How To Use The Loom Kit

You have a loom kit, now how do you use it. These instructions should help.

You will have a set of parts like this:

Some of the parts make up the loom frame and some are tools for weaving on the loom.

Putting it together

To build the loom frame you will need these parts: (and two parts I've left off oops)

Slot the two cross bars, each with two slots, into the slots along the bottom of the main frame bars. One at each end.

You should now have a frame that looks like this:

Slot the combs with slots in them (the warp beams) into each end of the frame.

You should now have a frame that looks like this:

Add the two combs with the two heights of teeth (the heddles) into the T shaped slot. The only rest here, they are not slotted in firmly.

You are now ready to use the loom

Using the loom

The first step is to lace the loom with the thread that goes up and down (the warp). Tie a loop in the end and slip over the first tooth at the end furthest from the heddle.

Now take the warp up the frame through the first tooth in the heddle, around the first tooth in the other warp beam and back down through the second tooth in the heddle.

Loop around the next tooth in the bottom warp beam and repeat up and down until all teeth have a warp thread. Make the threads reasonably taught but not tight.

You should now have a loom that looks like this.

Tie a loop in the end of the warp o it can fit on the last tooth like this:

You will also have some tools to use with your loom like this:

The top tool is a comb to help you push down the threads as you weave. You will see what to do with that in a bit.

The middle tool is called a shuttle and lets you thread the yarn that goes back and forwards through the warp threads as you weave. It is called the shuttle.

The bottom tool is called batten and is used to lift the warp as you weave.

The shuttle needs to have the yarn that goes back and forth wound on to it. This yarn is called the weft.

Tie a loop in the end of the weft and slip it over the end of the shuttle like this:

Wind about 20 turns of yarn onto the shuttle, tie a loop in the end and slip it over the end of the loom like this:

Now take the batten and push it through the warp near to the heddle. Alternate threads of the warp should be above and below the batten.

Turn the batten to an upright position. This should raise the warp, making a clear space to pass the shuttle through.

Pass the shuttle through the warp from left to right.

Pull the weft yarn taught. It should look like this:

The next step can seem complicated but once you have mastered it, it is quite easy. Raise the lower heddle so that its teeth have the warp yarn in its teeth.

Then lower the other heddle so the warp yarn is no longer in its teeth. You will now have different warp yarns sitting high and low.

I find it easiest to do this by placing the loom in front of me, placing my thumbs on the frame in front of the heddle and using my index fingers either side to lift one heddle, then lower the other. Always raise one, so both are raised, before lowering the other, otherwise your warp threads may fall out of the teeth and you will have to rearrange them (which is a bit of a pain).

Raise the warp again with the batten and pass the shuttle back through the warp from right to left.

Don't pull the weft too tight. Use the comb tool to push the weft down to the bottom to make a nice straight line above the last line of weft.

Continue these steps, weaving the weft back and forth until you have as much cloth as you need, or until you can't pass the shuttle though the warp.

We are now ready to remove the cloth from the loom. Unloop the middle loop of warp from the far end of the frame like this:

Tie a knot in the warp near to the top line of your weft.

Repeat this for alternate loops of warp along the top of the frame.

Then repeat this along the bottom of the frame.

Finally tie off the loops that are left, so that all loops are tied off. Tie the start and end for the warp to the loops next to them.

You can trim the ends of the warp, but not so short that the knots can slip undone.

This is the piece we made for these instructions tied to make a bangle. What will you make with yours ?