Tapestry Weaving, Weaving
How to Make a Frame Loom for Weaving in Four Easy Steps
At Mirrix Looms, we believe in the power of quality weaving tools and supplies. For tapestry weaving, this includes warp, weft and of course, a loom. That said, not everyone knows they’re going to fall in love with weaving (spoiler: you will) and some of you want to give it a try before investing in a Mirrix.
Here are instructions on how to make your own frame loom with just a few inexpensive materials. Make a loom, play on it and then decide if you’re ready to move onto a loom with good tension, a shedding device, multiple warp coils, fold-out legs and more!
What you need:
-Four stretcher bars (Available in any art supply store. Try these from Dick Blick.)
-Short nails (make sure they are shorter than the depth of your stretcher bars)
-A hammer
-A ruler
-A permanent ink pen or marker
1.) Hammer together the stretcher bars (they should fit into each other to make a rectangle).
2.) Using your small nails, nail each piece of wood together to secure the frame.
3.) Place a ruler over the top bar. Make marks with your pen or marker in even increments depending on what sett (this is how far apart your warp thread is) you want to make your weaving. Here we’ve put marks every 1/4 of an inch to make a weaving that is 4 epi (ends per inch). Repeat this on the bottom bar.
4.) Begin to warp by tying your warp thread onto the top or bottom bar. Wrap your warp thread around the frame, making sure to keep tight and even tension as you do. Use the marks you made to determine where each warp thread should lie. Tie off on one of the bars when your warp is as wide as you want your piece to be. Now you are ready to begin weaving!
Ready to start on a Mirrix? Click here for a free loom recommendation!