Loom boom

I never published a post about the tapestry looms that I was making, things got in the way of finishing them and when that happens life has a way of moving on to the next project regardless. In fact I still have one thing to do to finish my large tapestry frame! And the medium one (being warped on the red table cloth below) will be ditched or remodelled after I finish the project on it.

Then I got the Ashford rigid heddle loom and became fascinated with fabric making instead. But while I’m not done exploring plain weave adventures, I kept thinking about twills. I looked for a small table loom, just a wee 30 cm one perhaps to make samples and get it all out of my hair, LEARN. None appeared on the used market, they are not popular here. I’ve contemplated making a primitive one, after all, they weave beautiful things in India and other remote places with just sticks, stones and string in tiny dark huts on the ground! But, well, very time consuming and in the end probably too costly compared to quality.

There is no room for the floor loom of my dreams in this tiny house. Unless I give up painting, which I will not, but then I was alerted to folding looms. Measuring tape out. Now, in the spare room I have the old Singer sewing machine squeezed in beside the guest bed. So if I find another location for that and fold the loom when not in use… I could close the door if the cats become a nuisance…. So now, in the space of a year (but really just a few months of actual weaving time), I’ve gone from this:

nailframe warp2

to this and that, rigid heddle looms. Why two? Because the last one had a much denser reed than you can get on the new models. For finer yarns. (80/10, 40 epi) It’s also nice to be able to sample an idea while you still have a project on the other loom. I figured how to set up the stand for a more slanted position so I can use it on the couch and for tapestry, as it has really good tension. Have to look after that silly neck of mine.

warp02 lervad02

And then I went nuts and got an old 4 shaft countermarch folding floor loom a month ago (Lervad) AND the other week a Glimåkra Gobelin, an upright 130 cm wide tapestry loom. I don’t really have the space for the latter, I certainly don’t have the time to weave large, fine tapestries, but:

  1. It was dead cheap. + 60 bobbins & stuff.glimakra_gobelin
  2. They don’t make them anymore, so may become extinct.
  3. It’s been said, that to create the life of your dreams you should act as if you already have it. So I dream of doing yarny, pictury things for the rest of my life.
  4. Assuming I live another 30 years at least, I figure there will be time to get them all into action occasionally?
  5. I’ve been thinking of large things with really thick yarns and various objects. Quicker than real traditional tapestry.

lervad9

I guess I’m committed now!

I’ve realised that the tapestry thing is very time consuming and just not something I get around to in summer. Making cloth is a breeze compared, so at least that’s not likely to clutter up my todo list with wips forever. But thinking of it as having a 30 year overall deadline and learning curve is a great stress reliever. 😉

I think I’m done shopping just now. I’d like to move beyond reading and sampling to actually producing something. And there must be spinning done…

I figure when I drill more holes I can raise it even more, although it does get a very large footprint this way.
I figure when I drill more holes I can raise it even more, although it does get a very large footprint this way. (It’s not as big as it looks, cm 60Wx80L)

22 thoughts on “Loom boom

  1. Smart idé med at bore fler huller i understellet. Jeg har måttet holde en pause, fordi jeg fik ondt i ryggen, så den idé kopierer jeg med tak.
    Hvis du ser en rammevæv med træhjul i enderne i stedet for de der “urmagertakker”, så køb den. De er bare så meget bedre Jeg har lige købt min 3. der hang på et genbrug og kaldte ynkeligt på mig 😉
    Jeg håber det går fremad med helbredet. Din deadline på 30 år giver i hvert fald håb.

    1. Tror jeg har rammevæve nok, det skulle da være en lille smal ting til at sidde med i skøddet og dubblere som båndvæv i så fald.

      Jeg er stadig helt vildt sammensnøret i brystkassen og synes ikke jeg laver dagens gode gerning, men jeg forsøger at ignorere det, når der åbenbart ikke er nogen som er interesseret i fænomenet….

  2. I’m green with envy for all these looms, however space and time tell me to stick with what I have and concentrate on the tapestry weaving (at least for now!).

    1. I don’t really need the big Gobelin either. But let’s face it, it’s a dyeing craft, they don’t make this type of loom anymore and many probably inherit them, decide it’s just a piece of junk and burn them. (the seller’s husband had suggested as much!)

      So at the price I just had to get it, just in case I one day need it. I mean, I want to some day, so I could choose to prepare for it or choose to believe it probably would never happen and then miss out. It’s not like it eats away at my budget just standing there, unlike some ponies I know…. 😉

  3. Such a gem…..
    “It’s been said, that to create the life of your dreams you should act as if you already have it.”
    I will incorporate this into my thoughts and actions!
    Thank you!

  4. Oh, this is so exciting! All the looms are so beautiful.
    I don’t know how much experience you have, but if you aren’t that familiar with warping the floor loom, I highly recommend Peggy Osterkamp’s method of warping from back to front. She has several books and DVDs – I learned from her in a workshop, so I’m not sure which book would be best, but her instruction is clear and concise, so I don’t think you could go wrong. Her method has saved me many hours over the way I was originally taught to warp.

    1. I can warp it, but I don’t have a good routine yet, so all pointers for an easy process are welcome. I’ve heard the name before, I’ll look her up!

  5. I’m sure I would have been tempted too – it would be a shame to burn it and I no longer keep horses and ponies to spend money on!

  6. I just bought my first tapestry loom, also a Glimakra Gobelin 🙂 Do you by any chance have instructions on warping it? I’ve been looking for info everywhere.

    1. I do in fact have a pdf sent to me from Glimåkra. It’s in Swedish however, but there are pictures and I’d be able to help if you have questions.

      manual

      1. Perhaps you could ask GlimakraUSA for one in English, I have the impression that they’re VERY helpful with such issues.

  7. I have just acquired a Lervad loom identical to the one in your post. Would you happen to have a copy of the manual that goes with it? I think there are some pieces missing and I do not have anything that I can reference. Thanks.

    1. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find one for the No. 9. But I’d be happy to guide you through any troubles, measure parts if you need to have some made (I added two shafts recently), additional photos. Just PM me.

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