How To Use A Weaving Loom (Guide From Expert)
Sometimes you want to discover an activity without investing a lot, especially if you are afraid of getting bored with it quickly.
The easiest way to start in the fabric is with looms. Although they do not have a direct relationship with the needle or hook fabric, it is an easy technique to learn.
I started weaving with looms. I thought it was much easier than knitting with needles and hook but after learning the three techniques I came to the conclusion that there is no point of comparison. They are very different techniques with different finishes.
There are countless types of looms but this time I will focus on the rectangular loom that serves to make the easiest piece of all, like scarves.
The loom is known as: rectangular loom, Mayan loom, Aztec loom, knitting board, clapboard, etc. Despite the great variety of names, it is still the same object.
Weaving is an engaging activity, but the price of a good quality loom and the purchase of spools of thread of all kinds can put off for a first try. In this case, how to create your loom simply?
The Design Of The Loom
You can start from a relatively from any frame, to build easily or to recover, it is solely your choice. You can use any frame that you wish, and below we will explain how to use different types of loom.
There are many ways on how to use a weaving loom, and they are of different types which are;
Hand Loom
Original and first existed loom was the type that was vertically twist-weighted, and by this, threads are already fixed to the floor or ground. The lateral threads known as weft threads are shoved in position or are pressed through a metal that can as well be the shuttle.
In the beginning, it is important to increase and decrease each warp thread one after the other. This is done by setting in a piece of rod to create a shack. A shack is a space between warp threads in the sense that the set of yards will easily traverse all the warp right away.
Ground Loom
The horizontal ground looms allow the warp threads to get racked amid rows of dowels. In other to perform the task efficiently, the weaver will need to bend forward.
Therefore, pit looms having a warp racked over a trench are fangled to let the weaver position their legs leveled with and below the looms.
Backstrap Looms
A skilled and talented weaver can make an intricate and impressive pattern using a backstrap loom. The mass of the weaver makes the warp stay under tension. The portability of the backstrap makes it well recognizable.
Tapestry Looms
Tapestry looms associates the frame loom, which is the simplest loom. Frame loom has very similar mechanisms as a ground loom, and they cannot generate a shed.
A tapestry created on a frame loom is limited to the standard of the frame. Most tapestry loom, which is the more significant type, holds longer warps and provides methods of generating a shed.
Table Looms
These looms tend to be smaller than and easily moved than floor looms, but they are more complicated than the other small looms on this list. They are used on the tabletop or a stand.
Although you can get a table loom with more than eight shafts, the most regular types have either four or eight.
Floor Looms
These are the greatest of home weaver’s looms. They are made and freestanding for weavers’ most significant projects. Floor loom has been used to produce broader and more extended pieces of fabric, rugs, accessories, and home linens.
Floor loom has, in general, about 4-8 shafts, but they can have more than that. Electronics can control them with a hobby that lifts and lower the harnesses in other to generate sheds.
When you must have considered and chosen the type of loom you want to weave, finishing a weaving loom is another project to find. This depends on the kind of frame loom you made use of. It can either be a simple frame or notched frame, and this will eventually affect the way you finish your weave. Now let us consider how to complete a weaving loom project.
Use a tapestry needle to weave in all the loose threads at the back of the weave. If your weaving was done with different colors, make sure your finishing is done with the same colors and also ensure the colors appropriately aligns to avoid other colors been seen through the front of your weave.
If your finishing is to be on a simple frame loom, you have to cut off the warp thread from the top of the frame, have the two warp threads tied together, then through the back of your weave, weave in the ends. Once you are done with the top warp threads, apply the same method for the bottom warp threads.
Now it is time to trim off the long tails on your warp threads to avoid it looking rough, and this also has to be done through the back of your weave.
How To Use A Weaving Loom: The First Steps To Consider
Once the loom is ready, weaving can begin! Choose the first thread to insert into your work (if you plan to change thread regularly), by tying it to the first stretched thread of your trade, on the right (if you are right-handed). Using a needle, then pass this weaving thread under the weft thread located just to the left, then over the next weft thread.
If you want to make a return with this same thread, do the same by going the other way (or by turning your work to weave from right to left, which can be more straightforward). Remember to incorporate the last weft thread into the weaving before turning around with the weaving thread.
To change thread, just “take it out” at the back of the work where you want to stop it, then cut it leaving it overflowing (you can tie a knot if the thread is thin). Tie a new thread to resume weaving.
This is the most straightforward point, but others can be used to create fringes, curls, etc. We can weave all the weft threads, or in groups of two or three, the idea is also to experiment and have fun!
At the end of a few rows, use a comb to “pack” them with the old rows and thus tighten the entire structure. And for how to finish a weaving loom project, detach the weft threads for this particular type of loom and tie them together with two by two.
Tip 1
Remember to recover ribbons, strips of fabric from used clothing, beads, pieces of wood, and any other amenity that you would like to incorporate. This allows you to vary the pace of weaving with all that you will want to value, weaving can also be an art of recuperation!
Tip 2
To get an idea of your weaving before passing the first threads, do not hesitate to make some diagrams with pencils, felt-tip pens, or watercolor, for example. Sometimes we move away from it, and sometimes we develop our creativity by drawing. Why not try?
Are you ready now to get down on this new path? This is brief summary of how to use a weaving loom and we sincerely hope you enjoy your journey towards becoming a professional.