Tapestry
Loom
Instructions for
Assembly, Warping and Weaving
Tapestry Loom with Optional A-Frame
Stand
18" and 25" Tapestry Loom
Shown with optional A-Frame Stand
A Trestle Floor Stand also is also available
Parts List
1 -- tension bar
2 -- 1" dowels (top and bottom bar)
1 -- 3/4" dowel (center bar)
4 -- long dowels (heddle bars)
1 -- short dowel (warp bar)
2 -- loom sides with heddle bar supports |
2 --
1½" Phillips flathead screws
4 -- 1¾" Phillips flathead wood screws
2 -- 1/4" washers
2 -- 1/4" square nuts
2 -- 2 ½" thumb screws
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Loom Assembly
Assemble the tension bars:
Place a washer on each thumb screw. Install a thumb screw in each end
of the tension bar and fasten loosely with a square nut. (Diagram 1)
Assemble the loom
frame:
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Lay the two
side pieces on a flat surface with the routed slots facing inwards and the
half round grooves with holes facing up.
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Place the
tension bar in the routed slots of the sides making sure the washers and
thumb screws are on the outside top of the loom and the square nuts and
tension bar are on inside the slot as shown in Diagram 1.
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Install the two
1" diameter dowel cross braces (top bar and bottom bar) and fasten with the
1¾" screws.
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Install the ¾"
dowel (center bar), securing with the 1½" screws.
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Diagram 1 |
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Preparing to Warp the Tapestry Loom
Adjust the thumb screws at the top of the loom so that the tension
bar is midway in the slots of the frame. The tension bar is used to adjust
the tension on the warp, as needed. For example, it will be necessary
to loosen the tension on the warp each time you advance the warp (see
"Advancing the Warp", below).
Position the
warp bar (short dowel) between the small rubber wedge and the inside
of the loom side (Diagram 2).
Place the loom
face down on the heddle bar supports. Place a shoe box or several
books under the bottom bar of the loom to keep the loom level.
It is important to
remember that for the whole warping process, the "front" of the loom
(which is resting on the heddle bar support) will be on the underside
and the "back" of the loom is on the upper side.
Position the warp
bar (short dowel) in the loom above the
bottom bar, so that it is held in place by the small rubber wedge on
the inside of the loom. |
Diagram 2 |
Winding Your Warp onto the Loom
Use a continuous length of
warp packaged in a compact form (a ball, a cone, or a tube). The warp will
be approximately 60" long. Each warp thread will pass around the entire
frame of the loom, and be attached to the warp bar only. This allows you to
move the warp around the loom as you weave, and to use the entire length of
the warp. As you run out of room to weave, the warp bar can be moved around
to the back of the loom which advances the weaving and makes additional
weaving room on the front.
Step 1: Tie the end of the warp
thread to the warp bar.
Step 2:
Wind the first end (A): bring the warp
end around the bottom bar of the loom, and
to the top of the tension bar at the front of the loom (side facing
away from you). Bring the warp
around the tension bar to the back side of
the loom facing
you (back side of loom) and
down to the warp bar where you began. Be
sure that the warp travels around the loom and never crosses
through from the front to the back of the loom.
When you reach the warp bar, reverse direction by passing your warp
around the warp bar. |
Diagram 3 |
Step 3:
Wind the second end (B): bring the warp in the return direction along
the back of the loom to the top of the loom, around the tension bar, then
across the front of the loom to the bottom bar, around the bottom bar from
front to back, and back to the warp bar. You have now completed the first
two ends of your warp.
Check again to see that the warp encircles the outer frame of the loom,
and that it never crosses from the front to the back except at the tension
bar and bottom bar. Repeat steps 2 and 3 taking care to reverse
direction every time that you reach the warp bar, until you have wound the
desired number of ends.
After you have wound several pairs of ends, check to see if the warp bar
moves freely around the loom. To move the bar, release the warp bar from the
rubber wedge and pull it down to the bottom of the loom. You may need to
loosen the tension bar
slightly to do this. If you cannot pull the warp bar down and around
the loom then a mistake has been made in the warping. Check for warp ends
which may have crossed the loom, and redo your warp if necessary.
Return the warp to its position at the rubber wedge, and continue to wind
your warp. If the warp breaks while you are winding the warp, or if you wish
to change colors, tie the old end to the new end at the warp bar to avoid
knots in the middle of your weaving. It is not necessary to fill the entire
width of the loom. It is a good idea to center your weaving on the loom.
When you have wound all of the warp, but before tying off the warp, even the
tension on all your warp ends, working from one side to the other, beginning
with the first end wound. When the warp threads are as tight and as
evenly tensioned as possible, tie the end of the warp firmly onto the warp
bar. Check once more to see if you can pull the warp bar around the
loom and correct any errors before proceeding. Leave the warp bar in
its "weaving position" at the bottom front of the loom.
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Basic Weaving Terminology |
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heddle |
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device used to hold a warp thread to assist in lifting the warp
threads for weaving |
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plain weave |
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the simplest weave structure in which the threads pass over,
under, over, under |
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pick-up stick |
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smooth pointed stick, also called a "shed stick" |
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shed |
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the space between yarns for the weft yarn to pass through |
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stick shuttle |
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a flat stick with grooved ends for holding weft yarn |
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twining |
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a twisting technique used to spread the warp evenly for weaving |
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warp |
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threads stretched on a loom |
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warp end |
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a single warp thread |
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weft |
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threads that are woven through the warp threads |
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weft pick |
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one weft row |
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Making String Heddles
You can make heddles out of string to lift the warp threads and allow you to
weave more efficiently. To weave over, under, over, under (plain weave) you
will use two of the four heddle bars provided and some strong cotton string.
(Reserve the extra bars for other weave structures you might want to try
later.) First select half of your warp ends by weaving a pick-up
stick, or ruler, over and under the warp threads across the width of the
loom. The warp ends that are on the stick will be attached to your
first heddle bar. Choose one of the two methods described below for
making string heddles, the continuous heddle method or the
reusable heddle method.
Continuous Heddle Method: Measure two lengths of heddle string. To
calculate the length of string you will need allow 5” of string for each of
the warp ends which are on the pick-up stick, so five times the number of
warp ends on the stick equals the number of inches of string required for
each heddle bar. Place one heddle bar in the slots of the heddle bar
supports. Tie one end of the heddle string to the heddle bar. Loop the
string down and around the first warp thread on the pick-up stick, then
carry the heddle string back to and around the heddle bar.
Diagram 4
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Reusable Heddle Method:
Make one reusable heddle for each of your warp ends. Use the heddle
support bar to measure each heddle, as follows: wrap string for a
heddle around three of the four heddle uprights of the heddle support
and tie with a tight square knot (see Diagram 5). Trim the excess tie
to 1/2" long, and remove the heddle from the support bar. |
Diagram 5 |
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To install the heddles on the first heddle bar: slide the pick up
stick which holds half of your warp ends to the top of the loom and
place one of your two heddle bars nearby. Work across the ends on the
pick-up stick from one side to the other. Fold the first heddle in
half and wrap around the first warp thread and then slide the two
loops of the heddle onto the heddle bar (see Diagram 6). Repeat across
until the first half of the warp ends have been attached to the first
heddle bar. Put rubber bands over the ends of the bar to keep the
heddles from sliding off, and slide the finished heddle bar down the
loom and place in a groove on the heddle bar support.
Now take a second heddle bar and repeat the process, this time
attaching the second half of your warp ends, which are all under the
pick-up stick, to the second heddle bar. Be careful to alternate the
assignment of warp ends so that the ends assigned to this second
heddle bar lie between each pair of ends on the first heddle bar.
Slide the second heddle bar to the heddle support and remove the
pick-up stick. You can place rubber bands across the top of the heddle
bar supports to keep your heddle bars in place when your loom is not
in use. |
Diagram 6
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Preparing to Weave
Make a twined edge across the bottom edge of the warp to spread it
out evenly and to provide a base for weaving. To make a twined edge,
use a yarn slightly larger than your warp yarn. Cut a length
approximately 2 1/2 times the width of your warp. Starting at one side
of your warp, wrap the twining yarn around the first wrap thread, and
adjust the ends of the twining yarn to be the same length. Twist the
twining yarn ends over each other and pull firmly to tighten the
twist. Wrap the next warp thread in the same way (see Diagram 7).
Continue to wrap each warp end, twisting the twining yarn once between
each pair of warp ends, until all the ends are wrapped. Tie off the
twining yarn with an overhand knot. |
Diagram 7 |
Weaving on the Tapestry Loom
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Wind a shuttle
with weft yarn (stick shuttles work very well).
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To make a shed,
lift one heddle bar and place it in the upper slot of the heddle bar
support.
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Insert the shuttle
with the weft yarn through the open shed.
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Lower the
heddle bar.
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Beat the weft
pick down with a comb or tapestry beater.
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Raise the other
heddle bar and repeat steps 3, 4, and 5.
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Continue to alternate
lifting and lowering the heddle bars, inserting a weft pick in each shed to
create the basic "plain weave" structure.
Advancing the Warp
When the cloth is a few inches long, advance the warp as follows: loosen the
warp tension by turning the thumb screw, and move the tension bar a small
amount downward. On the back of the loom, pull up on the warp bar until the
weaving has moved down on the front to the desired position. Then readjust
the tension bar so that the warp is taut and tighten the thumb screws.
Further Reading
Contemporary Tapestry, Harriett Tidball
Hands on Weaving, Barbara Liebler
Learning to Weave, Deborah Chandler
Weaving: A Handbook for Fiber Craftsmen, Shirley Held
Copyright © 2006 - 2008 Schacht Spindle Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved
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