Materials Needed: (All may be purchased from a home improvement center)
Two blocks cut from a 1 x 5" piece of wood: 2-1/2 and 8" long
Two lengths of frame molding: 2-1/2" and 8" long
One dowel rod that is 1/2" or 3/4" in diameter
wood glue
Electric drill and drill bits
Four screws approximately 1-1/4" long, optional
Two 2" C-clamps
1.) From a 1 x 5" piece of wood (which isn't exactly 1x5", but more like 1 x 4-1/4"), cut two blocks, one should be 2-1/2" x 4-1/4" and the other should be 8" x 4-1/4". (If you don't have a saw or are uncomfortable using one, your lumber dealer will be happy to make these cuts for you.) Sand all the surfaces smooth.
2.) From a piece of molding that is approximately 1-1/2" wide and with a depth of about 3/8" and with one flat side (frame molding works well), cut two lengths. One should be 2-1/2" long and the other should be 8" long. Sand the cut edges smooth.
3.) From a dowel rod that is 1/2" or 3/4" in diameter, cut five rods of 6-1/2" each. Sand one cut edge of each smooth and set aside.
4.) With an electric drill fitted with a drill bit the same diameter as your dowel rod, you are going to drill two holes in the smaller block and three holes in the 8" block. Use the Peg Placement diagram provided below as a guide.
5.) Using wood glue, securely glue the dowel rods in the holes, making sure your sanded end is pointing up. Allow to dry.
6.) With wood glue, adhere the molding pieces on the front edges as indicated in the pattern. The molding should be flush with the top edge and hanging below about 1/2". This will give you a little "shelf" that will hang over the side of the table and steady your blocks when you're using them to create your warp yarns.
7.) Optional: For added security, you may wish to pre-drill narrow holes and place a screw about 1" from each edge through the molding and into the wood blocks. (It's a good idea to pre-drill the holes so you don't split the wood of your molding as you're tightening the screws.)
8.) Allow glue to dry thoroughly and you're ready to use your new warping pegs! To use, take a piece of string or a piece of yarn that is a different color than your project and cut into the length of the warp you want to create. For example, you might want 4 yards of finished fabric, so you'd cut a piece of string approximately 4-1/2 yards long (it's always a good idea to make it a little longer than your finished weaving). This guide string will help you set your warping peg blocks the correct distance from each other.
9.) Tie one end of your string on peg A and thread it through and around the other pegs as illustrated below, finally tying it to peg E. Move the warping blocks apart until the string is taut. Clamp them in place using the pair of C-clamps. Now you're ready to create your new warp!
