How to choose the perfect Rigid Heddle Loom that is right for you
In this video Kyle here at
Paradise Fibers goes over all the basic features of the most popular Rigid Heddle Looms here at the shop. We know many of our customers from around the country can't make it in and don't have a shop nearby so we created this helpful video shopping guide. Rigid Heddle Looms are a great way to get started weaving because they aren't too complicated but you can make some really fun projects quicker than knitting or crochet. Kyle reviews the: ,
Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom,
Schacht Flip Rigid Heddle Loom and more!
Warping a Rigid Heddle Loom Video
A
Rigid Heddle Loom is different than a
Table Loom or
Floor loom in a few ways. A Rigid Heddle Loom typically has only 1 shaft or frame that lifts the threads up or down while you are weaving. Table Looms like the LeClerc Voyager Loom or Floor Looms like the Schacht Baby Wolf have multiple shafts or frames that raise or lower the threads and often have foot pedals to control the raising and lowering of the threads. Also with Table and Floor Looms they have adjustable width on the heddle spacing where a rigid heddle has a fixed plastic reed instead. The advantage of having the adjustable width between threads means you can weave many different thickness of materials without changing all of the heddles in your frames where with a Rigid Heddle you need to swap out the reed with the fixed spacing anytime you pick a different thickness of yarn to use.
The main differences between the Knitter's Loom and the Ashford Rigid Heddle...
Why did Ashford make two rigid heddle looms you ask? The
Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom was the initial release and one of the first Rigid Heddle Looms we saw here at the shop, the
Ashford Knitter's Loom was released later and was built for portability and use for larger yarns. Ashford had many requests by knitters who were interested in weaving but didn't want the lug around a giant 24 inch or 32 inch Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom. The Ashford Knitter's Loom features a collapsible design that folds up when not in use or for travel. This has made it a favorite among knitters who enjoy their craft on the go. The Knitter's Loom also allows use of knitting yarn, anywhere from fingering or lace weight all the way up to worsted and bulky weight knitting yarns! The Ashford Knitter's Loom was the first loom to accommodate knitters with larger threading holes in the reed called a wide eye reed. This was what really separated the Knitter's Loom from the rest of the rigid heddle looms when it was first released but now most of the rigid heddle looms like the
Schacht Flip rigid heddle loom also have larger wide eye reeds standard.
Here are some popular weaving project ideas for the rigid heddle style weaving loom. The wider the weaving loom the more possibilities you have!
- Placemats
- Table Runners
- Baby Blankets
- Handbags
- Scarves
- Hand Towels
- and much more!
Why do people use two reeds on a Rigid Heddle Loom and how can I use two reeds on mine? What is a second heddle kit?
First off, the more shafts or reeds you have the more design options you'll have when weaving. Using two heddles (with a second heddle kit) you can create intricate designs that aren't possible with just one reed. The
Ashford Knitter's Loom second heddle kit for example, is basically some blocks with notches in them that hold an additional reed in place. The add on second heddle kits are typically around $25 and some looms even have them built in. For example the Schacht Flip Loom is a rigid heddle loom that has a second heddle kit built in already, right out of the box! When using two reeds you'll want to make sure that you have two of the same DPI Reed (Dents per inch) so the threads will line up when you warp it. Getting a second heddle kit for your loom is a great way to upgrade your performance and options before making the leap into a Table Loom or Floor Loom.
What tools do you use or need when using a Rigid Heddle Loom?
Some of the common tools when using a Rigid Heddle Loom are: stick shuttles,
weaving boat shuttles, a threading hook or
nylon reed hook. All of our Rigid Heddle Looms come complete with at least one or two stick shuttles in appropriate lengths as well as threading hooks. The stick shuttle is the most common way beginner weavers use a rigid heddle loom with yarn wrapped in a figure 8 around the stick shuttle passing it through the shed while weaving. Boat shuttles are much more fun and can be used with a Rigid Heddle Loom and I highly recommend them. Be careful that you get a slim boat shuttle and not a standard boat shuttle. The reason you want to use a slim boat shuttle is that on a rigid heddle loom the shed or opening where you weave through is not very big and a standard boat shuttle won't move through the warp smoothly and will cause you trouble.
By
Travis RomineArticle ID: 14, Created On: 8/23/2012, Modified: 4/26/2013