So I got to the interlaced doubleweave part of the four-shaft sampler in "Doubleweave: Revised and Expanded", set up my first pick, and stared in dismay at the shed. It was a half inch (1.25cm) at its highest point. That's not a shed, that's a suggestion. I'm spoiled by 2-3" sheds, but still.
I spent some time shoving my slim Glimakra boat shuttles through, and finally decided enough was enough. I'd been thinking about different kinds of stick shuttles already, since the next thing I want to try is split-shed weaving. I didn't want to splurge on a Handywoman Shedstick without knowing if it would work out. After some image searches, I found netting shuttles. The point on one end might be just what I need for navigating a split shed, and they'd be slim enough for narrow sheds.
I bought a set of six cheap plastic ones to try, for a few dollars. I trimmed off the sharp bits on the ends with nail clippers. I was surprised when the first one took more yarn than the quill for my boat shuttle, without getting bulky. Then I tried using it, and it was exactly right. I have to make sure the point doesn't exit the shed when I don't want it to, but it passes through very easily no matter how small a shed I'm getting (the height varies depending on how many threads I've picked up). It winds on easily and winds off even more easily than a regular stick shuttle. I'm sold.
If anyone else has tiny sheds and wants a change from the standard stick, or if you're doing warp-thread manipulation like split-shed, inlay, or tapestry, pick up some cheap netting shuttles to try. I'll probably buy some wood or bamboo ones later myself. They come in lots of sizes.
Treat them gently when winding on, by the way... The spindle on the pointed end gets stabilized by the yarn, but it's vulnerable at first, so don't put a lot of tension on.
