Table Loom Weaving 101

Yesterday at weaving class we started on a tapestry woven on a mini table loom with wool thread. The loom is tiny, and my first piece on it is meant for experimentation, but I was able to warp it easily and begin a small Navajoish style piece.

The loom is basically a frame with 24 notches at each end and a bar that slides through the middle to grab the warp thread, allowing you to raise half of the threads at a time by tilting the bar forward or back. First we warped the loom by tying a knot around one notch, then winding the threads down and back until the frame was covered.

And here's how it looks when the bar is inserted and tilted to raise half the thread:

Next we slid a piece of cardboard through the top to create some space for our fringe. We selected a thread color for the weft, then wrapped a wooden shuttle with our thread and began sliding it through the warp thread, alternating the tilt of the bar each time then pushing it toward the top of the loom after each pass to pack the rows together. Eventually I had several shuttles with different colors going and was able to make a few simple patterns.

My homework for this week is to finish the piece, then start another of my own if there is time. I will share the finished pieces when they are done if I manage to produce something that is not completely embarrassing :)