I'm looking into purchasing a rigid heddle loom and am a bit confused as to what to get since there is a variety of different looms and prices out there. I have looked at Beka, Kromski Harp & Fiddle, Ashford and Schacht. I'm eventually hoping to make simple tapestries and I got the feeling that not all these looms had the capacity to do this. So my question is what is the best loom as far as ease in use, price and future growth in the art of weaving. Would really appreciate any advice!
Judi, I'm not sure that these pretty looms are tough enough for tapestry. I'm no loom expert, but own an Ashford Knitters Loom, the 12 inch one, and have been using it for weft faced weaving. Used for balanced weaving, its great! But I have been using it for small tapestries, and I'm not sure it will hold up to this sort of treatment for too long, as no rigid heddle loom takes high tension too well. I use artists stretcher frames for warp faced weaving, and should also use one for tapestry, as they are made to hold up to stress.
What size rigid heddle loom you start with will depend on what you want to make with it. Most brands now have a second heddle kit, which widens the scope of what you can achieve on one, and with the second heddle kits, you can not only do twills, you can also do double cloth, and weave with very fine yarns, techniques that up until recently have been thought impossible. The limit as to width is going to depend on the length of your arms, to put the shuttle through, and how much space you have to use it. A 20 inch loom will require 20 inches each side to allow for the shuttle passing through. Also, the beams on the rigid heddle looms do not, as a rule, take a long warp. Apart from these couple of limitations, studying what can be done on a rigid heddle loom could take you the rest of your life!
All the brands you have mentioned are good, some have differences that don't worry one person but annoy the next. I would unhesitatingly recommend the little Knitters Loom - its stores away neatly when not in use, and is very portable, and soooooooo easy to warp up and use. I do have a loom with the teeth on the back and front beams, and cannot recommend that, as you are stuck with one size of heddle, and they are a bit awkward to warp up. If money was no object, I would go for a Flip, purely because it has a warp and cloth beam as well as the back and front beams, and that has to make it stronger. But that is my own subjective view - others will think differently.
Hope this helps, Caroline ( whose number of looms keeps growing, aaaargghhhhh!)
HI CarolineA,
I hope I can jump in on this post.
I am also considering a rigid heddle loom. I mainly want to do blankets that are 64" wide. I have been told I can double weave or double width with a rigid. But I have been also told I can't do this with less than 4 harnesses. Could you please clarify? Thanks.
Hi, It is possible to doubleweave on a rigid heddle loom, but its a slow process that requires a second heddle kit. If you are going to do more than one I would recommend a 4 or preferably 8 shaft loom where the treadles make for a much faster weaving process.
The rigid heddle loom basically has two shafts and can do plain weave and its variations using those 2 shafts. When you add extra string heddles or a pick-up stick, you create extra shafts, but its not as fast weaving as a loom with 4 or more shafts as you have to manually change the sheds. When you add the extra rigid heddle, you can do 3/1 twills and double weaves that normally take 4 shafts ( they have 4 different sheds that are in regular use) but because you have to raise one rigid heddle, and lower the other according to which shed you want to create, its slow. Treadles do this work on a floor loom, and levers do this on a multi-shaft table loom, though for the width you want to do a floor loom is going to be a great deal easier, quicker, hkeeps a better tension, and is far sturdier. The draw back is that it takes up far more room than the rigid heddle loom. In your situation I would not even consider a rigid heddle loom, attractive as the cost and size are, if I regularly wanted to weave 64 inch blankets.
You can get good second hand looms from your local guild, you may even be able to hire one for a while, to work out if this really is the way you want to go and find out the advantages and short-comings of both styles of loom. But if you are looking to buy a second hand loom on Craigslist, or similar, please have an experienced weaver with you so you don't waste your money. If you can, before you make your decision, try and have some weaving lessons so you know what a loom should feel like when you use it.
Both styles of loom are great, but they can and do serve different purposes, so if you have room for a floor loom, go for it, and perhaps a birthday or other occasion can bring you a little rigid heddle loom as well. Why not have your cake and eat it?
Hi,
Thank you so much for your input. This really helps me out a lot.
While I would absolutely love to get a floor loom, I just don't have the money for it. I honestly can't say that I don't have the space, because if I could, I would buy the Schadt Baby Wolf.
I am not really that concerned with the length of time that it will take to make the blanket. It will be considerably less time than if I knitted it.
Unfortunately, there are no weaving guilds in my area. I have been searching on craigs list for a used loom. Perhaps I will get lucky. I have some time before I am able to purchase the loom.
Again, thank you for the input!
Rigid heddle loom are great and can out perform the multishaft looms in their adaptability but lack speed of work, but give enjoyment anyway. For a blanket consider the yarn size and use an eight shaft table loom as I did and presented to an elite show panel with the result that I recieved a third place certificate in class - my first attempt at double weave. The loom is an eight shaft thirty two inch Ashford.
this may hinder you in any selection but I hope it helps.
Happy weaving,
John C
Hello,
I have had my rigid heddle loom for nearly a year now. I own an Emilia made by Glimakra. I have had a standard Glimakra floor loom since the early 1980's and wouldn't consider any other brand. They are well made, sturdy, and QUIET !! You might check into the other Glimakra products as well, as they have a variety of looms / prices / widths / etc. Good luck.
I hope it's ok if I jump in on this thread as I basically have the same question as Judi. I've caught the weaving bug and would love to begin. I like the rigid heddle but can't decide how to proceed. Money is a big issue so I have looked at the beka loom 12" and the cricket (to learn on) but since I would eventually love to weave tea towels, placemats, scarfs, I'm not sure if I should buy a 20 or 24". I'm curious what experienced weavers would suggest. Also, my husband is interested so I would like to get 2 looms for us. All opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Mary
When i I was looking for a loom, these are the things that I considered:
I wanted at least 24" width, and I didn't want to spend a fortune. I really liked the knitters loom because it folded up, but I wanted the 24" width. The ashford was the least expensive, so that is what I ended up getting. The Schacht is "prettier" I think, but it was a bit more. and at the end of the day, I thoroughly enjoy my Ashford, and while technically I'm "at work" right now, I'm actually day dreaming about my next project :-)
good luck making a choise, or perhaps by now you have already chosen!
Thank you so much Patti for your response. I haven't made a choice yet. I was liking the Gilmakra Susanna, but the price is rather high for me right now, so I put off my search.
After reading your post I have a new perspective on the whole matter. I think what matters is that at the end of the day I am weaving. :-) It seems that all the companies put out good quality products and people are happy with their choices. Width of 24" is also important to me. I had not really looked at the Ashford Looms but I just did a quick search and I like what I see-and the price is good. I might be weaving soon-- I'll join you in your day dreaming.
Thank you again.
I'm new to the rigid heddle world so I took a class recently where we all came with our loom warped. The difference I saw in loom performance was astounding. Many of the looms bent and twisted when the warp was tightened...you could actually see one side of the loom lift right off of the table. I have Schacht and did not find the torque I put on the loom to be a problem.
Wow! I never imagined a loom would twist or bend! I don't have that problem with my Ashford.
-patti
Maybe there is a place near you where you can actually sit down at different looms? Weaving schools usually have looms you can use, or a shop? There is a gal local here who teaches, and she has looms you can rent. While I'm happy with my ashford, if I could have tried out others before hand, I might have chosen differently! good luck in your search.
You are so much more patient than I. As soon as I caught the weaving bug I jumped in and did some research and bam! bought my loom. I ended up liking and buying the Kromski, 32" Harp. It has the warping board set up on the back. It's pretty, light, well finished. New Voyager Trading has a library of videos to help you put the loom together, as well as videos on how to warp and weave. The harp folds with the warp on, so you can pick up and go to the beach or a friend's house or a weaving class with it. I have had mine two months and I am extrememly pleased. It cost me $230, and I got free shipping from www.fiber2yarn.com (Elizabeth's weaving store.) They send everything you will need to get started except the yarn.
With the 32" I figured I could always weave something smaller, plus I have the capability of going the full width. Thay also have a 24" (I think) and a 16". I hope I am not too late, and good luck in your search! A fellowoabsessed weaver! Claudia
That was supposed to be...a fellow obsessed weaver...my keyboard sucks
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