Getting a Leclerc Fanny Ready for First Weaving
This post was prepared from research notes with AI assistance and edited for publication.
A Leclerc Fanny is a friendly loom once it is adjusted, but it can be confusing at first because it is a counterbalance floor loom rather than a modern jack loom. This review is aimed at the practical first question: what should be checked, tied up, and woven first so the loom becomes a working tool rather than a mystery object?
The short version: start by confirming that the loom is mechanically sound, tie it for balanced plain weave and 2/2 twill, then weave a narrow cotton sampler before attempting full-width towels.
What kind of loom this is
The loom in question is a 4-shaft Leclerc Fanny counterbalance floor loom, likely around 45 or 46 inches weaving width, and commonly fitted with six weaving treadles. On this style of loom, the treadles are not permanently assigned to one pattern. Changing the tie-up is a normal part of setting up a floor loom.
Leclerc’s own Fanny II documentation lists treadle hooks and treadle cords as separate parts, and the Camilla Valley Farm Leclerc Fanny II page describes the six treadles as being tied to the shafts as needed. Camilla Valley’s Leclerc loom help index is also a useful starting point for manuals, adjustments, and older-model differences.
The key mechanical difference from a jack loom is that a counterbalance Fanny is a sinking-shed loom. When a treadle is pressed, the shafts tied to that treadle are pulled down, and the untied shafts rise through the counterbalance roller system. Jane Stafford’s article on counterbalance, jack, and countermarche looms gives a clear overview of that difference.
One beginner trap is testing the loom while it is empty. A counterbalance loom often behaves strangely without warp tension. If the shafts feel floaty, uneven, or reluctant before the loom is warped, that does not automatically mean something is broken.
For the rest of this article, I am assuming a standard 4-shaft Fanny with one set of four lams. Some older Fannys have fixed upper rollers, some have adjustable upper rollers, and later Fanny II looms may have a shed regulator. Where those differences matter, they are noted.
Basic terminology
A quick terminology note helps avoid confusion. The loom has four shafts, also called harnesses. Each shaft holds many individual heddles. A heddle is the individual wire or Texsolv element with an eye through which one warp end passes. Gist’s weaving glossary is a useful reference for these basic terms.
The horizontal bars under the shafts are called lams in Leclerc manuals. Many weaving books spell the word lamms. The concept is the same: they are the lever bars that connect the treadles to the shafts.
The reed is the comb-like frame in the beater. A dent is one space in the reed. EPI means ends per inch, or warp density. For example, one end in each dent of a 10-dent reed gives 10 EPI; two ends per dent gives 20 EPI.
The shed is the opening formed in the warp for the shuttle. The beater is the swinging front assembly that holds the reed and packs each weft pick into place. The shuttle carries the weft through the shed.
On Leclerc floor looms, the warp path runs from the warp beam at the back, over the rear thread beam, through the heddles, through the reed, over the front thread beam, and down to the cloth beam at the front. Leclerc manuals sometimes use slightly different beam terminology, but the physical path matters more than the vocabulary.
One useful Canadian yarn note: Canadian 2/8 cotton is the same size as U.S. 8/2 cotton. Likewise, Canadian 4/8 cotton is U.S. 8/4 cotton.
What to inspect before warping
Before choosing a project, treat the first setup as a mechanical commissioning of the loom.
Start with the obvious inventory. A 45-inch 4-shaft Leclerc commonly carries about 1,200 heddles; the Fanny II manual PDF lists 1,200 heddles for the 45-inch loom, along with a reed, lease sticks, treadle hooks, treadle cords, and warp rods. Missing parts do not necessarily make the loom unusable, but they should be known before planning a warp.
Then check the warp route and brake. The warp should travel from the warp beam over the rear thread beam, through heddles and reed, over the front thread beam, and down to the cloth beam. Two common mistakes are winding the warp beam in the wrong direction, which can make the brake slip, and bypassing the rear thread beam, which can damage the shed geometry. With the brake released, the warp beam should turn freely; with the brake engaged, it should not unroll.
Next, check the roller system. Camilla Valley’s counterbalance loom configuration guide explains that the upper and lower roller cords need to be set evenly and that the rollers should turn easily. Stiff rollers make the loom harder to treadle and can reduce the shed.
Shaft height is one of the most important adjustments on a counterbalance loom. The practical target is that the heddle eyes sit close to the line of the warp path, with the warp passing near the centre of the reed. Older and newer Leclerc instructions express this slightly differently, but the goal is the same: balanced room for the warp to move both up and down.
Also check the beater height. When the beater is against the loom, the warp should pass approximately through the middle of the reed. If the warp sits too high or too low in the reed, the shed suffers even when the shafts themselves are adjusted correctly.
Finally, determine whether the loom has a shed regulator and whether it is active. A standard counterbalance loom is happiest with balanced tie-ups, such as two shafts down and two shafts up. Unbalanced tie-ups, such as one shaft down and three up, often produce smaller sheds unless a shed regulator is fitted and adjusted.
A good pre-warping checklist is:
- the frame is square and stable;
- the brake releases and re-engages cleanly;
- the upper rollers turn easily;
- the shafts hang level;
- the heddle eyes are roughly in line with the warp path;
- the reed can sit so the warp runs near its centre;
- the beater meets both bumpers evenly.
A safe first tie-up for six treadles
For a first tie-up on a 4-shaft, 6-treadle Fanny, I would leave the loom tied for both plain weave and 2/2 twill. This gives a beginner two very useful structures without needing to re-tie immediately.
Because the Fanny is a sinking-shed counterbalance loom, the shafts tied to a treadle are the shafts that go down when the treadle is pressed. Assuming standard shaft numbering, with shaft 1 nearest the weaver and shaft 4 furthest away, a good first tie-up is:
| Treadle | Shafts tied down | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 + 3 | Plain weave A |
| 2 | 2 + 4 | Plain weave B |
| 3 | 1 + 2 | 2/2 twill |
| 4 | 2 + 3 | 2/2 twill |
| 5 | 3 + 4 | 2/2 twill |
| 6 | 4 + 1 | 2/2 twill |
This setup gives two treadles for tabby and four treadles for a straight 2/2 twill progression. It also uses all four shafts, which is exactly what a first test warp should do.
Most modern drafts are written for rising-shed looms. Jane Stafford’s article on rising-shed and sinking-shed tie-ups explains the translation rule: when moving between rising- and sinking-shed looms, the tie-up may need to be read as the opposite set of shafts. For a first plain-weave or balanced-twill sampler, however, I would not overthink this. Tie the Fanny as above and make cloth.
Dressing the loom
For a first serious attempt, back-to-front warping is a sensible choice. It keeps the cross organized, works well with a raddle, and is a forgiving method for learning how the loom behaves.
Wind a narrow, manageable warp on a warping board or mill. Preserve the cross carefully; the lease sticks will hold that cross in order during beaming and threading. A big 45-inch-wide first warp multiplies every mistake, so resist the temptation to start full width.
Use lease sticks and, ideally, a raddle. Lease sticks preserve thread order. The raddle spreads the warp to its intended width before it is wound onto the warp beam.
Release the brake when winding the warp. Put warp sticks or heavy packing paper between layers as the beam builds so that tension remains even.
Thread the heddles in a straight draw for the first sampler:
1-2-3-4 / 1-2-3-4 / 1-2-3-4 …
After threading, sley the reed by pulling the warp ends through the reed dents with a sley hook. Then tie on to the front apron rod in small groups, working from the centre outward and tightening gradually.
Before weaving the actual cloth, check the shed on every treadle. The shuttle should pass cleanly. If the shed is poor, do not assume the tie-up is the first problem. On a Fanny, poor shed is often a geometry issue: shaft height, beater height, roller friction, warp route, or warp tension.
Weave a short header with scrap yarn. This spreads the warp, exposes crossed threads or missed dents, and gives a safe place to fix errors before beginning the real weaving.
Project A: a loom-function sampler
The first project I would weave is not towels. I would weave a narrow loom-function sampler. Its job is to reveal mechanical and threading problems early while teaching how the Fanny sheds.
A good beginner yarn is Maurice Brassard 4/8 cotton, or a similar thick cotton weaving yarn. It is easier to see and handle than finer 8/2 cotton and is well suited to a first mechanical test.
If using a 10-dent reed:
- width in reed: 8 inches / 20 cm;
- sett: 10 EPI;
- warp ends: 80;
- warp length: about 3 yards / 2.75 m;
- threading: straight draw 1-2-3-4 repeated 20 times;
- sleying: 1 end per dent.
If using a 12-dent reed:
- width in reed: 8 inches / 20 cm;
- sett: 12 EPI;
- warp ends: 96;
- warp length: about 3 yards / 2.75 m;
- threading: straight draw 1-2-3-4 repeated 24 times;
- sleying: 1 end per dent.
Use the six-treadle tie-up above, then weave:
- a scrap-yarn header;
- plain weave with treadles 1 and 2 alternating;
- 2/2 twill with treadles 3-4-5-6 repeating;
- reverse twill with treadles 6-5-4-3 repeating;
- broken twill with a sequence such as 3-4-4-3-5-6-6-5.
While weaving, watch for practical clues:
- Do the plain-weave treadles open a larger shed than the twill treadles, or about the same?
- Does the shed look centred in the reed?
- Does one treadle feel heavier than the others?
- Are the selvedges drawing in sharply?
- Do any warp threads stay slack or fail to move?
A long float usually means a threading error or an end missed in the reed. A weak or snaggy shed points first to loom geometry and tension. Hard draw-in usually means the weft needs more angle in the shed.
If this sampler works, the loom is basically alive.
Project B: first useful towels
For a first useful project, I would choose simple cotton dish or tea towels, but not fine showpiece towels. Gist Yarn’s Beginner Cotton Towels project is a good model because it is explicitly adaptable to a 4-shaft loom with straight-draw threading. Their plan uses 12 EPI, 18 inches width in reed, 216 warp ends, and a 2.5-yard warp for two towels.
A strong first towel plan is:
- yarn: Maurice Brassard 4/8 cotton or equivalent thick cotton;
- reed: 12 dent;
- sett: 12 EPI;
- width in reed: 18 inches;
- warp ends: 216;
- warp length: 2.5 yards;
- threading: 1-2-3-4 repeated across the width;
- tie-up: plain weave using treadles 1 and 2;
- treadling: treadles 1 and 2 alternating;
- project yield: 2 towels;
- finished size: roughly 15.5 inches wide by 22 inches long, depending on yarn and finishing.
A simple warp colour plan adapted from the Gist layout is:
- 36 ends main colour;
- 6 ends accent;
- 24 ends contrast;
- 6 ends accent;
- 72 ends main colour;
- 6 ends accent;
- 24 ends contrast;
- 6 ends accent;
- 36 ends main colour.
That totals 216 ends.
For each towel, weave about 26 inches on the loom and place about 1 inch of scrap yarn between towels. Secure the raw ends before cutting apart, wash, press, and hem by hand or machine.
A later towel warp can move to 8/2 cotton at about 20 EPI. SweetGeorgia’s Sister Tea Towels are a useful example of a more classic fine tea-towel approach, and Gather Textiles’ sett chart is handy when comparing yarn sizes and setts. I would make that warp two or three, not the absolute first, because 8/2 cotton at 20 EPI is less forgiving than a thicker beginner towel yarn.
Expect cotton handwovens to shrink after washing. The exact amount depends on yarn, sett, and finishing, but 10 to 15 percent is a reasonable planning range for many cotton towel projects.
Troubleshooting the first setup
The most common first problem on a Fanny is poor shed. The likely causes are usually mechanical:
- the warp is routed incorrectly;
- the brake is too tight or too slack;
- the shafts are too high or too low;
- the beater or reed height is wrong;
- the upper or lower roller cords are uneven or binding;
- the loom is being tested without warp tension;
- an unbalanced tie-up is being attempted without the shed regulator active.
If the shafts do not return evenly, remember first that an unwarped counterbalance loom can behave oddly. If the loom is warped and the shafts still fail to return evenly, check shaft height, roller friction, and whether both sides of the roller system are adjusted to the same height.
If the treadles sit too high or too low, examine the tie-up cord placement and whether the cords are the correct Leclerc type and length. The Leclerc cord-and-hook system is designed around equal-length cords.
If crossed threads or uneven tension appear, suspect the cross or the beaming process. Lease sticks exist precisely to preserve thread order during warping.
If a warp thread breaks, repair it immediately rather than weaving onward and hoping it disappears. Insert a replacement thread under tension, continue weaving, and needle-weave the repair ends after the cloth is off the loom.
If the cloth draws in, add more weft angle before beating. A temple can help on wider or more stubborn projects, but for the first sampler it is better to learn what good weft angle feels like.
Floating selvedges are optional. They can help with some twills, but I would not add them to the first project unless the edges are misbehaving and there is a clear reason to use them.
Minimum shopping list
The essentials are:
- a reed hook or threading hook;
- lease sticks if the loom does not already have them;
- a warping board or access to one;
- warp packing such as warp sticks or heavy paper;
- at least one boat shuttle and several bobbins;
- cotton yarn for the sampler and first towels;
- measuring tape, scissors, and masking tape for labels;
- a notebook for recording warp details.
Useful yarn choices in Canada include Maurice Brassard 4/8 cotton for the first sampler and beginner towels, Maurice Brassard 2/8 cotton for later classic tea towels, and cottolin for crisper towels once the basics are comfortable.
Three useful references
The references I would keep near the loom are:
- Deborah Chandler’s Learning to Weave, a standard beginner weaving book;
- Peggy Osterkamp’s Weaving for Beginners, especially for back-to-front warping;
- Leclerc’s own manuals and the Camilla Valley Farm Leclerc loom help pages, especially for Fanny-specific geometry, brakes, tie-up hardware, and roller adjustments.
Recommended learning sequence
The fastest path to competence on this Fanny is:
- confirm the geometry and tie-up with no warp on;
- warp a narrow sampler in 4/8 cotton;
- weave both plain weave and 2/2 twill on that sampler;
- fix any mechanical or tension issues;
- warp a simple towel project in thicker cotton at 12 EPI;
- only then move to 8/2 cotton towels around 20 EPI.
That sequence fits how the loom wants to be learned: first the mechanics, then balanced structures, then useful cloth, then finer cloth.