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ClaireUK · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 94 Location: Coventry, UK

I have joined my local guild but they are very expert and I am getting a bit boggled with the terninology etc. Everyone wants to help, which is wonderful, but I think i need to do some homework myself.

Can you recommend a book to start with eg.

'The Ladybird book of Weaving' or 'Weaving for Dummies'?

Also, what is a good 'beginners' loom?

THanks, Claire UK

natalie · Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:16 pm Post subject:

It depends what you want to make and how much you want to spend, but then doesn't everything? Laughing

I have an Ashford rigid heddle, which I got as an ex demo from my spinning /weaving shop. It's the middle sized one.
There's also a new "scarf" loom being marketed as a loom for knitters which has a fairly wide reed which will take the interesting hairy slubby yarns as warp.
A rigid heddle will let you do simple crossweave, but if you want to do more complex stuff you need... well you need Kathy, or someone who knows more than me!
n
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Kathy · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 90 Location: Scotland

Have you got any ideas about what kind of cloth you want to make, the type of fibre you want to use and size of pieces? Different books and looms serve different purposes depending on what you are interested in making.

Having had experience with a 4 shaft countermarche floor loom (fairly complicated to set up but fine once you get weaving) I am now saving up for a large riggid heddle as this will cover everything I am ever likely to want to make, takes up less room, much cheaper and is less complicated than the loom I had. Of course, if I had a limitless amount of cash I would spend a few thousand and get a computerised dobby and pay for 1 to 1 tuition! Laughing

ClaireUK · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 94 Location: Coventry, UK

I have just got back from my local guild meeting and.....I bought a second hand loom Shocked

It is a rigid heddle table loom and can make fabric 40 cms wide. It was £10 !!!!!

I also bought a second hand pair of curved carders for £10 too so quite a good day.

I am one happy bunny Very Happy

Claire UK

Kathy · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 90 Location: Scotland

Wow Claire, you lucky thing, what make was the loom!

The recommended book by everyone I spoke to last year is "Learning to weave" by Debbie Chandler. I've found it to be most informative and in simple terms too, well worth the money. I'd never heard of warps, beams and raddles till last year, n and I had good laugh over all the technical terms, now they just roll off the tongue! Laughing

ClaireUK · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 94 Location: Coventry, UK

This is my 'new' loom:

[img]

and these are my 'new' carders:
[/img]

Claire UK

PS Anyone know what sort it is?

natalie · Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:49 pm Post subject:

No idea, but it looks like a good piece of kit, and a bargain at £10.
40 cm is a good width, you'll be able to make a decent piece of clth on it, not just scarves.
n
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www.theyarnyard.co.uk

spinningsue · Joined: 03 Jul 2006 Posts: 56 Location: Worcestershire

Oh! Oh! Oh! I'm sooo jealous! Well done Claire, what a great buy. Laughing

I've just had confirmation that I've been temporarily promoted while my line manager is on maternity leave. Its lots of extra responsibility Shocked

but with a correspondingly huge pay increase. With back pay! So come Friday when my lovely employer refills my piggy bank I'll be moseying on over to the Wingham website to buy myself a Kromski rigid heddle loom. I can't wait... Very Happy

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natalie · Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:04 pm Post subject:

Haven't seen a Kromski.
Well done you!
Please post pics!
n
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www.theyarnyard.co.uk

ClaireUK · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 94 Location: Coventry, UK

oooh, I havent seen one either. I look forward to piccies.

Claire UK