Drafts.
After having obtained the pattern of a cloth it is necessary to draft the ends on the least number of healds on which the cloth can be woven. Drafts are represented in various ways—e.g., by drawing lines representing the healds and marking the order in which the ends are drawn on them; thus, if the first end be drawn on the first or front heald, the second on the second heald and so on, we get a straight draft as shown in [Fig. 35].
FIG. 35.
The numbers represent the heald on which the end is drawn. The ends are lettered in their order.
Should the first end be on the first heald, the second end on the third heald, the third end on the second heald, the fourth on the fourth heald, we get a skip draft—thus:
FIG. 36.
In practice it is usual to omit the lines and just give the draft, thus:—
4
3
2
1
This is a very convenient method of representing a draft for the use of the drawer-in or the weaver, but when using point paper it is better to reserve a few picks above the design to represent as many healds and indicate on which the end is drawn by making a small circle. Thus, a honey-comb design is shown in [Fig. 37], A. It can be reduced to and woven on 8 picks and 8 ends, as at B, the pattern; the draft is shown at C, the 8 ends being drawn on 5 healds. Below is shown the method of obtaining these plans—a study of which remarks will enable the reader to perform similar work for other cloths. Commencing at the first end on the left-hand side, it is placed on the first heald, H 1; looking across the pattern we find no other end working like it. Proceeding to the second end, it is placed on heald number 2, and as the eighth end works like it, it is placed on the same heald shaft. The third and seventh ends are marked for the third heald. The fourth end working differently to any other except the sixth, these two are placed on H 4; whilst the fifth end only is left for the fifth heald. This draft, from its appearance, is dubbed a point draft or V draft.
FIG. 37.