Heimathaus Levern
Traditional Handicraft
Working on looms, spinning wheels, lathes and other tools were part of everyday life for many families in Levern until the 20th century.
Heimathaus Levern
Traditional Handicraft
Table of contents
Heimathaus Levern
Traditional handicraft
The loom was an important part of everyday work for families in Levern and the region until the 20th century. With it they produced fabrics and clothing for personal use. For example, women wove bedding, towels, underwear and outerwear. Fabrics that were not needed for personal use were sold. Levern citizens had few opportunities to earn money until the 1950s. The sale of home-woven fabrics therefore provided an important source of income.
Function of the loom
The warp threads are drawn onto the warp beam and deflected into the weaving plane. They are then passed through the eyes of the healds which are attached to the top and bottom of the two shafts. When one shaft is raised, the other is lowered at the same time. Then the same is done in reverse, using stepping pedals to move the shafts. The shafts are used to move the strands and warp threads suspended in them.
Two adjacent warp threads move against each other: if one warp thread is raised, the next one is lowered at the same time. These are then passed through the weaving comb. This creates a shed in the warp through which the shuttle is passed to insert a weft. Through the weaving comb, the warp threads are arranged and the warp thread density is adjusted. During the shed change, the weaving slat moves with the weaving comb towards the fabric beam. The weaving comb strikes the weft thread entered last against the fabric edge, then returns to the starting position. The finished fabric is deflected at the breast beam and wound onto the linen beam.