Floor looms, table looms, and dobby looms are all shaft looms—they have a stainless steel reed and shafts (also called harnesses) that hold the heddles.
Shaft looms are generally warped indirectly with warp chains, unless you want a very long warp.* You can choose to warp your shaft loom from front to back or back to front. We recommend warping the Cricket Quartet from front to back.
| Front to Back | Back to Front | |
| 1 | Wind warp chain(s) with at least one cross. | Wind warp chain(s) with with at least one cross. |
| 2 | Thread the reed from the cross. | Tie warp on at warp beam, using lease sticks to hold the cross and a raddle to spread the warp. |
| 3 | Thread the heddles. | Beam the warp. |
| 4 | Tie warp on at warp beam. | Thread the heddles from the cross. |
| 5 | Beam the warp. | Thread the reed. |
| 6 | Tie warp on at cloth beam. | Tie warp on at cloth beam. |
There are many variations possible: some weavers combine front to back and back to front; some weavers wind chains with two crosses. Some weavers switch between methods, depending on weave structure or color patterning. You can choose based on preference and/or your specific warp needs for a particular project.
These books discuss different methods of warping and how to choose between them:
Learning to Weave by Deborah Chandler
Weaving for Beginners: An Illustrated Guide, 3rd edition, by Peggy Osterkamp
Winding a Warp and Using a Paddle by Peggy Osterkamp
* For very long warps, consider sectional warping.