All About Table Looms
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- Опубликовано: 19 июл 2024
- In episode 24 of A Handwoven Experience, I'm officially introducing you to the table loom. This adorable, smaller version of the floor loom is a fabulous place to start if you want to get into weaving. Portable and not crazy expensive, this little wonder can do nearly everything a floor loom can do. Definitely something to consider!
Interested in a few FREE resources all about weaving? Head over to the Acton Creative website where you can choose from "6 Weaving Patterns" or the "Dressing the Loom Checklist" or both! I can't wait to see what you weave next! actoncreative.net/free-resour...
This is so cool. My great granda was one of the last of the old guard linen weavers in Ireland. He did damask weaving. Cool to see weaving being kept alive by people like yourself. 🙏
Oh wow! John, that is amazing!! Do you have anything he created?
@@ActonCreative yes just today my dad showed me some linen sheets and tweed that he made. Wish I had more but it's still so cool to see what he made.
@@seanboi That's so special! What a gift for you & your family to have his handmade items! My grandma was a prolific crafter & home economics teacher. I still use her quilts/blankets daily. So I can appreciate having that connection to previous generations! Thanks so much for sharing!
Many years ago as a little girl I took a weaving class at Greenfield Village in Michigan. They had us using similar table looms. The difference was they had sort of a button setup (like a 1930s manual typewriter) on the center top that you had to push down. I just remember how very hard on my tiny hands those buttons were to push. Years later as an older lady I am now really learning to weave and I totally skipped table looms (because of the painful memory) and have a rigid heddle and a Baby Wolf floor loom (which I am really just getting started with). I really enjoyed seeing how far table looms have come from what I used as a child and found so very painful.
Myrany, I've never seen that style before! That's fascinating! And definitely sounds painful for your sweet little fingers! I'm glad it didn't completely deter you from weaving!
I have just ordered my first table loom, it is only the little Louet Erica but I am looking forward to learning on it, thank you for your video
How wonderful! I hope you love it! If I can help you with anything, just let me know!
I'm starting to follow your episodes and loving it!!! Especially now that you've mentioned table looms. I have an 8-shaft Ashford 32" table loom and am loving it. Especially since it will fold up with a project still on it, and I can clear the space for a dinner party if needed. But PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, can you point us table-loomers to resources, patterns, etc?. I'm wanting to try overshot weaving but nothing, and I mean nothing is out there for setting up a table loom with levers - not tie up treadles - for this. Also, while I've found some info, I find it so hard to convert a treadle pattern/draft, to that for a table loom lever system. Essentially, MY tie-up is the action of my hands pulling levers for each pass of my shuttle. But with overshot so much is referencing the tie up when I don't have a tieup. Help! Hope you can add some clarity for those of us who LOVE the versatility of our table looms. Thanks.
Hi Elisheva!! Thank you for the comment!! Table looms are awesome - I agree!
When working with a table loom, you are using what's called a "direct tie-up". This simply means that 1 shaft is related to 1 lever only.
Everything you can do on another loom with multiple tie-ups is completely possible on a direct tie-up loom! So all those overshot drafts? Definitely possible on your loom!
I'm including a link to a video I did about direct tie-ups. Hopefully it'll help! Let me know what follow up questions you have! ruclips.net/video/YubKBPmqbgQ/видео.html
Thank you
I'm glad it was helpful!
Thanks for this video! I have an older (Leclerc) 24" rigid heddle loom and I'm thinking I'd like to have more options. I'm thinking a table loom might be a nice compromise between a larger RH loom (32") and a floor loom.
Rhoda, you're so welcome! Thank you for the comment! A 4-shaft table loom would certainly give you a taste of a more complex loom without the expense of a floor loom. I'd love to hear what you end up with! Have a great day!!
Thank you, I learned something new. I am thinking of asking if it's an available spot on a table looming course for me. Have a nice day/ night you too and a great week :)
Shanti, I'm so glad it was helpful!
Hi Chris! I was wondering what would be the difference, in terms of patterns and techniques, between a 4-shaft loom and an 8-shaft one. I have a rigid heddle loom and I’m considering which option should be my next adventure! By the way, thank you so much for your videos, you’re great at explaining this complex weaving world in easy terms!
Hi Fabio! Thank you so much for the compliments! I love hearing feedback!
The 4-shaft and 8-shaft looms will function the same way. So once you sort out one, you can work on them both. The 8-shaft will simply give you more options. If your dream is to do wildly complex patterns in the future, an 8-shaft will be perfect! But there's a huge world of weaving to explore using just a 4-shaft.
While I've worked on an 8-shaft before, I only own 4-shaft looms - and they are perfect for me! I love the exploration of color and texture, with some pattern thrown in, too.
A 4-shaft will be traditionally less expensive than an 8, but still a jump from a rigid heddle. So when it comes down to it, I think the question is what kind of fabric do you want to create? If the answer is complicated patterns, then go with the 8-shaft. If it's anything else, I suggest the 4-shaft.
I hope that helps! If you have specifics you're curious about, just holler! I'm happy to help! Happy shopping!!
@@ActonCreative thank you so much for the answer! I do enjoy color more than anything, so probably a 4-shaft would do. But I’ll just explore 8-shaft patterns just in case. Have a great day!
@@FabioSasseron That's an excellent plan, Fabio! Let me know what you end up choosing!
Omg I am so relieved to find your channel. Thank you so much for this.
My brother purchased a table loom for me at a garage sale for $20.00, and I have no idea how to operate it. lol!! It's been a dream to own and use one of these, so I'm excited and hoping I could find someone on youtube to help me out with it. I noticed you use a boat? My loom didn't come with one. What would you suggest? Amazon I guess? Also one another question? Can a person use spun wool to make something on the loom with? I am totally green at loom weaving, so I have no clue as to how big of a piece you can make on the loom.
Hi! I'm so glad you're here! Congratulations on the loom - that's so exciting!!
My favorite shuttles are a boat shuttle and a rug shuttle. But I also have a stick shuttle and a ski shuttle that come out to play. You can find them anywhere weaving accessories are sold (Schacht, Webs, Kansas Yarn Barn, etc.)
As for working with handspun, you absolutely can use it! I would simply recommend you put it in your weft, not the warp. It may not stand up to the tension.
As for how big a project you can do, the width will be influenced by the size of your reed/beater bar. And with a table loom, your only real restriction for length will be how much space is between the fabric beam and the table.
Let me know if that answers your questions! If you think of any others, just let me know! You can do it!!!
ok thanks for the info. I think I will have to look to take a course online to better understand how this all works. Are there any books that you may know of that you would suggest? @@ActonCreative
@@southbridgefarm8795 Yes! There are many great books out there! Here's a quick video to give you some ideas - ruclips.net/video/qXx-9Q4Vf6c/видео.html
Also, this January, I'll open the doors to the Dress Your Loom Digital Course, which is a comprehensive look at weaving for a beginner! Stay tuned for more details!
Thanks for this. I am considering buying a table loom and I wonder how the loom is dressed. Also as I have back problems, is it hard on the back?
Hi Anne! I think the beauty of a table loom is that you can change the height - of your loom, or yourself! Ultimately, you should be able to move things around so you never need to lean or cause undo stress on your back. It's a good call, for sure!
Thank you for this excellent demonstration. I have an 8-shaft Schacht loom, which is huge, and I am thinking of a smaller loom for when we move to a smaller space. Do you find that weaving on the table loom is much slower than using a loom with treadles?
Hi Ruth! Thank you so much for the kind compliment! The table loom is slower, but not drastically. I tend to be someone who really enjoys the process. So, I don't mind it.
Here's one note I would offer. You'll find that some table looms have levers on one side versus in the middle of the loom. If you plan to work long hours on it, the levers in the middle will be a better configuration from an ergonomic perspective. Changing hands is really helpful in not overextending yourself. Just a thought!
Will you keep me posted on your possible new loom? I would love to hear what you settle on! Happy Weaving!!
@@ActonCreative Thank you so much for this reply, which is really helpful. I won't be moving for a while, but when I start really looking for a table loom I'd like something with more than 8 shafts, which probably means a Leclerc, and also means expensive. And yes, I will keep you posted.
@@RuthHenriquez1 Excellent! I'm very excited for you!
I have an 8 harness table loom Leclerc for sale
@@RuthHenriquez1 Just bought a 16-shaft Mountain Loom and am now in the process of warping it for my first project. I bought it used from Facebook Marketplace, so you might try looking around. Ashford Looms did a limited run of 32" 16-shaft looms, but they're now out of stock. Maybe they'll do it again.
longtime knitter here. am thinking about getting into weaving. i took a RH class and know you can use "normal" knitters yarn, depending on the dent but am looking into getting the leclerc dorothy. Does that work the same way? or will I be using cone fibers?
Hi Linda!! The type of loom won't necessarily dictate the style of yarn. It's more about the project. Yarn on a cone or a tube is just going to give you more volume, which can be convenient when weaving.
Other than that, I would just suggest keeping an eye on whatever fiber you choose for your warp, since you don't want it to break under tension.
At the end of the day, looking at your final project, it'll be near impossible to tell if the yarn started as a skein/ball versus a cone/tube. But it may be easier (& cheaper) to purchase 1 cone instead of many skeins. Just a thought!
As you kick it around, let me know what other questions come up! I'm happy to help!
I have a vintage table loom I picked up years ago in a junk shop. It doesn’t have a brand or anything on it so it has taken me a while to work out what it needs. It’s a 4 shaft, with pulleys on the sides as you mentioned. The heddles need a good clean, but it appears to work except that it’s missing the beater bar. I can see on yours for the frame of the beater bar should work, but what is the inner material of the beater bar? I’d love to make a beater bar and restore it to its former glory!
Monique, that is fabulous!!! I love your enthusiasm for restoring it!!
Yes, a beater bar will hold what's called a weaving reed - which you can buy wherever you find weaving supplies. The reed will come in a variety of widths. Simply measure your weaving width (how wide your fabric can be) to determine the size of the reed. A table loom is usually a 15", maybe a little bigger. Just keep in mind that you aren't measuring the width of the entire unit. If you measure the width of a shaft, that'll do it!
Then, you can choose the spacing in the reed, which are called dents. For example, 8 spaces per inch will go with an 8-dent reed. If you haven't done much weaving yet, I recommend a 12-dent reed as a great starter.
The beater bar typically has furrows in the frame so the beater bar can slide in and be secured in place. I hope that helps! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have follow-up questions! I would love to see your loom once you have it all put together!!! Good luck!!
Acton Creative oh thank you! I wasn’t absolutely certain where to measure so that was a huge help!
I found the Australian supplier of Ashford looms and spinning wheels so I can definitely get a reed from them, but looking at the models they stock I don’t think they’ll have a beater bar that will suit. Can’t hurt to email them a photo though to find out for sure. It certainly will happen faster if I can just buy the part and screw it on rather than have to design a beater bar, but if I have to do that I can. I was thinking 3 fairly thin pieces of timber sandwiched together with the middle one setback to create the furrow. Although really, if I needed to buy a router to create the furrow this loom will still be a bargain lol.
12 dent reed. Got it. Thanks. I am a total newbie. Also have a spinning wheel I’ve never used yet! I decided I should learn to crochet first so I could use the yarn I was going to spin, but then my stash if commercial yarn just exploded and I haven’t gotten through it all yet! I’m planning a move to the country soon. Getting my current house ready to sell at the moment. I’ll have a couple of sheep at my new place as I’ll need them to mow for me, plus meat, so of course I’ll want to spin their wool and do something cool with it. So it’s not surprising that restoring the loom has jumped back up the priority list! I’m sure if I absolutely love weaving I’ll want a floor loom, but you know, baby steps 😂
I will absolutely send you a photo when it’s done! Thank you for being so excited and enthusiastic with me!!
@@moniquem783 Wow!!! Look at you go! That is amazing! I love how you just dive into all the things! I am envious of your can-do attitude! That will definitely take you far in life!
As for the exploding yarn stash, you are preaching to the choir, my friend! It's like the cones duplicate at night while I'm sleeping!
Best of luck with the move and the sheep and the change of scenery! That is SO exciting! I can't wait to see all the amazing things you'll do!
I'm around if you need any clarification. But, it sounds like you have things under control! Take care!!
chris
@@ActonCreative horny little cones breeding as we sleep 😂😂😂😂 Yeah that’s it. Nothing to do with trips to the yarn store 😂😂
I took some photos and measured the width. It’s only 7.5”. I think that’s going to make it trickier to find what I need. It also means it will only be good for scarves, or maybe some patchwork type fabric, so I don’t want to spend too much on it because I’ll want to upgrade pretty quickly, but it’s still worth doing to find out if I actually enjoy weaving before I splash out on a big one. And really just for the pleasure of taking an old thing that’s past it’s prime and making it work again. I wonder if I can make a reed out of bamboo skewers. Or popsicle sticks. Hmmm. Okay wait, check if I can buy a 7.5” one first! 😂 And perhaps cutting down a stainless steel one might be easier than drilling all those tiny holes for bamboo skewers!
It’s always been in the back of my mind that I’d love to live on a hobby farm and grow veg and raise meat and have fresh raw milk and make my own cheese etc. I guess be as self sustainable as I can, but I was thinking about it long before it became a popular thing. But I’m in the suburbs and so can’t have a dairy animal, and my chickens aren’t allowed to have a rooster so I’ve got eggs but no meat. Then a few years ago my neighbour got a second dog and I ended up giving up on gardening because it’s so awful to be out there and get barked at the entire time. So I’ve been hiding inside. Then just over a year ago her 17 year old son moved back in with her, so now there’s music for 8+ hours a day almost every day that I hear inside my house. I still hear it in the room furtherest from them. Plus parties most weekends. It’s awful. I can’t escape it. I can’t wear earplugs as my ears have issues, so I tried noise cancelling headphones but they give me headaches. I thought I was stuck. I felt trapped and was getting desperately unhappy. And then I was looking at real estate in the country for a friend planning a move and I realised that if I move about 1-1.5 hours drive west of me, I can get at least 3 acres, if not more, for less than what this place is worth. So I decided screw it, I’m outta here! Now, I do have the advantage of having a fixed income and not having to commute to work so it doesn’t matter where I live, but I have that because I have a severe chronic illness so it throws up some extra complications. Hence, sheep to do my mowing so I don’t have to mow. Work smarter not harder type thing. I’ve signed up for a permaculture design course too as they do a lot of that. COVID and the restrictions we’ve had (I’m in Victoria, Australia where we’ve had lockdowns and restrictions for months as there were major outbreaks) have slowed me down as I haven’t been able to hire people to do some of the things I needed done, plus not many new properties are being listed at the moment, but I’m plugging away slowly at what I can and will soon be able to hire the help I need and hopefully the timing will all work out well and I’ll get my place listed right when properties where I’m headed start getting listed again. I’m sure it’ll all fall into place.
Thanks so much for your help Chris! I really appreciate it!
@@moniquem783 Amazing!!! What a journey you are on! I'm so very excited for you and your new place! I have a sweet friend who has chickens, and bees, and a garden. No sheep, but if she had even a little more space, I'm sure she would! It sounds like you would be kindred spirits!
How are things in Australia now? Are you still working with a lot of restrictions because of COVID? I'm in Indiana, in the Midwest of the US, and our numbers just keep inching up. Thankfully, like you, I can hunker down in my house and do my job!
Well, my friend, thank you so much! It's been such a delight to hear your story! Please keep in touch! I cannot wait to hear more about your loom and your spinning and your sheep! Take care of you! - chris
What model of shacht loom is this? I can’t seem to find it on their website. Thank you :-)
Hi! I bought mine used over 10 years ago. My understanding is that they have tweaked their table looms since this version.
I have an Ashford 32 inch 8 shaft table loom. I am thinking about getting the stand for it with the treadles. It only comes with four. I was told by one person that I might not like it because it wouldn’t raise the shafts evenly, have you heard of anything similar to that?
Hi Rebecca! While I've heard of adding a stand/treadles to a table loom, I've never worked with one before! So, I'm not familiar with the limitations. But it would definitely be a much smaller expense versus buying a floor loom! Will you keep me posted if you give it a try?
What is the toilet paper for? I have seen in earlier vids you mention it but not any real detail on it. You said spacing. So is it just to keep the beginning in place and therefore keep all the following weft in place?
Great question! When you tie your warp yarns to the rod at the front of the loom, they are all grouped together. In order to space them out evenly before I begin my project, I use about 5 rows of toilet paper. It's really easy to remove later, once the project is complete.
However, there are lots of other options! I've seen weavers use strips of old fabric, random yarn, or nothing at all! So, this is up to you, what makes the most sense to you and what's available.
Hope that helps!
@@ActonCreative In 15 years of weaving, this is the first I've heard of using toilet paper. I'll have to try it.
I started weaving on a 4 shaft floor loom where the shafts go down and any weaving patterns I have are for that. Can these patterns be used/converted for a table loom, like yours, where the shafts go up?
Hi Karen! Great question! Yes, you absolutely can! As you look at your patterns for a sinking shed, simply do the opposite for your table loom, which has a rising shed.
Here's what I mean. In a weaving draft, there's the tie-up section that looks like a crossword puzzle. Normally you would follow the blocks that are filled in or have an "x", correct? Because a table loom has a rising shed, follow the blank blocks instead.
Does that make sense? Let me know if that felt like a foreign language and I'll find another way to explain it!!
Does it have enough tension to weave tapestry
Great question! Yes, it would definitely have enough tension. However, you're only able to see a few inches at a time. So it could be tricky creating your image. A frame loom would probably work better! Just a thought!
Can you recommend a small look that requires minimal technique, do you have to do the back and forth width manually on all of them, price is no object.
Hi Diadem! Thanks for the comment! Can you give me a little more information so I know exactly what you're looking for? Thanks!
Hi, how much it will cost for buying and where can I find it from? Thank you.
Hi Rehana! Great question! I purchased my table loom used about 10 years ago for around $400. But there's a big range in price.
I love a Schacht loom, new or used. You can find them on their website or through other dealerships like Webs. You can also peruse sites like eBay for used looms.
If you happen to have a weavers guild near you, they usually will have information about looms being sold in the area.
Best of luck to you! Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you!!
@@ActonCreative thank you very much
@@rehanasfashionhouse302 My pleasure!
Hi there.
Next time you make a video PLEEZ work on the volume. I like to use my ipad and the volume is all the way up.
Hi Laura! The video is too quiet, is that what you mean? Thanks!
Acton Creative , hi yes.
@@laura-leemurphyuta78 I didn't realize that - thank you so much for letting me know!