heddle

weaving device

Also known as: heald

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

A heddle is a crucial component in weaving, used to guide warp threads in a loom. It consists of parallel cords or wires that are part of the loom's harness. Each heddle has an eyelet through which a warp thread passes. By manipulating the heddles, weavers can lift or lower specific warp threads, creating the shed—the opening through which the weft thread is passed to form fabric. The heddle is considered a significant advancement in the evolution of looms, enabling more complex weaving patterns and efficient fabric production.12

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textile
Early development of the loom
…formed with the aid of heddles (or healds). Usually one heddle is provided for each end, or multiple end, of warp thread, but on some primitive looms simple cloths are produced with heddles provided only for each alternate end. A heddle consists of a short length of cord, wire, or…
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…formed with the aid of heddles (or healds). Usually one heddle is provided for each end, or multiple end, of warp thread, but on some primitive looms simple cloths are produced with heddles provided only for each alternate end. A heddle consists of a short length of cord, wire, or…
Read More

loom
…was the introduction of the heddle, a movable rod that served to raise the upper sheet of warp. In later looms the heddle became a cord, wire, or steel band, several of which could be used simultaneously.
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…was the introduction of the heddle, a movable rod that served to raise the upper sheet of warp. In later looms the heddle became a cord, wire, or steel band, several of which could be used simultaneously.
Read More