will be used as patches in our denim repair shop!, Sarah Ward
Dip-dyed indigo weft creating thin irregular stripes in the denim, Sarah Ward
On the loom, Sarah WardOur redline selvedge Ikat denim test warp on the loom
Winding on, Sarah WardFreshly dyed denim warp being wound on to the sampling loom
Sampling warp, Sarah WardWe weave narrow sampling warps of our denim on our small WeaveMaster looms before weaving full width meterage on the larger looms
Heddles, Sarah WardHeddles on our sampling loom, the old WeaveMaster!
WeaveMaster, Sarah WardOur sampling looms are small WeaveMaster looms, which were originally made and used by war veterans for work and therapy after the war.
Our WeaveMaster loom sampling a denim stripe, Sarah Ward
Testing shades of 'just dyed' indigo waste yarn, Sarah Ward
The yarn in each strip has been dipped either 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 times in the indigo dye vat, Sarah Ward