Exciting times for Patchwork Fairy, I’ve bought a loom! I already sew, quilt, crochet and knit and for a long time I’ve wanted to learn spinning and weaving! Two week’s ago I bought a brand new loom!
New Loom and instructions!
I actually started buying one in July in order to get an early start on Christmas presents but that didn’t work out and I ended up buying a different one a couple of week’s ago. This is an Ashford Knitters Loom! It’s the same as the plain Rigid Heddle Loom but comes already assembled and ready for use! It’s only a small 12 inch loom and even now I’m thinking I could quite happily have one twice this size. However, mine is very light and portable and also folds up, so doesn’t take over the dining room table in the way that a wider one would.
I bought it online from Wingham Wool Work and I was very impressed with their customer service. Although you pay on ordering they don’t actually take the money from your account until they have despatched your goods. From ordering to playing with my loom took about 4 days!
It arrives with everything you need to start weaving, except the yarn, but that was never going to be a problem in this house!! The box included two different sized shuttles and a coloured pictorial guide which was very good. I managed to set up the whole thing by myself with no need for DH to interfere help at all!!
I started practising with my Stylecraft acrylic as this is a very good yarn at a reasonable price. It’s smooth and soft, so easy to learn with, although I wasn’t very good keeping the sides straight at first.
edges aren’t too good on this first ever weave!
but I did get a bit better with practice, and help and advice from the Rigid Heddle Weaving groups on Facebook I managed to create a sort of scarf!
Finished scarf with fringe and crochet edge
People are so kind and will take the time to get newbies out of pickles and disasters. The green wool below was a wool and acrylic mix and so hairy the weaving ‘sheds’ wouldn’t open, but in no time at all, with one post in the Facebook group I had half a dozen suggestions as to how to solve it!
very hairy yarn! Wool and Acrylic mix on the warp and mohair on the weft.
It was much easier using the hairy yarn on the weft with a smoother double knit by Hayfield called ‘Spirit’ on the warp.
nice mix but obscures the warp pattern
showing the warp pattern
I find weaving very relaxing and productive, in fact it’s much quicker to complete say a scarf in a plain weave than it is for me to crochet or knit one. My next task is to weave DH a scarf for winter and then I’m going to try out some more expensive hand dyed wools from my stash!
I don’t know if weaving appeals to some unconscious need to create and provide but I found myself incredibly happy and at peace sitting in a low comfy chair overlooking the garden, cup of tea to hand and the sound of rain pattering down on the conservatory roof! With this new skill, come the Zombie Apocalypse, I’ll be able to make my own clothes on the run!
weaving and a cup of tea ..bliss!
