Choosing and Using Weaving Looms

Choosing weaving looms is a very important and personal decision. You will spend a lot of time working on it.

How you weave will determine which loom you should buy. Nonetheless, there are some basic things to consider.

At the most basic level, make sure that you can work around your loom. Nothing is worse than a loom that is too tall or wider than you are able to comfortably handle. Whatever the type of loom you are buying, it is important to sit down and try it out while it is set up.

In the case of a bead loom, the size and style you decide on depends on what beaded items you will be weaving. Bead looms can be used to create jewelry, tapestries or small beaded pieces for embellishing clothing or house linens. Because of the general size of most woven bead projects, small table or hand looms work best. Simple or complex beading looms can be hand warped without difficulty in a few minutes. Once you have warped the loom, you need to establish a weft and the threads that you will be using to frame your beading project.

To create home furnishings or pieces of clothing, you will require either a table or a floor loom. Each of these works in a different way, and works better with different materials to create individual pieces.

Table looms are usually less sturdy than larger, bulkier floor models. You only need to purchase a table loom if you are going to be weaving smaller pieces from thinner material, as that is all they are capable of handling. An added benefit of using a table loom is that it is semi-portable and can be moved around or taken with you. A floor loom is much harder to move.

Floor looms are the most complicated and personalized looms. There are several key things you should look for when deciding on a floor loom including a sturdy frame, an adjustable beater, adjustable treadles, detachable shafts and an adjustable and sturdy bench.

The more adjustable and detachable parts your loom has, the better it will accommodate a variety of projects. On the other hand, if you only intend on weaving one piece using the same material repeatedly, then you won't need the adjustable parts. Most weavers opt for a pretty standard loom with detachable shafts that still allow them to adjust their loom as needed, even when working on the same project.

What you will be weaving will determine how you dress your loom, or warp it. The warp will have to go through several tension dowels; the number and arrangement of the group will decide the arrangement of the weave. Even when you are making the same woven piece (such as a rug), it is possible to make one that is created with a tight weave and another with a loose weave.

What is most important in choosing a loom is a combination of personal preference, comfort and usability.