The Sewing Place

Can anyone recommend and affordable table weaving loom?

SewMeSome

Can anyone recommend and affordable table weaving loom?
« on: May 26, 2022, 22:20:56 PM »
Hi all - as title suggests , I'd like to give weaving a go but dont want to go overboard on price.
Any recommendations please?

Lowena

Re: Can anyone recommend and affordable table weaving loom?
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2022, 00:08:16 AM »
Me too
Triumph of hope over experience :D

BlueCat

Re: Can anyone recommend and affordable table weaving loom?
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2022, 00:19:26 AM »
I have the Ashford SampleIt 16” Rigid Heddle Loom. I found it very easy to weave on, as a beginner. At 16” it’s a good size to work with comfortably for small projects such as scarves or fabric lengths. It is possible to weave double width with another heddle or pick-up sticks (not confident enough to try that myself yet).
Apart from scarves, I have woven some ‘fabric’ which I sewed into a tote bag.
https://pin.it/1IbC6q3

(Can’t get link to work, will try later  :facepalm: )
« Last Edit: May 27, 2022, 00:32:14 AM by BlueCat »

stephanelli

Re: Can anyone recommend and affordable table weaving loom?
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2022, 06:50:25 AM »
I have a Kromski Harp Loom.  It's a rigid heddle loom and I absolutely love it.
I have the largest version (32") which is somewhat big and cumbersome but they start at 8" which would be much easier.

Ploshkin

Re: Can anyone recommend and affordable table weaving loom?
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2022, 09:07:48 AM »
Rigid heddle looms are the cheapest and can be clamped to a table.  Looms referred to as 'Table Looms' are more complex and much more expensive.
Ashford rigid heddle looms (made in NZ) are excellent quality and considerably cheaper than the comparable opposition ( Kromski & Schacht, ). You do have to put the smaller Ashford looms together and wax the wood but that's part of what keeps the price down.
Are you looking for a particular size?  I started with a 10" and wished I had gone for a 12" because the  max weavng width ends up a couple of inches narrower when taken off the loom.  I now have a 20" as well.
A good value package is the Ashford complete weaving kit which was round about £200 and includes   2 heddles, 2 shuttles, yarn finishing wax and a carrying bag.
Since Covid?  Brexit? UK suppliers seem to have experienced a lot of delays getting kit into the country and stuff is often out of stock.

I have dealt with  Weft Blown and George Weil and have had good service from both.
Life's too short for ironing.

Celia

Re: Can anyone recommend and affordable table weaving loom?
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2022, 14:07:50 PM »
I agree with all that everyone has said, I started with the Ashford samplet but actually prefer th Schacht cricket for a small and portable loom, it is much easier to get a good tension on the warp. https://www.weftblown.com/products/schacht-cricket-rigid-heddle-loom

I have also added a photo of mine, I do have a few others, is it a ridged heddle loom you are thinking of, what do you act want to weave and what yarn do you want to use. 

If you really want to start small there are definitely cheaper options but they are not so adaptable.


SewMeSome

Re: Can anyone recommend and affordable table weaving loom?
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2022, 21:57:52 PM »
Thanks for all the great replies folks. That is really, really helpful. Sorry for the delay in responding.

Edit - would a small loom like some of the above be manageable working on your lap while sitting on a sofa?

SewMeSome

Re: Can anyone recommend and affordable table weaving loom?
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2022, 22:05:59 PM »

Are you looking for a particular size?  I started with a 10" and wished I had gone for a 12" because the  max weavng width ends up a couple of inches narrower when taken off the loom.  I now have a 20" as well.
A good value package is the Ashford complete weaving kit which was round about £200 and includes   2 heddles, 2 shuttles, yarn finishing wax and a carrying bag.
Since Covid?  Brexit? UK suppliers seem to have experienced a lot of delays getting kit into the country and stuff is often out of stock.


I'm not really sure at this moment. Does the measurement equate to the width that can be achieved?
And I was wondering if it's possible to use one while seated (if small enough), or if it needs to be firmly fixed to a table etc?
I dont have a big budget, so that kind of dictates what is possible

Ploshkin

Re: Can anyone recommend and affordable table weaving loom?
« Reply #8 on: May 30, 2022, 22:32:51 PM »
The size is the width of the heddle through which the warp is threaded so that is your maximum weaving width.  However the finished size of your weaving will always be a couple of inches narrower after taking it off the loom and wet finishing.  All of the threads are under tension when weaving and there is also draw in ( the weaving will pull in a bit) so it will always be smaller in width or length.  Some shrinkage will also occur with wet finishing, the amount depending on the yarn.
A small rigid heddle is perfect for using on your lap though personally I don't like that as I find my arms are too close to my body.
I made an 8" scarf on my 10" Ashford Sampleit using sock wool.

A good person to read (blog) and watch is Kelly Casanova
Life's too short for ironing.

SewMeSome

Re: Can anyone recommend and affordable table weaving loom?
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2022, 09:45:26 AM »
The size is the width of the heddle through which the warp is threaded so that is your maximum weaving width.  However the finished size of your weaving will always be a couple of inches narrower after taking it off the loom and wet finishing.  All of the threads are under tension when weaving and there is also draw in ( the weaving will pull in a bit) so it will always be smaller in width or length.  Some shrinkage will also occur with wet finishing, the amount depending on the yarn.
A small rigid heddle is perfect for using on your lap though personally I don't like that as I find my arms are too close to my body.
I made an 8" scarf on my 10" Ashford Sampleit using sock wool.

A good person to read (blog) and watch is Kelly Casanova

Thanks for all that info, much appreciated.