table loom weaving

Top 6 Table Loom Issues and How to Solve Them

Table looms are an excellent choice for both beginner weavers and experienced fiber artists, offering versatility, portability, and efficiency in a compact design. Whether you have a small weaving space or enjoy weaving on the go, a table loom makes it easy to create beautiful woven projects.

These looms are also a great way to explore multi-shaft weaving, allowing you to experiment with patterns and techniques without the larger cost or space commitment of a floor loom.

Whether you’re looking to weave scarves, placemats, yardage or experiment with complex drafts, a table loom is a practical and rewarding choice. If you’re interested to learn more about table looms, check out this resource page.

Even experienced weavers will encounter challenges on the table loom. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned artisan, this guide will help you identify and resolve the most common table loom weaving issues.

1. Uneven Tension in the Warp

Symptoms: Some warp threads are looser or tighter than others.
Causes:

Uneven winding on the warp beam.
Inconsistent tension when tying onto the front beam.
Tie on bunches are too large
Threads are disorderly or crossed excessively at the back beam
Inappropriate warp yarn used, causing stretching or breakages
No warp separation used

Solutions:

Use a threading and raddle cross when making your warp
Use choke ties before removing your warp from the warping board
Use a raddle to warp your loom
Tie on to the apron rod in 1″ or smaller bunches
Wind on the warp as evenly as possible
Use warp separation
Retie the warp threads with equal tension across the width of the loom.

Extra tips:

Warp separation – It’s important to separate your warp when rolling on, before you start weaving and as you weave and advance the warp.

Rolling on – I like to use brown craft paper on a roll to separate my warp at I roll it on. You can also use cardboard or wooden warping sticks, but I do feel the paper roll gives a superior result.

Finger combing – I don’t like to use combs or other implements for this, I just use my fingers. This is really gentle on the yarn but also helps to sort out any little snags or unevenness in tension.

Know your yarns – There are so many wonderful yarns to explore in weaving but there are a few that just won’t do well as a warp and are better saved for wefts. Here are some recommendations for choosing appropriate yarns:

Choosing and using yarns for weaving

3 yarns beginner weavers should never use

2. Sticky or Stuck Sheds

Symptoms: Warp threads don’t separate cleanly when you change the shed.
Causes:

Inappropriate sett was chosen
Incorrect threading or crossed threads.
Sticky or high static yarn
Warp is incorrectly placed during setup. The warp needs to go over both the front and back beam, not under (this is a very common beginner mistake!)

Solutions:

Be sure to calculate properly before beginning your project.
Re-slay the reed for a different sett if you feel that may be the issue.
Make sure threads are not crossed in the heddles to ensure clean sheds.
Don’t choose a fluffy or high static yarn for warping.

Extra tips:

Take your time to set up your loom, there is no hurry and going slowly helps to ensure mistakes are not made.
Use a checklist (like the free printable list available at the end of this article!) to check off the steps as you go.

3. Broken Warp Threads

Symptoms: Warp threads snap or break during weaving.
Causes:

Abrasion from the reed or heddles.
Using weak or unsuitable warp yarn.
Draw in is too extreme due to overly tight weft tensioning

Solutions:

Again, ensure correct sett as too close can cause over frictioning
Replace broken threads, as in this tutorial.
Use a smoother, stronger yarn for the warp.
Work on your weft tensioning. It is natural and normal to have some draw in but if it’s excessive it will cause the warp threads to move inward while the warp at the reed remains a similar width. When beating this will then stress your warp threads, causing repetitive friction and eventual breakage.

4. Uneven Selvedges

Symptoms: Wavy, inconsistent or untidy edges on your weaving.
Causes:

Overly tight or inconsistent weft tension.
Uneven beating with the beater.
Your weaving pattern skips outer warp threads
Uneven warp tension.

Solutions:

Practice gentle and consistent weft tension when weaving.
Beat evenly and avoid over or under packing the threads.
Use floating selvedges to avoid skipping warp threads at the edges.

5. Pattern Doesn’t Appear Correctly

Symptoms: The woven design doesn’t match the weaving draft drawdown.
Causes:

Mistakes in threading or treadling order.
Skipped heddles.
Crossed threads
Beat is too hard or too loose.
Sett is too close or too far apart.

Solutions:

Double-check your threading and treadling sequence.
Fix errors by re-threading the warp threads through the correct heddles.
If any threads are crossed between the reed and heddles, re-sley them to allow freedom of movement.
Work on a consistent beat.
Check your yarn using a sett test to ensure the optimal ends per inch has been chosen.

6. Loom Creaking, sticking or apron rod bowing

Symptoms: Loud creaking or resistance when operating the loom.
Causes:

Lack of lubrication in moving parts.
Loose or worn parts.
Over tightened parts.
Warp under too much tension.
More apron rod support required.

Solutions:

Apply a small amount of wood-safe lubricant to the joints. I like this one.
Loosen and then re-tighten screws or bolts to ensure parts are moving effectively.
Let your warp tension back a click or two before recommencing weaving.
Order replacement parts if your loom is older or used.
Consider using a metal rod or additional wooden dowel/stick to attach your warp to the back apron rod. Ensure that your apron rod ties are strong and evenly tied on to the loom.

Preventive Maintenance Tips

Clean your loom regularly to remove dust and lint.
Check for wear on heddles, reeds, and other parts.
Store your loom in a damp free environment to avoid warping. Keep out of direct sunlight to ensure the wood is well maintained.
Lubricate when required. Use a silicone free lubricant and apply it to a cloth rather than directly to the loom.
If transporting regularly, ensure the loom is stabilised during travel to avoid unnecessary sliding or bumping!

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

PRINTABLE TABLE LOOM SETUP CHECKLIST

Let’s make your table loom setup just that little bit easier by using a checklist. This free checklist is printable and contains empty checklist boxes that you can tick off as you complete the steps – no more mistakes! 😀

Table loom setup checklist Download

If you’re looking to level up your table loom weaving skills, I recommend my comprehensive online course Weaving on a Table Loom.

I hope this article was helpful to you and until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Table loom choices – new looms

by Kelly 10 Comments

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.

How to use floating selvedges

by Kelly 2 Comments

In my last post I talked about what floating selvedges are, how they can benefit your weaving and included a photo tutorial for how to install them.

Today, we’re going to have a look at how you actually use floating selvedges in the weaving process.

It’s very simple, but there are a few little rules and things to remember:

“Over, under”. This is going to be on repeat in your mind as you weave with your floating selvedges in place. The photo tutorial will show you how this works.

You will need to adjust your weights as you weave and advance the warp. This is because your floating selvedge (FS) threads will roll on to your front cloth beam along with the warp threads as you advance.

The weft should always wrap around the FS on each side. This also relates to the “over, under” action and will be clear for you to see when you’re weaving.

The yarn that you use for your FS can be the same yarn as either the warp or weft. Most of the time, I will use the exact same yarn for the FS as I’m intending to weave with (weft). But, if I have frequent colour changes and more than a few colours in the weft, I will use the warp yarn to set up my FS.

In this tutorial, I’m imagining that you have already set up your floating selvedges and you’re ready to start weaving. If you haven’t done that yet and need a step by step tutorial, please view this post first.

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

This tutorial is specifically for rigid heddle weavers, but I also have a video tutorial for table/floor loom weavers.

I am starting with my shuttle on the left and my heddle is up. (It doesn’t matter which side your shuttle is on or which shed you’re in, but I wanted to be specific so that the photos make sense!)

When I enter my shuttle from the left, my shuttle (and therefore my weft yarn) goes OVER the floating selvedge. As my shuttle exits the shed on the right, it goes UNDER the floating selvedge. Beat.

Now I change my heddle to the down position. As my shuttle enters the shed from the right, it will go OVER the floating selvedge. As it exits the shed on the left, it will go UNDER the FS. Remember, OVER, UNDER. Beat.

Here is how your shuttle should look for that second pick (weft row).

Back to the up position for the third pick. The shuttle will go OVER the FS on the left and come out UNDER on the right.

It’s important to note that using floating selvedges does not change the way we weave. We still need to arrange and tension our weft picks to ensure neat edges. If you are not familiar with my pinching technique, I have a free video tutorial that will make a huge difference to your edges:

If you are having trouble remembering whether you are supposed to be taking the shuttle over or under the FS in your next shed, you only need to look at how your last weft pick is sitting.

For example, you can see clearly in this photo that the last weft pick is sitting UNDER the floating selvedge. This tells me that, to ensure the weft yarn wraps around that FS edge, I will need to take it OVER the FS as the shuttle re-enters the shed.

When your heddle is in the up shed, you can see that the floating selvedge also sits up a little with the warp. The easy way to weave is to just depress the FS with the tip of the shuttle as you enter the new shed.

See how the weft yarn wraps around the FS as it you enter the shed?

As you weave, the FS becomes a part of the fabric and provides a straight edge. The floating selvedges are not removed when you finish weaving, like you would remove fishing line if using the Lifeline Technique, they are truly a part of the piece and that is why we match the yarns when we set up our FS in the beginning.

Continue to tension and angle your weft as you weave. I think you will be very pleased with the results!

If you would like to see me weaving on the table loom using floating selvedges, please view this free video tutorial:

I hope you found this tutorial valuable.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

My loom just arrived. Now what?

by Kelly 5 Comments

You have made the big leap and purchased your very first loom! You can hardly contain your excitement and you start to wonder whether it’s normal to have been stalking the delivery guy like you have been!

You are well prepared, you’ve done your research, watched a ton of Youtube videos and read a heap of weaving related articles. You just cannot wait to get your hands on that loom!

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for further information.

Am I over exaggerating here? Well, this was me waiting for my first loom to arrive so I’m sure many of you have felt the same.

Depending on the loom that you purchase, it can arrive to your door in any number of ways. I’ll discuss each of the main loom categories so that you know what to expect when your order arrives.

Inkle Loom

My Ashford Inkle Loom arrived with some assembly required. The assembly was very basic and did not require complicated tools to put together.

You need to glue and tap the pegs into place. That glue then needs to be left for 24 hours to completely dry, which is an important step in the future stability of your loom.

Then it’s a simple matter of installing the small pieces of hardware provided (the rubber feet, the tension peg etc).

Ashford do recommend to use a wax or other sealant on the wood of the loom once you have assembled to protect the wood from sun and moisture damage or other stains.

Rigid Heddle Loom

A rigid heddle loom will arrive flat packed in a box. Depending on the company, the loom pieces that are wood may or may not be finished. Ashford rigid heddle looms are not finished, so if you want to wax or lacquer your loom you will need to do that, then let the pieces dry before beginning to assemble.

The knitter’s loom, which I wrote about here, comes with the wood finished and ready to assemble, so that is something to bear in mind.

The length of time to assemble will vary and may depend on your aptitude to follow written instructions. I noticed that Ashford did recently upload this rigid heddle assembly video, which should be a good help to many.

A rigid heddle loom is not too difficult to put together and depending on the size you have purchased, should take 1 – 3 hours (not allowing for glue drying times where applicable).

Tapestry Loom

It’s more difficult to talk about a tapestry loom as there are many different types – some are made of wood and some of metal.

The assembly of my Mirrix Big Sister was a very simple affair as there really are not that many parts. There was no screwing wooden sections together, it was more just placing pipes within other parts and tightening up. So, even if you were challenged by written instructions, you could easily have this type of loom put together in under an hour.

If you are interested in this type of loom, I’ve written a review here.

Table Loom

Table looms will also mostly come flat packed in boxes and the pieces are all finished and ready to assemble. There are a lot more parts to a table loom than a rigid heddle. I remember the first time I bought a table loom, those boxes were very exciting but quite confronting as well!

Luckily for you, if you have purchased or intend to purchase an Ashford table loom, my husband and I have put together two detailed videos that take you step by step through the assembly process.

I have loved to have a video like this for my first table loom assembly, but I’m very happy to think so many new weavers don’t have that same headache and can instead follow our instructions to get it done.

You can watch the first video here:

I recommend that if your table loom has just arrived, set aside a day where you don’t have much happening to put it together. With drying times, you may find it easier to work on it over several days, getting a few steps done on each day.

That makes the process not too overwhelming and tiring. Don’t worry if it takes you a bit of extra time to put together, you will get it done and it will be worth it.

Floor Loom

This is a biggie. Literally! The size of a floor loom means that the pieces are plentiful and large. Floor loom pieces should come finished and ready to assemble. Most of the time they will be flat packed, but not always.

Of course, if you purchase second hand, or are lucky enough to get a floor stock loom from a shop, it will be either fully or partly assembled.

If your floor loom is new and in pieces, it is super helpful to lay out all the pieces in the approximate correct shape of the frame of the loom on the floor. This helps you get a good look at how and where the pieces will go.

Don’t expect to get assembly done quickly, it can easy take several days and you will need a good amount of space where you can leave partly assembled parts and non assembled parts laid out where they won’t be disturbed.

My Louet David was laid out on a carpeted floor in a non foot traffic area of our home, which made it all so much easier and meant that none of that beautiful, smooth wood got scratched or damaged in any way.

General Assembly Tips

When your loom arrives and you unbox it, keep all like pieces together (screws of a certain size etc).

Using the instructions provided, go through every piece to ensure it is there. Factories can make mistakes, it happens occasionally that a piece will be missing. If that happens, you want to know about it before you begin assembly rather than half way through.

It also means you can contact the company right away and tell them a piece was missing in the beginning. If you find a piece is missing part way through assembly, you can’t be absolutely sure whether you may have lost a small piece yourself. Trust me, it’s worth checking!

Lay all the pieces out in a space, if you have the space. This helps you to visualise how the loom will look and gain an understanding of what the parts do.

Teamwork is awesome! If you have a spouse or someone else who can assemble the loom with you, that is very helpful. Not only are four hands better than two, two brains are much better than one! It can make all the difference to have another mind at work beside you, to see things from a different angle to you.

Take your time. You will only need to put the loom together once, so it’s worth doing it properly and not to rush. You will get to weave on it, you just have to be patient!

Are there any other tips you would add to these? Please share them in the comments for the benefit of other readers. Thank you for your contribution!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Table loom options

by Kelly 27 Comments

When it comes to selecting a table loom to purchase, we are not as spoiled for choice as we may be for rigid heddle looms.

This can actually be a positive rather than negative thing, as it can be easier to choose when the selection is more narrow.

In this post I’m going to provide details for table looms currently available commercially (if I miss any brands it would be because they are obscure and not easy to obtain.) I will also give the retail prices of each so that you can compare.

*This post contains affiliate links

As a little disclaimer, the only brand of table loom I have actually used and am really familiar with is Ashford. So, I’m not giving an opinion or appraisal on the other brands, but rather providing available information and pricing.

Most of the looms I mention here do not come with extras like stands, benches or raddles. These things are available as separate purchases.

Let’s dive in!

I’m going to start with Ashford table looms, for the reasons already given above. There are quite a few options with Ashford and pricing is quite reasonable by comparison. Please note that the photographs are all courtesy of the manufacturers and all prices do not include stands.

All prices are in US dollars.

The entry level table loom from Ashford is a 4 shaft and is available in weaving widths of 16, 24 (pictured) and 32 inches. Prices start at around $840USD for the 16″.

The cool thing about a 4 shaft is that there is room on the castle front to upgrade to 8 shafts later if you choose to, so if you’re not sure you can always start out on 4 and see how you go.

There are also stands available separately, and these come with the option of also purchasing a treadle kit for more of a floor loom experience.

Then we have the 8 shaft range, also available in 16 (pictured), 24 and 32“. 8 shaft prices start at $890USD.

There is even a 16 shaft table loom for those who love the idea of having lots of shafts to play around with.

All the Ashford table looms have a folding castle for compatibility, meaning they are a good travel or teaching loom. The beater is overhead and easy to use. Each loom comes standard with a stick shuttle, threading and reed hook, 10 dent beater and 640 texsolv heddles to get you started. All Silver Beech wooden pieces come lacquered and ready to assemble.

If you need help to assemble your new Ashford table loom, I have instructional videos:

Le Clerc has several table loom options. Their looms look to me to be made in a more traditional style with dark wood, straight lines and metal heddles plus a boat shuttle included.

The Dorothy table loom comes in 15.75 or 24″ weaving width and may have 4, 8 or 12 shafts. Starting price is $750USD. Le Clerc also make the Voyageur, which goes right up to 16 shafts. You have the option of buying a stand with these looms and I must say that I really like the way their stands are basically a sturdy little table with side shelves – shelves are a great thing to have with any loom in my opinion! There is also the option here to purchase a treadle stand.

Your options for table looms with Schacht are a little narrower, to be the best of my knowledge they just make one model of table loom, but in a variety of weaving widths and a choice of 4 or 8 shafts. These looms are constructed with maple wood and you actually get a choice of reed size, which is a nice bonus! Prices start at $742USD. A stand is available for separate purchase, as is a double back beam kit.

Glimakra makes the Victoria Table Loom. Once again, there is not a lot of variation as this is their only table loom and it is only available in 4 shafts with a 27″ weaving width. Something I find interesting about this loom is that it doesn’t fold and isn’t very portable, but just looking at it you can see that it’s a solid, sturdy loom. The starting price for this loom is $1,100USD and once again you have the option of purchasing a stand and treadle kit.

Toika makes a table loom in only one size (23.6″) but with a choice of 4 or 8 shafts. It comes with an 8 dent reed and 200 texsolv heddles. The levers for this loom look a little different as the ends that you grip on to for shaft manipulation are rounded pegs. At first glance, I wonder whether the shape of these pegs cause hand fatigue for the weaver, I do think that would be a possible problem for me. Prices start at $825USD. This loom can apparently be mounted on a stand, however I don’t think Toika actually make a stand specifically for this loom.

Lastly, Louet make a few different table looms. I have to mention the Klik Table Loom first, as it’s such a different concept to your regular table loom. The shafts are actually operated (raised) from the side based on a spring and click system. Then you beat with a swinging beater. The loom comes with 4 shafts, but up to 16 shafts can be added to the space. This loom looks very lightweight and portable, which would make it an ideal “take with you” loom. A couple of thoughts that spring to mind though. 1. You have to lean around to the side to operate the shafts, possibly not good for back or shoulder injuries? 2. The loom looks like it would sit flat on a table, but at the same time the shafts look lower than the bottom edge of the loom? And what about those handles, could you not do a full rotation if the loom was on a table? Therefore, would it possibly be necessary to purchase the stand to use this loom effectively? So, while the concept is very interesting, I would definitely want to try this loom before buying. Price for the Klik is $750USD.

Louet also make the Jane (pictured) and the Erica table looms. I have heard very good things about these two looms and they are definitely gaining popularity. The Erica starts at $555USD for the 4 shaft or you can start with the 2 shaft at $370USD and upgrade to 4 later. The Jane comes standard with 8 shafts in 2 different weaving widths, and a built in raddle (no separate purchase for that) starting at $1,195USD. These looms fold down and are light weight to transport.

The links I’ve provided in this post are from Amazon and The Woolery.

If you are in Australia and interested in purchasing an Ashford loom, I recommend Tracy from Knit Spin Weave.

If you are in Australia and it’s a Louet you’re after, I recommend Nicky from The Thread Collective.

Have I missed any table looms that should have been mentioned? If so, please tell me in the comments below.

If you are interested in table loom weaving or already own one but need help to get going, my Table Loom Weaving course would be perfect for you!

I hope this has been useful to you!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Should I buy a larger loom?

by Kelly 19 Comments

One of the number one questions I’m asked by either brand new or seasoned weavers is “Should I buy a larger loom?”

In this post I will take you through the main points to consider when you’re wondering whether a size upgrade is the right choice for you.

*This post contains affiliate links.

The first consideration is what type of loom we’re talking about. Most people who ask me are rigid heddle weavers. So I’ll cover rigid heddle looms first, specifically Ashford looms, as they have the largest sizes available.I often recommend my 24″ loom as a great starting point for a beginner who wants a decent, but not huge width. It is wide enough to weave smaller width items like scarves but just large enough to weave kitchen towels and bags.

You can, of course weave yardage to sew with (to make your own clothes and larger items) but that involves sewing panels together to make wider widths. Depending on the item you plan to sew, this may or may not work well.

Beyond the 24″, the next size up is the 32″ rigid heddle loom. The largest currently available is the 48″ rigid heddle loom.

When considering a larger loom, consider the following points:

Do you have the physical space for a larger loom?

If you buy a rigid heddle loom 24″ (that is the size I have) or above, I would definitely recommend to also purchase a stand with it.

I personally would not enjoy using a larger loom trying to lean it on the edge of a table or similar, and I don’t think that this would allow you to maintain a beneficial weaving posture. A good posture is really important – even if you have no physical injuries or problems, know that you could develop problems long term through repetitive poor setup and practices. So a stand is well worth the investment.

But, this means that your loom will be free standing rather than packed away. Do you have a space where you can set up a loom of that size and leave it on the stand when finished? Or does your living space/s dictate that your loom would need to be packed away in between uses?

What is your budget?

This is a pretty important consideration for most of us! Naturally, the larger your loom, the more it will cost. And not just the initial outlay for the loom, but addition tools or pieces that you wish to add along the way. Every time you buy a different sized heddle/reed, a pick up stick, a stick shuttle – these are all going to be larger to compliment and fit your loom and that will cost more.

Here are a couple of examples as a comparison. I’ll list the 24″ loom specifics as compared to the 48″. All prices are in US dollars.

24″ RHL and stand – $394 USD (you can sometimes find a combo deal of the loom and stand together for a slightly cheaper price).

24″ 10 dent reed/ heddle – $37.50

22″ stick shuttle – $7.50

48″ RHL and stand – $695

48″ 10 dent reed/heddle – $89

48″ stick shuttle $40

Uh huh, big price differences!

What do you intend to weave?

Some new weavers don’t really consider this when purchasing. Not being familiar with the possibilities or not having used a loom before, it can be very difficult to know what items you will end up enjoying weaving. If you only intend to weave scarves and smaller items, why go to the expense of the largest loom?

On the other hand, you may find that your absolute favourite thing to weave is baby blankets or afghans, therefore making the larger loom well worth your consideration. What if you make the decision to buy a smaller loom but after a little experience find that you want something larger?

Well, the good news is that rigid heddle looms are easy to resell. If you have kept it in good condition, it should be easy to find an eager new weaver willing to take it off your hands for a fair price. You can then use this money to invest towards the larger one.

How is your back?

Back or shoulder problems? Neck trouble? Then you need to consider carefully whether a larger loom is the right choice for you. A larger loom means a much wider reach with a shuttle.

As an example, I can sit very comfortably at my 24″ on it’s stand, extend each arm out to insert the stick shuttle and not have to move forward in my seat.

As someone who has a back injury and regular flare ups, if I had to lean forward or to the side every time I wanted to throw a pick, that would be a real problem for me. It would be a much greater strain on my body. I prefer to accept my limitations and be grateful that I am able to weave on the 24″ and plan my projects accordingly.

That brings me to the next related topic, the table or floor loom.

I’ve written a large number of articles on this topic, here is a list of those posts if you’re interested in researching more.

When I had my 8 shaft, 32″ table loom it was a little more difficult to weave on when I had it fully warped, but with the correct height adjustable chair, it was more than manageable. I still miss that loom, I sold it to make space and provide extra funds for my floor loom. I’ve since replaced it with a smaller 16″ table loom that I can use for teaching purposes – perfect!

Now that I have my Louet David 2, 35″ floor loom, even though it is the widest loom I have owned, it is a good fit for me width wise. It is wide enough to weave baby blankets and wide shawls.

Recently I wove yardage on it for my Clothtober project, which was a tunic for me and it worked out well. So, why is this loom not a problem for my back? Well, I always use a boat shuttle with this loom.

Because the tension is excellent, I can shoot my boat shuttle back and forth with ease. I am also seated on an adjustable piano bench and find that I develop a slight rocking motion as I get into the weaving rhythm. Although my shoulders do get a little sore if I put in a long weaving session, it is not excessive and generally my back is fine as long as I’m not in a dreaded flare up phase.

The action of throwing a boat shuttle is quite different to passing a stick shuttle. Yes, you an use a boat shuttle with a rigid heddle loom too, but I generally don’t because it can’t hold the same tension so I end up mostly passing the boat shuttle through anyway.

I should also add, if you do have a rigid heddle loom that is a little smaller than you would like, you always have the option of double width weaving. Although somewhat limited, it is a really terrific way to double the width of your fabric. I have two classes that teach you how to do this – Doubleweave Baby Blanket and Weaving with Two Heddles. I also have the Rainbow Lap Blanket, which is woven entirely on a Sampleit loom.

I certainly didn’t intend to write such an epic post when I sat down to address this topic today, but there is a lot more to be said about it than I realised! I hope my ramblings have been of use to you.

As always, leave me a comment with any questions or additional points you may have to add. I appreciate your input!

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.