Figure 12.

Drawing of the greater drawloom (above) and schematic diagram of the connections of the patterning system to the warp (below). The weaver (on the left) inserts the weft and operates the ground-weave heddles (GH). An assistant (on the right) operates the pattern heddles (PH). This system records warp lifts using bunches of cords embedded in a circular pattern system. The assistant uses each cord in turn, pulling it towards herself to raise each set of warps via the linkages shown. As she does so, she removes the cord from the opening A and reinserts it at B, preserving the pattern for future use. A small number of pattern leashes and warps are shown in the schematic diagram: drawlooms typically hold hundreds of leashes and record thousands of individual operations. C, cloth beam; W, warp beam.