How to: Instructions for Weaving Twill Stool Covers

Measure the stool top to determine how wide and long the warp needs to be. Allow extra width and length for tucking the fabric under the edge of the stool top and for nailing it down. If you are weaving with wool, which would be a good choice, allow for draw-in and shrinkage during laundering after weaving. When calculating the sett (the number of ends per inch in the warp), remember that twill settings are closer than plain weave settings, as the weft crosses two warp threads at each crossing, rather than just one warp thread. It's a good idea to weave a small twill sample, say 6 inches wide and a yard long, and then wash it to determine how much your twill fabric will shrink.

Wind a warp of the appropriate width and length on the warping board. Make a figure-eight cross at one end. Tie the warp off at the cross, at the ends, and at 1-yard intervals. Chain the warp off the warping board and bring it to the loom.

Pre-sley the warp in the reed by pulling four warp ends through every fourth dent in the reed. This is a preliminary pulling of the warp threads through the reed, in order to use the reed as a spacer for the warp as it's wound onto the back beam. Wind the warp onto the back beam. Take the reed and beater off the loom and hang the harnesses in the loom. Thread the loom to a twill threading of your choice. This could be a straight draw (4, 3, 2, 1) or a more elaborate point twill. You can find many examples of twill threadings in books of weaving patterns.

Sley the reed to the final sett and tie the warp ends to the front apron rod. Tighten the warp. Wind a rag shuttle with rag weft and weave a few inches of rag weft until the warp threads come together. Wind a bobbin with the weft yarn and weave the entire length of the warp until the back apron rod comes up over the back beam. Cut the warp threads behind the heddles. Pull the cloth off the front beam and cut it loose from the front beam.

Zigzag the fell (the weft-wise ends of the cloth) at both ends. Take the cloth to a washing machine and machine wash the fabric in warm water on the gentle cycle. You can line dry the fabric or dry it on low in the dryer. Now you can cut out your stool covers or take the fabric to a professional upholsterer.