table loom

Table loom choices – new looms

What an exciting time to be a weaver! At this time in history we have so many resources, tools and support available.

Loom companies are innovating and listening to what weavers want, which is great news for us.

Today I’m looking at some new looms that have just come out this year (in fact, two of them are currently only available for pre-order!) and discussing why they may or may not be the right solution for you if you’re in the market for a new table loom.

I’m going to focus on three new looms specifically. First up we have a Louet loom. As a disclaimer, I do not own a Louet table loom myself. However, I am familiar with the company and their looms and have owned a Louet David floor loom for many years and absolutely love it.

Louet Jane 16 Shaft Table Loom

This brand new table loom from Louet has just become available for pre- order. Previously the Jane was only available with up to 8 shafts.

Here are some of the features of the new 16 shaft Jane:

Available in 50 and 70cm weaving width.

Overhead beater.

Foldable and portable.

Comes with travel bag.

You can purchase the new Jane with 8 shafts and upgrade to 16 shafts later because there is room to do that. This is a great bonus for those who want the option to upgrade later without having the initial outlay.

Things I love-

Smart design, slimline, minimal to increase functionality.

Not heavy.

Attractive.

Quality.

Extra shafts without compromising on weaving width.

Now let’s do some cost comparisons for this loom. Please note that all prices are in USD and relevant to December, 2023. The width refers to weaving width, not actual loom width.

8 Shaft Jane Table Loom-

8 shafts – width 50cm $1,517 width 70cm – $1,722

16 Shaft Jane Table Loom-

16 shafts – width 50cm – $1,650 Width 70cm – $1,750

The prices between the 8 and 16 shafts are not all that different, so that is something to seriously consider.

In Australia, the Jane 16 shaft is available for pre-order here.

The second table loom we’re looking at today is also available for pre-order, with an expected delivery date being around mid 2024. This release will be a limited edition.

Ashford 16 Shaft Table Loom

I have owned an 8 shaft Ashford table loom for many years and I think they are terrific looms.

One of the differences between the new Louet and Ashford is the available weaving widths. The Ashford will be available with a weaving width of up to 80cm, which is a little wider and might be important to you.

8 shaft Ashford table loom-

8 shaft – width 60cm – $1,050 width 80cm – $1,115

16 Shaft Ashford table loom-

16 shaft – width 60cm – $1,695 width 80cm – $1,950.

Slightly different pricing and sizing between the two.

Now, I admit that I cheated a little bit on the third loom, as it’s not actually a table loom at all! But, I have good reason for including it in this article.

Schacht Cricket Quartet

Boy, was I impressed when Schacht released this new concept during the year! A kit to convert an existing rigid heddle loom to a 4 shaft loom.

Now, here is the catch. The Quartet kit will only attach to a 15″ Cricket loom and you can weave up to, bit not beyond 4 shafts. And you are limited to that 15″ weaving width.

So, why did I include it in this list?

Well, if you happen to already be in possession of a 15″ Cricket, then this could be the perfect way to upgrade to more shafts without the additional investment of a table loom.

The situation I would NOT recommend that you buy the Quartet is if you don’t already have the Cricket to use it with. In this situation, I would definitely recommend looking at a table loom instead, one reason being that you will not have your rigid heddle loom taken up with an attachment and only be able to weave one project at a time, but more importantly, by the time you purchased the Cricket plus the Quartet your investment amount would be getting close to the cost of some new table looms.

Here is the price breakdown:

Quartet – $473

15” Cricket – $252

Combined – $725

The second last point that I want to make here to help you make table loom decisions is to put careful consideration into how many shafts you will actually want to use.

16 shafts certainly sounds very appealing, but first you could ask yourself what you would weave on 16 shafts? Are you just starting out on a multi shaft loom? Do you know or understand what you might weave on 16 shafts?

Shiny object syndrome is a reality, but I encourage you to be practical and honest about your own needs. Perhaps you are fascinated with the idea of weaving on more than 8 shafts and have been researching. Or maybe you would be happy with just 4 shafts. If you doubt you could spend very long weaving 4 shaft weave structures, think otherwise! Even after years and years of floor and table loom weaving I still weave more often on 4 shafts than any other. Check out Anne Dixon’s Handweaver’s Pattern Directory to start exploring just how much you can do with 4 shafts.

And lastly, don’t forget to budget for the extras! If you are buying a new table loom, it will come with things like stick shuttles, warping separators, enough texsolv heddles to get you started and a reed for the beater.

The extras that you need to look out for are things like boat shuttles, raddles, (except for Louet looms – they have built in raddles!) threading hooks, additional texsolv heddles, and possibly a stand if you don’t have a table space.

If the prices listed above look way too prohibitive to you, check out guilds and Facebook groups for secondhand looms. You are not likely to find one of the new 16 shaft looms being sold as used for some time yet, but if you do happen to find a table loom that suits you, you will certainly save a lot of money. Sometimes a secondhand loom will even come with all the extra tools (maybe even yarn) to get you started.

You can view this article in video format here-

I hope you have enjoyed learning more about these new looms and feel free to keep the conversation going in the comments section by sharing your experience or asking questions you may have.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

Ask Kelly – Table loom or floor loom?

by Kelly 2 Comments

Most modern weavers know that a rigid heddle loom can be set up in various ways to achieve extra shafts, making it possible to weave 3, 4 or more shafts on this fairly simple loom.

Some of the options include the introduction of additional heddles, heddle rods and/or pick up sticks to create the extra desired shafts. This allows many rigid heddle weavers to achieve weave structures that are usually woven with a table loom or floor loom.

Adding the extra shafts can sometimes create additional problems for the weaver though. Some weavers may find the repetitious action of lifting a heddle rod that is situated behind the main heddle/heddles will activate or exacerbate neck, shoulder or back problems (🙋‍♀️).

Some weavers may find that using multiple heddles is difficult if for any reason your fine motor skills are challenged. It is this particular problem that today’s Ask Kelly question specifically relates to:

“I did love this class, and I really love this pattern; however, it was very hard on my arthritic hands. I ended up only making it about 15 inches, and that was over 3 days. I’ve done a couple of your projects with heddle rods and have really liked them, but I guess 3 was over the top for me. I’m considering a floor loom, as I’m loving the more intricate patterns. TBH, that intimidates me a LOT. If money and space are not an issue (I am fortunate that they aren’t), is there an advantage to the table loom over the floor loom? It seems far less intimidating to me. My daughter tells me that I should go straight to the floor loom, one reason being that sheds can be just as messy on a table loom as they are on my RHL, so why bother. I don’t know if that’s true. I’d appreciate any feedback you can offer.”

I’ve been thinking over your question – it’s a very good one but a real “can of worms” question! 😆

There is a lot to consider here. You’ve eliminated the cost and space issue, which is great, I don’t need to discuss that further here.

What springs to my mind first when thinking about a floor loom is age and ability. Now, I firmly believe that you can do anything at any age, but I also know from first hand experience and speaking to so many other weavers that our own willingness and desire to do something doesn’t always match what our bodies will let us do!

So, my next question for you would be, how are you physically? A table loom can be a strain on your neck and shoulders due to operating the levers. A floor loom can be a strain on your back due to doing tie ups and operating treadles with your feet, also possibly from stretching to throw the shuttle, depending on how wide your loom is.

Personally, I enjoy weaving on a floor loom way more than a table loom because I love the speed you can achieve by using your whole body to operate different parts (like driving a car, I guess). But I have to be careful about my back and make sure I take regular breaks and don’t weave for too long.

I have seen some weavers who are more advanced in years upgrade their regular floor looms to an AVL or similar. If you don’t know anything about that, it’s relying more on electronics so that you do less of the “heavy lifting”.

It’s a great way for older weavers to be able to continue weaving for longer. Very expensive looms though, and some may not like the idea of electronics being involved. As I said, there is a lot to consider, but if you have any more specific questions, let me know.

Do your research and take your time making a decision. If there is any way you can try out a table or floor loom before purchase, that would be invaluable to help you make your decision.

All the best in choosing the right loom for you!

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

How is a knitter’s loom different to a rigid heddle loom?

by Kelly 42 Comments

As you probably already know, I’m a big fan of Ashford looms, I have four of them myself. I have found their looms to be reliable, easy to obtain, excellent learning tools and affordably priced.

Ashford make a variety of looms including the rigid heddle, knitter’s loom, inkle looms, table looms and floor looms. They also make a big range of weaving tools, yarns and accessories, as well as all their other supplies for fibre artists.

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details.

Ashford rigid heddle loom, photo courtesy of Ashford website.

I also love that the Ashford factory is based in New Zealand, my second favourite country (after Australia, of course!) and all the wood used is sourced from there too.

But today I want to focus on two of their looms that are very popular but also cause some confusion among new weavers – the knitter’s loom and the rigid heddle loom.

If you’re interested in knowing more about looms prior to purchasing, or just out of interest, I have a list of articles and videos that will be a big help to you.

Ashford Knitter’s loom, photo courtesy of Ashford website.

Having never actually used a knitter’s loom myself, I knew it was time to call in some expert knowledge on the subject, and who better to answer my questions than Kate Sherratt from Ashford.

Kate was very generous in not only answering my questions but in giving me extra information for all of us to learn from. Let’s start with a little history of the rigid heddle and knitter’s looms:

Ashford’s have been making Rigid Heddle looms for over 70 years. Pictured below is Richard Ashford’s mother, Joy with one of their early looms.

The Knitters looms are a more recent addition and were introduced in 2005. These looms are a type of rigid heddle loom but with some differences.

One of the aims of the knitters loom was to change the mindset that you can only weave with weaving specific yarns. It paved the way for knitters, who already had a healthy stash of knitting yarn, to ease seamlessly into weaving and continue to utilise the yarn they already knew and loved.

The release of the knitter’s loom brought a whole new wave of crafters and fibre artists into the weaving world. It had features that were very attractive to the brand new weaver who wanted to get up and weaving really fast.

It folded with weaving in place, it was lighter and more compact than previous rigid heddle looms, it had the factory lacquer finish and it was assembled.

So, which loom is the right one for you?

Ashford now make three types of rigid heddle looms – The Standard Rigid Heddle looms (RH), the Knitters looms (KL) and the SampleIt looms (SL).

Kate points our that all these looms are exactly the same in the way they function – you warp and weave on them in the same way.

The difference comes down to personal preference:

What size do you prefer? What do you intend to weave the most?

How much money do you want to spend?

How much space do you have?

Will you want your loom to be as portable as possible?

Let’s take a look at the differences between the three types:

RH come in four weaving widths 40cm (16″), 60cm (24″), 80cm (32″) and 120cm (48″).

KL come in three weaving widths 30cm (12″), 50cm (20″) and 70cm (28″)

SL come in two weaving widths 25cm (10″) and 40cm (16)

KL come assembled and have a factory lacquered finish and include a carry bag, making it very convenient to take to a class or outing.

RH come kitset and unfinished timber. This means you need to do your own lacquering, painting or waxing and assembling.

SL come kitset and unfinished.

KL fold in half for storage and transportation, can fold with weaving in place. Are made of the lighter timber.

RH are made of thicker more solid timber and do not fold.

SL are smaller, lighter and more compact – the most prominent difference is the depth of the loom – which will only effect the weaving when using non elastic yarns like cotton.

RH have more accessories available – the freedom roller, the table stand, and the warping pegs are exclusive for the standard rigid heddle looms.

What these three looms have in common:

6 different dpi reeds are available for all.

Vari dent reeds are available for all.

Stands are available for all.

They all can be warped the same.

They all can be woven on the same ways.

They all are affordable.

They all work extremely well, are well designed and do what they are supposed to do.

I also had some specific questions for Kate. These are things I am often asked by students.

*Can you use two heddles on a knitter’s loom?

All our rigid heddle looms come standard with the double heddle sideposts – as far as using three heddles go, I cannot personally comment as I have not tried it myself but I have seen people using three heddles on all our rigid heddle looms – including the SampleIts (see Amy McKnight’s recent posts).

I will also add here that I have several classes available on using more than one heddle. The most popular classes are Three Heddle Adventures and Weaving with Two Heddles

* Students have told me they have trouble when weaving the down shed on their knitter’s loom. They say that the heddle slips out of place.

On the Knitters loom the reed is held in the bottom position by the warp tension. It does not click into place or stay there when there is no warp on it, it is not supposed to. (the standard rigid heddle reed does not either, it only hangs from the upper rail, and as the KL has to fold the rails needed to be different).

*Students have also mentioned that they need to angle the back of the knitter’s loom in order to weave. Can you explain this?

See the attached snippet from the Learn to Weave on the Knitters loom booklet (that comes with the loom) – the design of the loom, so it could fold etc, requires the back half of the loom to be angled up when weaving. This is probably the number one issue people have when starting out “help I have no shed” – to which the simple answer is lift the back up into the correct position.

*Are the heddle positions the same on each loom?

The heddle position are actually the same on all the looms – the distance is the same from the top to the bottom and to the neutral positions – it has to be the same as our reeds (the distance from the top rail to the eye and to the bottom rail) are all the same. And the sheds are the same…..

*How long a warp can you fit on each of these looms?

This does depend on a few things – yarn type, sett, warp separators etc. The limiting factor is the distance the cross rails are from the rollers – which varies from 7cm to 10cm. So you can fit quite a length!

*Is there anything else you think is important that people know about the looms?

You can do the same things on all the looms – there is not one that performs better technically – it really does come down to personal preference – and my personal preference is the good old work horse – the standard rigid heddle.

The question when buying a rigid heddle loom should not be “what can I do on a rigid heddle loom?” it should be what can’t you do! And although I do have Jack and Katie (and a couple of table looms) – my Rigid heddle looms (of course there are several) hold a special place in my heart – my love of weaving came not only from being taught to weave on a rigid heddle loom but more from all the possibilities there was from a simple piece of equipment – I know it sounds corny but there really are unlimited possibilities!

I get a little cranky when I here people say “oh you are limited on what you can do on a rigid heddle” – because really when you control the type of yarn (or fibre) you use, the colour you use, the texture you use, the sett you use, the patterns you create – the limits don’t really come from the loom they come for your imagination. And as 75% of the woven fabric in the world is plain weave – do you really need something else?

Wise words, thank you Kate!

One more thing I want to clear up is how to clamp the knitter’s loom to a table. This can confuse new weavers, because although clamps do come with the knitter’s loom, there are no holes present to insert the clamps into, like there are with other RH looms.

The answer is very simple, as you can see here:

These instructions, and more, are available from the Ashford website.

I hope this post has helped to clear up any confusion and answer some of your burning questions. Of course, you are welcome to leave any additional questions in the comments.

Do you own a knitter’s loom? A rigid heddle loom? A Sampleit? Was it a difficult decision for you? What helped you decide? Let’s keep the conversation going!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

What is a table loom?

by Kelly 39 Comments

A table loom enables multi shaft weaving without the space or financial investment that a floor loom requires.

*This post contains affiliate links.

A table loom usually comes with four or more shafts. Four and eight shaft looms are the most common, but they can have more. Ashford, for example, manufacture a 16 shaft table loom!

Ashford 16 shaft table loom. Image from Ashford website.

Table looms are often favoured for their portability and affordability. They make a great loom to take along to workshops, or anywhere you want to take a multi shaft loom. Some will come with a handy carry bag and many will fold down to be even more space efficient. They are also often used for sampling, as you can test out your yarns or pattern before committing it to the floor loom.

Table looms come in a variety of sizes, meaning that if you only require one for sampling or you have a very small space to fit the loom, you could choose a 16 inch or lower weaving width. This size would also be suitable if you only wanted to weave narrower pieces like scarves.

The mode of operation for weaving on a table loom differs to other looms and makes it instantly recognisable. The shafts, rather than being operated by raising or lowering a heddle/reed (as in rigid heddle weaving) or being foot controlled (such as treadling on a floor loom) are raised by the manoeuvring of levers that sit at the front of the castle (the upright part of the loom) and are tied to the shafts underneath. These levers are very simple to operate and as lever 1 corresponds with shaft 1 and so on, it is visually simple – you are actually looking at the levers right in front of you, making it difficult to mix up and get the pattern wrong.

Table looms are also adaptable. In the last paragraph I explained that the levers are hand operated, however if you want more of a floor loom experience, you can purchase a stand along with treadles. The treadles are tied to the shafts in place of the levers, allowing you to lift the shafts by depressing treadles with your feet.

Some looms can be purchased as a four shaft and upgraded to an eight shaft later on. This is a terrific option for those who:

Wish to start out on four shafts only OR
Don’t wish to make the financial commitment of an eight shaft loom right away.

To weave on a table loom, you will need a few things apart from the tools that come standard with the loom:

*A table space to keep the loom on whilst weaving (unless you also purchase a stand, which is available separately). If weaving at a table, some weavers choose to stand. My back is no good for standing so I like to use an adjustable height office chair that I find comfortable.

*A warping board. A table loom is warped indirectly, so you make your warp on the board and transfer it to the loom.

*A raddle kit. This is necessary for spacing your warp before taking it to the loom. You can buy the raddle kit that fits your size of loom. Some weavers choose to make their own.

You can see a short overview of the Ashford 8 shaft, 32″ table loom here-

And you can see a demonstration of me using the loom here-

I have some exciting news regarding table looms too! I recently purchased the Ashford 16″ 8 shaft table loom to use for teaching. My husband and I made a two part video that shows you how to assemble it.

But that is not all! My primary purpose for buying this new loom is because I have had so many requests for a table loom class and I am happy to say that I’ve put together a very comprehensive class, Weaving on a Table Loom.

I hope this post has been useful to you, let me know in the comments if you have any questions or simply want to leave me a comment.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Is a table loom the answer?

by Kelly 34 Comments

One of my most commonly asked questions relates to physical conditions.

No, I’m not a physician, but I am a weaver and I do have physical restrictions. I’ve also found ways around the restrictions and I’d love to share some of them with you.

This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click and purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

My first multi shaft loom was an 8 shaft, 32″ Ashford Table Loom.

My decision to buy this particular loom was based on a few things.

My physical capabilities
What the loom could do
Price
Size

Addressing number 1 first. I have a back injury that causes daily pain and discomfort and limits what I can do physically. I desperately wanted a multi shaft loom but thought it probably wasn’t going to be possible for me to physically use one. So I started researching (a lot!) and found that a table loom could be a very good option. And it was! Here is why:

My table loom was operated by levers rather than treadles. This meant no getting down on the floor to tie up treadles.
The raddle was separate to the loom. This meant that if I was doing a narrower warp, I could sit at the table, away from the loom to place my warp chain in the raddle ie. less time standing.
I had my loom on a table rather than a stand. I also had a height adjustable chair on wheels. So I could adjust my chair to the right height, then roll right in under the table and get close to the loom. Many table loom weavers weave standing up, I couldn’t do that, so the adjustable chair was very important.
The loom had a slung beater. Effortless to use.
Because the table was at a good height for me, I found warping easy, not having to bend to the height of the loom.

On to number 2 – what the loom could do.

Well, it could do anything that an 8 shaft floor loom could, but there were some differences. I could never achieve as good tension on the table loom as I can on my floor loom. It wasn’t a really huge deal, but could be frustrating at times when my boat shuttle would dive through the weaving. The other thing that bothered me was not being able to remove or add heddles from the shafts once I had a warp on. Once again, not a huge deal, but annoying at times.

The all important number 3 – the price!

Table looms are really affordable considering the abilities they have. If you can find a used one with all the pieces and in good condition, even better! For those who really can’t afford the outlay (which can be massive!) for a floor loom, a table loom can be 1/4 to 1/2 the price. You also have the option of starting out on 4 shafts to reduce the initial outlay. You can either stay with your 4 shafts or upgrade to 8 later on.

Finally, number 4

If you simply don’t have space for a floor loom, a table loom can be the solution. Whether you have it sitting on a table or on a stand, it is more compact than most floor looms.

As I mentioned, I do now have a floor loom. Testing myself on a table loom taught me many things. One thing was that my body could handle it if I was careful and that greatly influenced my final decision to buy a floor loom. It was also the perfect learning ground for weaving with multiple shafts, so that moving up to a floor loom was a short, rather than steep learning curve. I had to sell my table loom in order to finance and make space for my floor loom, but many times I still wish I had the table loom as well.

If you are interested in learning more about table looms, I have some Youtube videos that will help.

I have also written about table looms in a previous post where I discuss Which loom to buy?

I hope you found this post informative and helpful. Please let me know by leaving a comment, and be sure to ask any questions you may have.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Which looms do you have and what is on your Wishlist?

by Kelly 24 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products that I own, use and love.
Ashford 60cm (24″) rigid heddle loom

This is my most used loom at this point and most of the classes I teach are on this loom. Initially, I chose it because the price point fitted my budget at the time, and I had the right amount of space for it. I’ve never regretted the purchase. I think of it as my little workhorse! You can check out the same loom by following this link.

Ashford Sampleit

I bought this one for my girls, who often complained that they never got to weave because my loom was always full. I think I have used it more than they have though! It is so good for sampling new ideas and designs, enabling me to have a couple of rigid heddle projects going at once. It also takes up hardly any space at all.

Ashford Inkle

I love inkle weaving, but unfortunately have not had the time to indulge and explore as much as I would like. Once again, it’s not space hungry and allows me to weave a different kind of project while other larger projects are going on. This loom is for bands, but that doesn’t mean that only band projects are possible, you can sew bands together to make all kinds of cool things. I have a beginner series on Youtube for using an inkle.

David 2 Louet

Aka the love of my life! Alright, that’s taking it a bit far but I do really love this loom. 8 shafts, 10 treadles, made in the Netherlands. Compact, easy to operate, beautiful to look at, and so much more. I review it here if you’re interested. I have the second instalment of my Floor Loom Series coming up soon, so watch out for that one!

Previously owned – Ashford 8 shaft 80cm (30″) table loom (the loom available in this listing is a 24″)

I ran out of space when I bought my floor loom, so had to sell my table loom. You can see a demonstration of me using it here and an overview of the loom here. To be honest, I really do miss this loom and often recommend them to others. I can envision myself once again investing in a table loom “one day” but in a smaller format so that it is portable for teaching. The Katie, with it’s light weight and 8 shaft capability would be just the ticket.

Wishlist

Mirrix Little Guy or Big Sister

I have been doing a lot of tapestry work on my rigid heddle loom recently, which has highlighted a couple of things for me.

1. The rigid heddle loom is a good loom for playing around with tapestry, but not the best.

2. I love tapestry!

3. As tapestries are a time investment, it would be ideal for me to have a separate loom for this.

So, why would I choose a Mirrix?

Well, their looms are simple and compact but still a complete tapestry loom. It wouldn’t take up a lot of space that I no longer have the luxury of! I love their sturdy and attractive design, and the shedding devices that many of the loom have is a huge bonus. I have done quite a bit of research and I feel that these are really quality looms, made by weavers for weavers.

There is a video version of this blog post on my Youtube channel if you’re a visual kinda person.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Which loom to buy, part 2, The Table Loom

by Kelly 5 Comments

The table loom is often purchased by either rigid heddle weavers on brand new weavers who want to experience working with multi shafts but don’t wish to commit to a floor loom.

My second loom purchase was an Ashford 8 shaft table loom. (Affiliate link).My back issues at the time were very troublesome and I didn’t want to invest in a floor loom only to find I couldn’t use it. It was a great decision for me at that time.

The table loom is a perfect loom to progress into floor loom weaving – I am grateful for my time on the table loom for this reason, I picked up the floor loom very quickly because I gained a good understanding of multi shaft weaving first.

Lets look first at the benefits of a table loom:

* Portability. A lot of teachers use them for teaching, as they can fold up the loom (with the weaving still on it!), pack it into a bag and pop it in the car.

*Versatility. Table looms are available from 4 shafts right up to 16 shafts (Ashford make a 16 shaft), making your pattern possibilities huge!

*The levers are easy to learn. You operate the levers (which operate the shafts), throw your pick, place the shuttle down, then beat. Your brain and body don’t have to cope with co-ordinating too much.

*My table loom had a swinging beater, which was really easy to use and I liked the action of it.

*The perfect learning tool. I already mentioned this, but it’s a stand out feature for me. If I had moved straight to a floor loom I may have found it overwhelming, but the table loom was an excellent preparation.

*They are affordable. Some may not agree with me on this point, but when you compare the price of a floor loom you will see what I mean. My table loom cost approximately a third of the price of my floor loom!

*They are upgradable. You can buy a stand and you can also add treadles, making it more like a floor loom. Many table looms can be bought as a 4 shaft with the ability to upgrade to 8 shafts later on.

Now for a few of the not so positives (just my opinion!):

*It can be difficult to get a good, tight tension for throwing the shuttle. My boat shuttle took a lot of dives through the warp when I had my table loom.

*Moving heddles around can be a bit of a pain. For my loom, I had to collapse the castle and take each individual shaft out to arrange or move heddles. I found this time consuming and a little annoying.

*A table loom doesn’t have the strength of a floor loom. It’s excellent for scarves, towels, blankets etc but maybe not the best for say, a floor rug.

*When warping, it can be a little tricky to get around. Because my loom didn’t have a stand, I had to warp at the kitchen table. The loom was quite big (it was an 80cm) and I found it challenging to find the right positions for both the loom and me so that my back wasn’t compromised.

*It can be hard to find information on getting started on a table loom – when I started there was very little help available so there was a lot of figuring out to do. However, a lot of floor loom weaving information is very helpful for a table loom as well.

*The weaving is slower. Because the levers are hand operated, you have to put the shuttle down in between beats.

I have a number of free videos relevant to the table loom, it sure is a popular topic!

Ashford 8 shaft table loom overview

Table loom weaving demonstration

Rigid heddle/table loom comparison

Table loom/floor loom comparison

And if you have already taken the leap and own a table loom, my Introduction to Floor Loom Weaving Course is very relevant to you.

I hope this post has helped you. Next time, we will discuss the floor loom.