Thursday, April 25, 2013

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 :)

13 comments :

  1. I like the sturdy look of this loom and the heddle style

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  2. Please let me know where I can purchase a loom like you show. I can't find one with a notched bar like that. Thanks so much!

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  3. where to get the notched heddle????

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  4. Please please tell us where can we find that heddle. I already have a similar loom but I have been looking a heddle like that one like crazy...

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    1. Did you find one? I'd sure like one too!

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    2. They look like they'd be fairly easy to make, if you have a table saw. Grab a length of 2x2 that is wider than your loom. On one face, cut a series of deep slots corresponding to the even numbered warps. On the adjacent face, cut slots for the odd numbered warps. You can look up "magic heddle" to get some better pictures.

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  5. Yes, please share where this loom and heddle can be purchased! Thank you?

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  6. The name of the the company is Good Wood Looms, but sadly they have gone out of business. You may be able to find one second hand if you search on eBay. There are also other similar looms for sale other places. I recently purchased one from Lost Pond Looms on Etsy. If you search for "lap loom" online quite a few options will come up. Good luck!

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  7. You can get the heddle from Lost Pond Looms on etsy or ebay

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  8. There is another company you can buy that heddle from. It is on Ebay and here is a link to the heddle http://www.ebay.com/itm/161939909116?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=460898605867&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT and they come in different widths. The seller is Vogel5557 on Ebay. They sell looms for a company in New York called Lost Pond Looms. Hopefully although this comment is being left late some of you will get this information
    Regards from New Hampshire,
    Beth P

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  9. Funem studio on Etsy sell these rotating heddles

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