Basics: How to Make a Custom Loom

 

 

So I have been seeing weaving projects EVERYWHERE! If all of you follow any other DIY bloggers well then chances are that you’ve seen them too. I’ll admit that it took me a little while to warm up to the idea, but then all of a sudden, I absolutely had to try weaving! Maybe it was just all the amazingly creative things people are whipping up, but I wanted to try. Now, I shopped around looking for a loom but was frustrated at the sizes that were offered, I could get a kiddie loom (roughly 7″ by 10″) or a table top loom for about $50 or a $150+ Heddle loom… For someone who wants to try before she buys these options just weren’t going to work. And while the little loom is affordable, it’s a pretty puny wall hanging that comes out of a 7″ x 10″ loom.

So I thought, hey I could probably make a decent quality basic loom for the same price and it turns out you can! Want a hint? Grab some canvas stretcher strips at your local art store if you’d rather not get into cutting custom pieces of lumber.

What you’ll need:

• 2 pieces of wood for the top/bottom of your loom (I used 18-inch canvas stretcher strips)
• 2 pieces of wood for the left/right side of your loom (I used 22-inch canvas stretcher strips)
• Poster nails or other short nails
• Hammer
• Set of 4 Flat Angle Brackets and screws (Pick a size to fit your frame!)

What to Do:

 

 

1. Line up the edges of your frame to make sure that the sizes line up and if you’re using canvas stretcher strips make sure that the same side is facing up (there is a curved wood side and a flat wood side).

2. Connect your corners! For the canvas stretcher folks this is as easy as fitting two puzzle pieces together. Note that it may take a hammer’s help, or you may need to sand down the inserts a little. Chances are that once all the corners are fitted together they’ll still wobble a bit. No worries! We’ve got that covered! For those who are using plain ol’ lumber skip to step #3.

3. Screw a flat angle bracket onto each corner. It may be easier to get the holes started with a screwdriver with a small drill bit.

4. Once all the brackets have been added your loom frame will have taken shape! At this point the frame should not shift or wobble. Now grab your nails!

5. (#1) At the top and the bottom of your frame mark half inch intervals with a pencil, leaving about an inch of empty space at the inside corners.

6. (#2) Hammer in a nail at each pencil mark, trying to keep the nails straight up and down. I, being as detail-oriented as I am opted for poster nails that matched my angle brackets…

7. String your loom and get weaving! I’m going to make a tall skinny loom as well for a new project. What will you make?

 

Ps- to avoid an hourglass shape like the above - pull (gently) your yarn to the opposite top corner. Then push down from there!

 

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