Alright, I have been searching around and looking into looms lately. Finally will have the space for a large floor loom (fiber workshop room will be 25x30), and would love to get working on a few projects for the house, friends and family.

 

Any ideas on what I should be looking for>? Found a great price on 40" & 50" looms, but only 4 heddle (oh yes, and free shipping to boot). Thinking I may want the 8's for more pattern design, but really have no clue. Very interested in making handspun cloth, blankets, dish/hand towels, cashmere scarves, etc. Any suggestions?

 

Have been working like mad on the handspun (beautiful autumn multicolor of romney and mohair) with the spindle, as I finally had to let my poor old girl retire for a bit. Bits and pieces kept coming off, so debating on getting another (newer) castle wheel and allowing the other for more display, or just getting a rehaul done on poor ole' bessie and slaving her back to work. Not sure just yet as to what I want to do. Much easier to do laceweights on the spindle anyhow....but the thousands of yards is what is getting me. Really appreciate the input here.

 

Back to spinning, thanks for letting me ramble....

Meg asked me to ask you as she passes through the house,

 

What brand of looms were you looking at and will there be rugs or heavy toweling included like a Terry type cloth where you will need 2 back beams?

 

The largest amount of weaving here is done on 4 heddles but having an 8 or more is always preferred too.

As you know but I have to throw in here becosue she asked me too, just because you have 8 or 80 doesn't mean you have to use them.

Meg also suggested to look at some patterns if you haven't already and see what ones you like and how many they will require.

 

What happens around here alot is a test is done on a small Art Craft looms which may be 4 or 8 heddles to see how it looks then the project is started on which ever larger 8 or more heddle floor loom fits the job.

It might be the larger double back beam or the large folding Mighty wolf.

 

Let us know and we can help where we can with types and names.

Meg said she will try to post tomorrow and in the mean time I'll see if I can post some images of our larger floor looms.

Maybe they will help too :)

I was looking at the Norwood standard 50" 4h loom from the Woolery. Free shipping kinda helps, and they are half price for brand new with all the pieces. I believe it includes the stainless reed and looking at the inserted eye for lighterweight handspun yarns.

 

As for patterns, nothing too specific as of yet, mostly very simple border designs, etc. Figure I get the basics down, I can grow from there. Not sure on rugs as of yet, but woolen tapestries are appealing to me. You can check the site here...

 

Woolery - Norwood Looms

 

No idea as to dent size or etc. Figure one of those things that I research as fast as possible and go back and review as needed. Also looking at taking up the harp or Cello in whatever spare time I may be able to find, and finding that those are a bit cheaper than looms...too many decisions. :yes no:

More today by Meg her self hopefully finding time instead of her trying to tell me what to say over a phone.

 

Norwood is a good floor loom and is very study but we have found the fold up type to be a wee bit wobbly for beating any thing other then a light beat, or, the one we had was just not made heavy enough for what she was doing she says.

 

But yes the Woolery is a very good place, an old friend in fact. Meg's done business with them for quite a while.

 

The question about rugs has to do with the type of loom and back beams whether its sectional or solid and even if one is needed as well as how sturdy the frame is.

A few patterns require a second back beam but most don't.

 

We havn't checked Ebay in a while but I think I'll go have a look and report if I see any thing that might be worth while.

 

Tapestries require a different type of loom then we use, sorry, we don't do that sort of work.

We'll help with any thing we can but know so little about the harp or Cello as to not matter.

History and myth of the harp yes but not practical knowledge of any sort.

I just did a quick search of Ebay for table and floor looms and was impressed with several of the items and their prices.

Many of the tools you might find useful are also on sale if you don't mind used.

Would images of what we use help at all? I'm still in the process of taking pictures of the looms and if images of tools will help I'll post those as well.

I'm not the weaver of the house by any means. I do the care and maintenance on them and being around here I can't help but pick up tid bits of the weaving arts.

Sure, always love pics, thanks! Thinking about getting a smaller loom to accompany for working on tea towels and such. Found a pattern book the other day on them and figured they would be easy and useful to work on. May work great as gifts also....

 

Need good project ideas for the fine spinning I do, as many projects wouldn't hold up well with the lightweight threads. Thanks so much for the input!

A small to large Artcraft loom is really good for that. The wooden table top is sturdy enough for a heavy place mat or towel or many other projects.

 

Whats the name of your book?

 

Fine thread projects can be done on a large loom with a light beat that I know but will pass this on to Meg again so she can answer better then I can sorry.

 

We don't do pot holder --shuddder--looms and we don't do rigid heddle type. I won't even do those and I do a little weaving every now and again.

 

I help Meg thread the looms and unwind them. Threading can drive a person nuts and its best to have a special little tool to thread the heddles with. I can not tell you how much easier it is with it. I'll post a image.

 

Another topic on looms

 

We have an electric machine, which I have to fix the large chain on, that unloads our old Deen loom's front beam, we call her Myrtle, which when full can weigh over 1 to 2 tones. She can do over 200 + yards in just under 8 hours.

 

In these images we've had to move the looms due to work being done in the weaving room.

 

 

 

 

 

Right now Myrtle's empty since Meg moved her reed to the floor loom for temporary work.

The Deen loom company made fly shuttle looms between 1895 - 1947.

Ours is a 5 harness automatic punch card type. The punch card is a continuous circle of plastic now, we don't know what it was made from originally.

We know of only two of this type, one was missing pieces in a museum and ours which is fully functional.

 

 

 

Keeping her going can be fun when she throws that metal shuttle like a bullet, It has gone through walls.

 

Right now Meg has on her Mighty Wolf more tea towels which are different then whats in the other topic and the big floor loom has baby blankets or baby diapers not sure, but do know Meg has lined up about 8 baby Blankets that has to be done on one of her electric knitting machines.

In my opinion which doesn't mean much since I'm not a weaver, I'd go with the Norwood or a Leclerc as both are heavy floor looms and a wooden Structo Table top loom and maybe a small 4 harness metal structo loom sometimes sold as toys but if you get the Dick Blick Structo they are heavier.

Structo has an interesting history making looms and we have many of them that Meg teaches classes with.

The early metal small 4 harness table tops were sold as learning tools alone with structo erecter sets.

Then later on the wooden table loom and its folding legs came into the picture then when Blick bought the company he beefed the little looms up some what.

 

Please bear in mind these are ones I would buy if I was going to go into weaving at home.

Myrtle's another type of automated loom and we have never seen one like her in one piece.

Several hand beat models but not one like her out side a sales brochure for the manufacturer, even the museums want her badly.

No Way!

Shes a working loom and a good one.

All though we have sent images and print outs for display when requested.

A Dolby wooden loom would be my professional choice for commercial work.

 

I'll add images soon.

Nice looms, never had thought of purcasing an electric one, although I have seen the ones that hook up to computers. Kinda takes the fun out of it for me. I don't forsee myself doing that much weaving, that I would need something mechanical. Very nice just the same..(sure my mind could change once I get going on the looms...LOL)

 

Tea towels sounded like a good beginning project to try, so starting there. Sending out for a small 4 harness loom (not much on the rigids either), and will go from there depending on how I do. Figure it will take a good deal of time and patience to get a good professional look. I am a quick learner, but not quite that quick. Thanks for the pics.

A Dolby type is primarily a loom used for commercial purposes.

Learning to weave and getting a good look to the product isn't all that hard, time consuming maybe and detailed but not bad really.

Your learn quickly, and we, rather Meg can help too, maybe through me passing info along.