Weaving

The weaving shed at a Witney mill, 1898.

Bobbins (or 'fossets') full of thread would be taken to the power loom weaving shed, a noisy place containing many clattering looms. Weaving took place on power looms run from overhead line-shafts that were powered by the mill steam engine.

Alternate warp threads in the loom were raised or lowered. A loaded bobbin was placed in a flying shuttle, which was a wooden, boat-shaped object with pointed metal ends. The shuttle was put into the loom and the loom started. A wooden bar called a picking stick gave a sharp blow to a buffalo hide 'picker' which in turn hit the shuttle and sent it flying between the warp threads to the opposite side of the loom. Healds then swapped the position of each warp thread before another picker at the other end of the loom sent the shuttle flying back in the opposite direction. In this way the weft thread from the bobbin was woven between the warp threads - each length of weft was known as a 'pick' or 'shoot'. The whole process was repeated, slowly building up a length of cloth, until a complete 'stockful' of blankets was woven. The 'thrums' (loose ends of warp and weft) would then be trimmed off.

At this stage the material was coarse in texture and looked and felt more like a long roll of sacking than a blanket.

Most of the weavers were women. Their job was to change the bobbins over before they ran out of thread, and to mend any broken warp threads. Often a shuttle would fly right out of a loom: if it hit someone it could cause a serious injury.

Clare Sumner