New Techniques - Open Top Reed

One of my goals for the Japan leg of the trip was to learn new techniques.  The first technique is to use a reed without a cap at the top.  I used a pre-wound black warp.  You take the existing reed out of the reed race and attach it to the harness beam using Kenzo's specially measured cords.  The top of the reed should be even with the top of the eyes of the heddles.

Then you take the reed without the cap and flip it into position.  I originally invisioned that you would have to re-thread the reed, but nooooooo, Kenzo just flipped it from the horizontal to vertical position.  The reed sits on top of a cord and the top is in front of the reed cap.  Voila. You can move the threads from one reed slit to another.  The tricky part is that you need to make sure you don't cross your threads.  Otherwise, your shuttle won't slide along the race.  

Pictured above is the original reed hanging by cords.

Pictured above is the result of using the open top reed.  You keep moving the threads around to open up "holes" and close them back up.  To me it looks like I have a run in my stockings.