Weaving

[lavendersun]

Does anyone have a loom?? I have a Kromski folding loom which is great. I bought it last year and made some lovely things in the winter (too busy with other things in the summer!).

Anyway I was thinking of getting going again. You can take it off the stand and it folds with your work on it. The idea being you can stick it in its bag and take it with you. I can't think of many places I would take it - maybe my parents house when I stay there or when we go away at half term.

I have a problem with it though - whenever I have folded it (only twice because I wanted to throw it out of the window the last time I did it!), I lose the tension, the back winder thing seems to come unravelled and the whole thing is a disaster.

I can't find any tips/you tube videos on the actual folding of it though.

Can anyone help?

I have a 3' Nordia table loom, I've only actually woven a couple of pieces on it - then DCs happened - but after watching Monty Don's Real Craft, particularly the weaving episode, I really really want to get back to it. Nice to meet a fellow weaver :)

I haven't seen the folding ones so I'm not sure what the problem is, sorry I can't be more help.

Hello MrsPenny! - I love weaving even though I haven't been doing it very long. I think I like it because you can make something really special with beautiful yarn without any great skill (certainly true for me!).

I would like a table loom, I think you can do more with them but bought the loom I have because it was easier to store and I wasn't sure I would take to it ...maybe for Xmas.

Can you guess from my name?

I used to have a Folding Kromski rigid heddle but it was the 3' one and it was too big for me so I sold it. The replacement was the non folding Ashford RH so I have zero experience of folding one with a warp on. Do you slacken it off a bit before you fold it?

I also have an eight shaft table loom (no love for that - it's out of here when I can be bothered) and a small eight shaft floor loom. This week I should be weaving tea towels but I went off the idea just as soon as I'd got the warp on.

Can you use the warp for something else Ishouldbeweaving?

My Nordia loom is capable of accomodating eight shafts, but there are only four in place. It was bought second hand. I could get DH to make more shafts for it, but at my level of ability, four is plenty. I am lucky enough to have a craft room, but if my loom was assembled there would be no room for much else, so it is dismantled and stored at the moment. I do want to have a massive re-arrange in my craft room though, as I'd love to get the loom in action again.

Thanks Ishould. I posted on Ravelry and got some good advice - apparently people use rubber bands to keep the back brake in place successfully. You do have to loosen the tension off a bit - that was fine, just that other parts seem to unravel. I bought the bag for it so technically it should stay put if I can take it off without disaster.

I have the 24" - I was tempted to go bigger but am pleased I didn't really as I only ever do 12-15" pieces.

Warping is a lot of work at times isn't it - I once used pure alpaca on the warp - it was so soft that I had to change it for alpaca with something else in it. I did re-use the warp but I had to have a lie down to get over taking it off.

I would love a table loom though.

MrsPennyApple - I should just get on with it. Seriously, all the hard work is done, all I have to do is tie on, tie up the treadles and start. I've promised myself that I'll get an inch done on Tuesday, the schools will be back then and Tuesday is the day I have at home. I know what the problem is - I like wool and have no time for cotton. I should (see, my name again) have thought about this before buying the cotton.

The only weaving I've done so far was knitting yarn, and that was not really using the right reed. The only one I have is 10 DPI, I think it came out ok though. This is my first piece. I didn't photgraph the others, they were only messing about practise pieces anyway. I made a simple tote bag out of this, it's now one of my many knitting project bags!

Bringing this back to life to ask two questions:

What have you weaved with that you have loved working with and loved the result.

What will you never weave with again????

For me the loved one is warp with a rowan fine tweed and weft with a thicker uneven yarn - product was lovely.

The worst - I have two projects, one using alpaca/silk for the warp and pure alpaca for the weft. The pure alpaca was so soft and stretchy it just didn't work (expensive mistake).

The second I am just about to finish, today before I go for a dog walk, a scarf in Rowan's Kidsilk Haze, warp and weft. It is so fine it has taken me months and I am not sure I am going to like it. I would never ever weave with anything this fine again and the fluff on the mohair catches on the heddle every time - horrid but I have persevered as the wool was £18 a ball.

Trying to decide what to do next, a scarf for my mother. I am thinking of a natural coloured pure wool for the warp and something Noro and uneven/colourful for the weft but would welcome any other suggestions.