Simplify Draft
What It Does
Simplify Draft restructures your draft so it can be expressed with a straight or point threading/treadling sequence. The cloth structure stays exactly the same — only the threading, treadling, and tie-up change to achieve the same fabric with a cleaner loom setup.
This is especially powerful for converting complex drafts into forms that are easier to thread or treadle. A draft with an irregular treadling can often be rewritten as a simple straight sequence (1, 2, 3, ..., N, 1, 2, 3, ...) or a point sequence (1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, ...) by expanding the tie-up to absorb the complexity.
Opening Simplify Draft
Ribbon: Tools tab > Simplify Draft button (in the Optimize group)
The Simplify Draft Dialog
Current Draft Info
Shows your draft's current shaft count, treadle count, and whether it's in liftplan mode. If your draft is a liftplan, a note explains that the result will be converted to tie-up mode.
Simplification Modes
Choose one of four modes:
Straight Threading Finds the shortest repeating unit in the threading and creates one shaft per position in that repeat. The threading becomes a straight ascending sequence (1, 2, 3, ..., K, 1, 2, 3, ..., K). The number of shafts may increase or decrease depending on the repeat length — a 4-shaft draft with a 28-thread repeat would produce 28 shafts, while a 10-shaft draft where only 6 threads form the repeat would reduce to 6 shafts.
Point Threading Finds the smallest number of shafts where the threading can be expressed as a point (bouncing) sequence — ascending then descending (1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, ...). The algorithm tries all possible peak counts and starting offsets to find the most compact point representation. If no point pattern fits the draft, this mode reports that point threading is not possible.
Straight Treadling Finds the shortest repeating unit in the treadling and creates one treadle per position in that repeat. The treadling becomes a straight ascending sequence (1, 2, 3, ..., K, 1, 2, 3, ..., K). For example, a 4-treadle draft with a 10-pick repeat produces 10 treadles with a straight treadling — the complexity moves from the treadling sequence into a larger tie-up.
Point Treadling Finds the smallest number of treadles where the treadling can be expressed as a point (bouncing) sequence. For example, a draft with a 6-pick point cycle through 4 treadles would produce treadling 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, ... The algorithm tries all peak counts and starting offsets.
Result Panel
Appears after you select a mode. Shows whether the simplification succeeded and how the counts changed (e.g., "Treadles: 4 → 10"). Color-coded green for success, orange for issues.
Preview (Right Panel)
Shows your original tie-up on the left and the simplified tie-up on the right, side by side. Each filled cell represents a shaft-to-treadle connection. This lets you compare the structure before applying.
How to Use It
Go to Tools tab > Simplify Draft
Select a simplification mode (the analysis runs automatically)
Review the result message and tie-up preview
Click Apply if you're happy with the result
Understanding the Results
After selecting a mode, you'll see one of these outcomes:
Success — The simplification worked. The message shows the change (e.g., "Treadles: 4 → 10" or "Shafts: 8 → 28"). The preview shows the new tie-up alongside the original. Click Apply to use it.
Too Many Shafts/Treadles — The simplified draft would need more than 128 shafts or treadles (TempoWeave's maximum). This can happen with drafts that have very long non-repeating sequences.
Point Not Possible — No point sequence fits the draft at any peak count or starting offset. The straight version may still work — try Straight Threading or Straight Treadling instead.
Too Few — Fewer than 3 active threads or picks were found, which isn't enough for analysis.
Step-by-Step Example: Converting to Straight Treadling
You have a 4-shaft, 4-treadle draft where the treadling follows a complex 10-pick repeating pattern:
Open Simplify Draft from the Tools tab
The dialog shows "Shafts: 4, Treadles: 4"
Select Straight Treadling
The result shows "Treadles: 4 → 10" — the treadling becomes a clean 1-through-10 sequence
The preview shows a 4×10 tie-up replacing the original 4×4
Click Apply
Your draft now has 10 treadles with a straight treadling (1, 2, 3, ..., 10, 1, 2, 3, ...). The complexity that was in the treadling sequence is now captured in the larger tie-up. The cloth is identical.
Step-by-Step Example: Finding a Point Treadling
Using the same draft:
Open Simplify Draft from the Tools tab
Select Point Treadling
The result shows "Treadles: 4 → 4" — a point sequence through 4 treadles works
The treadling becomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, ...
The preview shows a new 4×4 tie-up (different from the original)
Click Apply
The draft now has a clean point treadling. The cloth is identical, but the treadling is now a simple bouncing pattern.
What Changes in Your Draft
When you apply a simplification:
Threading modes (Straight or Point Threading):
Threading — Rebuilt as a straight or point sequence using the repeat period. The number of shafts matches the repeat length (straight) or peak count (point).
Tie-up — Rebuilt to match the new shaft and treadle assignments.
Treadling — Rebuilt based on the unique pick raise patterns under the new shaft structure.
The cloth — Unchanged. Every intersection is the same as before.
Treadling modes (Straight or Point Treadling):
Treadling — Rebuilt as a straight or point sequence using the repeat period. The number of treadles matches the repeat length (straight) or peak count (point).
Tie-up — Rebuilt to match the new treadle assignments.
Threading — Unchanged.
The cloth — Unchanged.
Liftplan and multi-treadle drafts — Converted to standard single-treadle tie-up mode as part of simplification.
How the Algorithms Work
Straight modes find the shortest repeating period of the raise-mask sequence. For Straight Treadling, it examines the sequence of raise patterns across all picks and finds the smallest period K where the pattern repeats. Each position in one repeat gets its own treadle, and the treadling becomes 1, 2, ..., K repeating. Some tie-up columns may be duplicates — this is expected and correct.
Point modes try all possible peak counts N (starting from 3) and all starting offsets within the point cycle. A point cycle of N has length 2×(N−1) and bounces: 1, 2, ..., N, N−1, ..., 2. The algorithm checks whether all picks assigned to the same treadle position have identical raise masks. It returns the smallest N that works at any offset.
Limitations
Maximum 128 shafts/treadles — If the simplified result would exceed this, the simplification is not applied.
Straight modes may increase counts — Straight Threading/Treadling finds the repeat period, which may be larger than the original shaft/treadle count. This is by design — the benefit is a clean repeating sequence.
Point modes may not find a solution — Not all drafts can be expressed as a point pattern. The algorithm is exhaustive within its search space, so if it says "not possible," no point representation exists.
Liftplan conversion — Liftplan drafts are converted to standard tie-up mode as part of simplification. This is expected and necessary.
Tips
Undo works — Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on Mac) reverts the entire simplification in one step.
Try Point before Straight — Point modes often produce fewer treadles/shafts than Straight, since a point cycle covers more positions with fewer unique values. If Point doesn't work, Straight always will.
Good for liftplan conversion — If you have a liftplan draft and want a clean tie-up version, Straight Treadling is an excellent way to convert it.
Compare modes — Try both threading and treadling simplification to see which produces a draft that better fits your loom. One direction may produce better results than the other.
Pairs well with other tools — After simplifying, you can use Shaft Reducer to merge identical shafts, Treadle Reducer to reduce treadle count with double-presses, or Treadle Expander to split combined treadles apart.
Straight Treadling + Treadle Reducer — A powerful combination: first convert to straight treadling (clean sequence, more treadles), then use Treadle Reducer to fit within your loom's treadle count.
Quick Reference
Straight Threading
Shafts + tie-up + treadling
Finds threading repeat period
Point Threading
Shafts + tie-up + treadling
Finds smallest point peak with offset search
Straight Treadling
Treadles + tie-up
Finds treadling repeat period
Point Treadling
Treadles + tie-up
Finds smallest point peak with offset search
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