Fix Uneven Selvedges and Draw-In on Your Loom

Loose loops on one edge, a waist that pulls in toward the middle, threads snapping at the sides: uneven selvedges and draw-in are the most common frustrations for newer weavers. This guide explains why they happen and gives you concrete fixes, from how you throw the shuttle to when a temple is worth using. You will learn to tell normal draw-in from a real problem and to build edges you are proud of.

What Draw-In Actually Is

Draw-in is the narrowing of your cloth as the weft pulls the warp threads inward at the selvedges. A small, consistent amount is normal and unavoidable, because weft has to travel over and under warp and takes up some width in the process. The problem is excessive draw-in, where the fabric visibly narrows, the edge warps carry too much tension, and threads abrade or break.

The root cause is almost always the same: the weft is pulled too tight across the shed, so instead of gently curving through the warp it yanks the edges together.

The Weft Angle and Bubbling: Your Two Biggest Levers

Before you beat, the weft should sit in the shed at an angle, not straight across. A flat, tight weft has no slack to bend around the warp, so it steals width from the cloth. Two techniques give it that slack:

• Angle the weft. Lay it in at roughly a 30-45 degree diagonal across the shed before beating. Wider cloth and thicker weft need a steeper angle.
• Bubbling (arcing). Push the weft into two or three gentle arcs with your fingers before you beat. This distributes the slack evenly instead of leaving it all at one edge.

Together these give the weft enough length to interlace without dragging the selvedges inward. This one habit fixes most draw-in complaints.

Why Selvedges Come Out Uneven

Uneven edges usually trace back to inconsistency, not a single mistake:

• Tension changes at the turn. If you pull tight on some picks and leave others loose, the edge alternates between tight and looped.
• Shuttle handling. Snatching the shuttle or letting the weft snap creates a tight edge on that side only.
• The outermost warp is on the wrong shed. With some threadings the very edge thread does not always catch the weft, causing skipped, loose loops.

Floating Selvedges: When and Why

A floating selvedge is an edge warp thread that is not threaded through a heddle, so it sits in the middle of every shed. You always enter the shuttle over it and exit under it (or vice versa), guaranteeing the weft wraps the edge on every pick. This is especially useful for twills and other structures where the edge thread would otherwise skip.

Temples: Holding the Width

A temple (stretcher) is a tool that clamps the cloth at its full reed width and holds it there as you weave. It does not cure bad weft habits, but it prevents progressive narrowing on wide pieces, rugs, and firmly beaten cloth. Reset it every few inches as the fabric advances. For fine, narrow scarves with good weft technique, a temple is often unnecessary.

A Real Scenario: The Narrowing Twill Scarf

Imagine a 2/2 twill scarf started at 8 inches in the reed. By 12 inches of weaving it measures 7 inches and the edge threads are fuzzing and threatening to break. Two things are happening: the weft is being pulled straight and tight, and the twill’s outer thread is skipping. The fix is to add a floating selvedge on each side, angle and bubble every pick, and stop tugging the weft at the turn. Width stabilizes within a few inches, and the frayed edge threads stop abrading.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

• Pulling weft straight across. Fix: always lay it in at an angle and bubble before beating.
• Trying to fix draw-in by yanking edges tighter. Fix: the opposite; more weft slack, not less, holds the width.
• Inconsistent tension at the selvedge turn. Fix: develop a steady rhythm, release the weft the same way on every pick.
• Skipping a floating selvedge on twill. Fix: add one and keep a strict over-in, under-out habit.
• Blaming technique when the loom is fighting you. Fix: check that back and front tension is even and the warp is not looser at one side.

Action Steps for Cleaner Edges

• Lay each pick at a 30-45 degree angle before beating.
• Bubble the weft into two or three arcs across the shed.
• Keep a consistent, gentle rhythm at the selvedge turn.
• Add floating selvedges for twills and uneven structures.
• Use a temple on wide, firm, or weft-heavy pieces and reset it often.
• Check warp tension is even side to side before you start.

Conclusion and Next Step

Clean edges come from giving the weft enough slack and repeating the same motion every pick, not from pulling harder. On your next warp, weave a few inches focusing only on angle and bubbling, then measure the width. If it holds steady, your technique is sound; if it still narrows, add floating selvedges or a temple.

FAQ

How much draw-in is normal?

A small, steady narrowing is expected and varies with yarn and structure. The concern is when the cloth visibly waists, edge threads carry high tension, or the width keeps shrinking. Consistent minor draw-in is fine; progressive draw-in is a problem.

Do I need a floating selvedge for plain weave?

Usually not. In plain weave the outer thread catches the weft on every pick, so the edge stays clean without one. Floating selvedges matter most for twills and other structures where the edge thread would otherwise skip.

Will a temple fix my uneven selvedges?

A temple holds the cloth at width and prevents narrowing, but it will not make a tight, jerky weft even. Fix your weft angle and rhythm first; use the temple to maintain the width you have already learned to hold.

Why does one side look worse than the other?

Most weavers handle the shuttle differently on each side, so one edge gets pulled tighter. It also depends on which side you catch versus release the weft. Slowing down and matching your motion on both sides usually evens it out.

My edge threads keep breaking. What causes it?

Excessive draw-in puts extra tension and abrasion on the outermost warp, which then frays and snaps. Reduce the weft tension, add weft slack through bubbling, and consider a temple or a doubled, stronger selvedge thread.

References

Deborah Chandler’s Learning to Weave and Peggy Osterkamp’s weaving books both cover selvedge technique, weft angle, and temple use, and are standard references in handweaving guilds.