If you have been practicing sewing during other holiday seasons, it might be time to switch it up to a different activity so that you can learn something new.
Staying in the same line of textiles, you can try out weaving. Just like sewing, weaving is a hands-on activity, and you will most likely enjoy it if you like sewing.
Well, if you want to weave, where do you start?
The most important tool that you will need is a weaving loom.
Weaving looms have become very many in the market, and thus, as a new user, it might be a daunting task to get the right one to suit your needs.
Therefore, you must have the right information so that you get the best weaving loom and dive into this craft using the right tool. Below are some of the best looms that you should consider.
Our Top 3 Recommendations – Weaving Loom
“Following are the top three recommended products based on personal experience and customer feedback”
- Melissa & Doug Wooden Multi-Craft Weaving Loom – (Premium Pick)
- Mikimiqi Wooden Multi-Craft Weaving Loom – (Runners Up)
- Wooden Multi-Craft Weaving Loom – (Editors’ Choice)
Top 5 Best Weaving Loom Reviews
1. Ashford Weaving Rigid Heddle Loom
This weaving loom comes with a 7.5 dpi nylon reed that enables you to create moderately textured fabrics from multiple yarns. However, 2.5, 5, 10, 12.5, and 15 dpi reeds are also available for this specific loom and can be bought separately, enabling you to make a wide range of fine or textured fabrics.
Its rigid heddle design makes it quite good for hand weaving. This design is quite versatile and easy to use and to make it even better, the loom has the option of adding a second heddle kit so that you can weave using multiple shafts.
In terms of build quality, this loom is made out of silver beech hardwood, making it very strong and capable of handling tensions from the warp threads.
It is accessorized with a warping peg, which contains a clamp that can be fastened onto a table edge. The loom itself also has its clamp, and the length you set between it and the peg determines the length of the warp threads and, consequently, the length of your project.
Features at a glance
- It comes with multiple accessories such as a threading hook, 1- 22” shuttle, 1- 30” shuttle, and an instruction booklet
- Very easy to assemble.
- Small in size and, therefore, portable.
- It is made from natural unfinished silver beech hardwood, making it strong and durable.
2. Melissa & Doug Wooden Multi-Craft Weaving Loom
This weaving loom features a huge frame that measures 22.75” by 16.5”. This gives you ample space to work on your fabric as well as on tapestries. The top bar of the frame has adjustable knobs on each side, enabling you to move it up or down. This movement adjusts the frame size, giving you the flexibility to work on different project sizes using a single loom.
The top and wooden bottom bars have wooden guides that hold the warp threads straight and firm, enabling you to weave easily. It comes with an oversized wooden needle, handy for kids because it simplifies weaving the weft into the warp.
The included accessories are exciting. It comes with a 91-yard rainbow-colored yarn, which is a considerable addition because it enables you to start weaving immediately without buying any other thread. It also comes with 42 picture strips that can be used to weave three picture tapestries. This gives you a total of 4 craft options straight out of the box.
Features at a glance
- Made of high-quality wood and, thus, very durable.
- Huge frame size, which is adjustable to accommodate different project sizes
- Easy-grasp knobs make it easy to adjust the top bar.
- It comes with a detailed instruction booklet to get you started.
- The oversized wooden needle makes it quite easy to weave the weft thread.
3. Wool Novelty 413L Deluxe Hand Weaving Loom
At first sight, you will not fail to notice the small size of this weaving loom. It has a small frame that measures 20cm by 20cm, which makes it easily portable. You can carry it to work, your grandma’s, or even your summer camp and continue weaving during your free time. This enables you to experience many hours of cumulative fun as you switch locations.
The loom comes with a metallic hook, which is quite useful for jersey loop weaving. This hook simplifies the process of weaving the weft thread onto the warp thread, which can be really tricky if you decide to use your hands on the small surface area. Compared to the wooden accessories of other weaving looms, this metallic hook is quite strong and durable and will give you a long service life.
The loom itself is also metallic, and this means that you get a durable product that will endure the occasional falls and rough handling, making it worry-free to travel with. It has thread guides on all 4 sides, which, apart from guiding the thread, enable you to tie the warp threads firmly so that they do not sag.
Features at a glance
- The small square size makes it very portable.
- The full metallic construction makes it strong and durable.
- It comes with a metal hook that makes it ideal for jersey loop weaving.
- Ideal for making potholders and place-mats
- Packaging has clearly labeled instructions to help you get started easily.
- Very affordable.
4. Beka 20″ Weaving Loom
This is quite the opposite of the wool novelty weaving loom. It is quite big, measuring 20” by 23”, making it ideal for working on large projects. It comes with a pair of stands that are used to keep it steady in an upright position. This gives you the convenience of weaving without worrying about holding the frame.
The entire structure – frame plus stands – is made from maple wood. This hardwood construction makes it durable and strong enough to withstand tensions from fastening the warp threads. Despite its large size, maple wood construction makes it lightweight and, thus, a bit better when it comes to the aspect of portability.
It has a maximum weaving width of 20”, with the top and bottom bars having 5 teeth per inch. This means that you can only create textured fabrics using this loom. In total, you get 100 teeth, which is also the maximum number of teeth that you can use for your project.
The loom comes in parts and requires assembly on-site. However, it is quite easy to put it together because it has very few parts. Additionally, it comes with a complete set of assembly instructions that further simplify this process.
Features at a glance
- It can be used on a flat surface, on your lap, or at any inclined angle due to its stands.
- Easy to assemble because of its few parts.
- 5 teeth per inch make it ideal for making textured fabrics.
- Recommended for use with natural ivory cotton yarn.
- Strong and durable due to its maple hardwood construction.
5. Ashford SampleIt Weaving Loom 10 (25cm)
This Weaving Loom is available in two sizes; a 10” (25cm) width size and a 16” (40cm) width size. This enables you to work on any project that requires a rigid heddle loom size that does not exceed these specified sizes.
Its rigid heddle architecture makes it very versatile and, therefore, suitable for hand weaving. Its versatility can be further improved because it has the option of adding another heddle, enabling you to weave using multiple shafts.
It comes with a 7.5dpi reed that does a good job of laying out warps for a moderately textured fabric. It also comes with a warping peg and clamp, which are essential parts of the whole process of warping.
The loom is clamped to one end of a table, and the peg is clamped onto the other end. The length of the warp thread tied between these two then determines the size of the project.
Structurally, the loom is made from natural silver beech wood. A few plastic parts are included, such as the handles, but they are solid. This construction makes the loom very sturdy and durable enough to make you countless numbers of fabrics.
Features at a glance
- Requires assembly before use but comes with a setup guide for quick assembly.
- Solid construction makes it strong and durable.
- Built-in second heddle option.
Are You Looking For Weaving Loom? Here’s What You Need to Consider
There are different types of weaving looms. Each of them has different features, which are beneficial to a certain type of weaver. Therefore, to avoid buying the wrong one for your project, it is important to consider the following.
Size of the loom
The size of the loom directly determines the size of the project that you can work on. If you are starting and want to test and experiment with how weaving is done, a small or medium loom will help you achieve it.
However, if you want to work on home decor projects such as large pieces for the wall or large furnishing pieces, it might be better to invest in a large loom. The large frame will enable you to lay out the warp and weft threads over a large area, thereby creating a large piece.
Portability
Generally, most looms are made using strong but lightweight material. The factor that affects portability is size. The bulkiness of large weaving looms makes them impractical to move around with. Therefore, if you do most of your weaving at home, a large loom will work for you.
However, if you like to move around the home and weave from different house locations, you better get a small or medium loom. Large looms are quite cumbersome to move around with and thus are better off fixed in one position.
It is also possible to travel with your loom. If you are an avid traveler, you can carry your projects with you on the road. To do this, however, you better get a small loom.
Ease of use
There are several types of weaving looms. Each of these has its ease of use, depending on the tasks you need to weave the fabric. Tapestry looms are the easiest to use and can be useful to start with as a beginner.
Rigid heddle looms and inkle looms are also easy to use but have some procedures that might require going through a few video tutorials to get them right. You might also need to have some basic weaving skills before using them and are better off for intermediate weavers.
Table looms and floor looms are perhaps the most advanced looms in the market. However, this comes with a bit of complexity, and thus it might be difficult to use for beginners. However, experienced weavers might enjoy using them because they know how every part operates.
Warp threads per inch
Different looms use different terms to define how many warp threads they can have per inch. Looms with reeds use the term dpi (dents per inch), while those with guides on their frames use terms like teeth per inch.
This term is important because it determines how the texture of the end product will feel. A higher dent or teeth per inch value means that you get more warp threads, and thus, the result will have a wonderful texture.
A lower value means that you get fewer warps, and thus, the fabric will have a rough texture because the threads will be spread out over a larger area.
Accessories
Accessories are always an added plus when buying anything. When shopping for a weaving loom, you should check the one that comes with the most accessories, especially those you would need the most. For instance, as a beginner, you would probably want a loom that comes with a long yarn so that you can begin weaving immediately after unboxing.
Conclusion
Whether you are a beginner or an expert at weaving, there are some specific features that you would want in your weaving loom to work on your project comfortably.
This review and buying guide will give you the extra information you needed to help you find the best weaving loom.