d be made of a strong
silk thread, such as purse silk, though for edges of mats, the ordinary
string warp fringed out is quite suitable. Occasionally weaving is
carried out in such a way as to expose the warp in various parts of the
work, the pattern being woven, but the ground left altogether unworked.
In a case of this kind the colour and composition of the warp is
naturally important, and must be considered. In a show-case in the
British Museum there can be seen a small book with an interesting woven
binding carried out after this manner. The warp is composed of gold
passing, and the effect of this with a pattern carried out in brightly
coloured silks is very pretty indeed, the gold adding a rich glow to the
whole.

Wool and silk are the chief materials used for the woof. It is well to
choose those of fine texture, for several strands can then be wound
together upon one bobbin, which, with coarse materials, would be too
clumsy a method. When working in this way there is more opportunity of
varying colour and texture, for three shades may be wound upon the
bobbin together to get a required colour, and this has often a prettier
effect than the use of an unblended colour; also, silk and wool are very
satisfactory wound and worked in together, each texture showing the
other to advantage.

Fine gold or silver threads are frequently used in tapestry weaving.
They can be woven in alone, which gives a metallic look, or they may be
mixed with strands of silk. Both ways are very good, and the use of the
metal thread adds great richness to the work. These threads make fine
backgrounds, and they can be used in many ways upon the design; it is a
common practice to carry out the lighting of draperies and of other
parts in real gold, just as they are treated in illuminated manuscripts.

CHAPTER XVII

PREPARATIONS FOR WORK

Warping the Loom--Dressing the Coat-Stave--Tracing the Pattern upon
the Threads.

Upon commencing the warping of the loom the first matter to be decided
is the length of the threads. Some extra length must be measured off
besides that actually used for weaving, to allow for what is taken up
in fixing the threads and winding them round the rollers, and as it is
not convenient to work more than about half-way up the loom, this also
has to be allowed for in the length. The threads must all be cut to one
size, and since they have to be doubled in halves when placed on the
loom, this should be twic