Hi everyone.
I use floating selvedges on my Louet Megado Dobby loom for most projects and always find that the selvedge on the right side (facing the loom) often breaks 3 or 4 times in the process of weaving a scarf. Whereas the one of the left side rarely, if ever, breaks. This happens whatever thread I'm using - wool, silk, tencel.
As I am very awake to this problem I am conscious not to pull on the weft when going from right to left. The weft thread unspools smoothly from the shuttle, and it feels the same as when passing the shuttle from left to right, so I don't think this is causing the problem. The floating selvedge thread doesn't 'break' as such, it just becomes thinner and separates where the thread meets the woven cloth. I am using Ashford weighted bobbins specially designed for floating selvedges with only 2 weights on each.
Does anyone else have this problem? Any ideas about how to solve it? Many thanks Mary

I would try to add selvage threads to the warp count and not have them weighted. Also, in a draft I have from Jason Collingwood, he suggests threading one selvage thread on 1 and the other selvage thread on 2. So, when a tabby is used they will always be caught at some point.

Jason Collingwood's comment was on a block weave rug design. I am checking it out also.

I have the same issue. The reed is centered, my draw in is less than 1/4" and the same on both sides. I am being very conscious of not pulling or stressing that thread any more than the left side. In other words, doing everything I can think of to protect that selvedge thread, but it still breaks with an irritating regularity. All ideas welcome!

I have added floating selvedges weighted off the back of the loom on a turned twill pattern but they are not floating in the middle of the shed. They are almost to the top of the other warp threads. I am weaving in 2/16 bamboo. Is there anything I can do?

Hello Jane - unfortunately I do not know how to solve that problem, but if you want to improve your chances of getting a response, you need to enter your post as a new comment, rather than as a reply, so that the thread will go to the top of the list. Otherwise, it will stay further down and may not be notices by someone who could help you! This post now should do the trick this time round anyway. :-)

Really basic question about floating selvedges - when making the warp on the warping board or mill, do you start by tying one floating selvedge to the first and last peg, then go ahead and finish the rest of the warp, tie it off, then add one more independent thread for the second floating selvedge?

I'm wondering if they are just two extras that are keep distinctly separate from the rest of the warp or are they wound on with it as two extras. I hope this makes sense!

Hello Mary - I think you just wind on two extra warp threads as part of the rest of the warp. Then when you are threading the heddles, there is a single outer thread at each side which does not go through any heddle. Then when you are sleying the reed each of these outer warp threads sits in a slot on its own at either side of the rest of the threads of the main warp. Finally, if needed, you add a small weight to each of the floating Selvedge threads back at the warp beam. That's how I do it anyway! There is an option of adding the floating Selvedge threads separately, after you have got the rest of the warp threaded and sleyed, but in that case each of the Selvedge threads can be measured out off the warping board, just so long as they are at least the same length as the main warp. Hope that is of some help, but maybe others will have more advice to give you.

Thank you both!