Handloom Construction and Use
4 The Inkle Loom
The loom shown here produces strips of fabric about 1 meter long by 2 to 18cm wide. The size of the loom can be increased.
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DIMENSIONS: Height 25cm Width 20cm Length 45cm
LENGTH OF WARP HELD: 100cm
WIDTH OF FINISHED CLOTH: 2 to 18cm
Materials Needed
FOR THE FRAME
One (1) board 3 by 5 by 45cm long Two (2) boards 3 by 5 by 25cm long Two (2) boards 1 by 5 by 15cm long Five (5) dowels or rounded sticks 20cm long, 1.5cm in diameter
FOR THE HEDDLES
About 5 meters of cotton or synthetic string
TOOLS AND SUPPLIES
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Chisel
Drill
Screwdriver
10 Wood screws
Sandpaper
Oil
Construction
A. Prepare the Wood
1. Sand and smooth all rough spots and edges
2. Oil wood to prevent splitting
B. Build the Base
1. With chisel, carve out two rectangular slots on the bottom of the 3x5x45cm board exactly as illustrated.
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B. Build the Base (cont'd.)
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2. Place the two 1x5x15cm boards in the slots so that they are flush and project equally on both sides
3. Screw in place, using three screws for each board.
4. Turn the piece over so that the two projecting boards become the base.
C. Build the Frame
1. Drill holes A and D in the 3x5x45cm board. Holes should be 1.5cm in diameter and spaced as shown.
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2. Drill holes B, E, F in one 3x5x25cm board and hole C in the other 3x5x25cm board. Holes should be 1.5cm in diameter and spaced as shown.
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3. Screw the 3x5x25cm boards to the side of the 3x5x45cm board as shown. Use two screws in each.
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4. The base with uprights should now look like this.
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5. Place dowels in holes. They should be tight. Loose dowels can be made tighter by wrapping paper around the ends before putting them in the holes. (NOTE: Right-handed weavers should have dowels projecting to right, left-handers to left)
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D. Make the Heddles
1. Place dowels in holes B and F
2. Wrap a piece of string from the ball around the dowels and tie with a square knot. Remove the string circle from the dowels. This is the heddle.
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3. Repeat for each heddle needed. You will need half as many heddles (or string circles) as number of lengths of warp you will use. For example 18 heddles would be needed to weave a 18cm wide belt made up of 36 lengths of coarse 2 ply wool. In general the thinner the yarn the more heddles you will need.
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If you run out of heddles, do not be concerned as more can be made at any time.
Set Up the Loom for Weaving
NOTE: Before warping the loom, choose a weave and/or pattern to set up. Plain weave and a striped pattern are good choices for a first weaving project.
A. Warp the Loom
1. Note the letters on the accompanying drawing of the loom. Each letter represents the hole and the dowel in that position. This will be used to help you guide the warp on to the frame.
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2. Move the dowel from hole F (where it was for making the heddles) to hole E.
3. Make one ball or easily undone skein of each colour warp to be used.
4. Tie the end of the first colour to dowel A, in an easily undone knot such as a half-hitch.
5. Wrap the warp three times around dowel A, clockwise.
6. Take the warp from dowel A, between dowels B and E, and then over dowel C as shown.
7. Bring yarn down and around dowel D and then back along bottom of dowels to A.
8. Pull warp taut.
9. Repeat this winding from A, between B and E, over C and down to D returning to A with the second warp. <see picture>
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10. Bring third warp thread from A up and over B, then over C, down to D and return to A.
11. Lay ball of warp down.
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12. Place a heddle (string circle) over the third warp as illustrated.
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13. Bring the two loops of the heddle down and over the end of dowel E. Slide back toward frame.
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14. Pick up ball of warp. Bring yarn from A to C around D and return to A.
15. Repeat Steps 10 through 14 until warp is desired width. Remember to alternate one warp with a heddle and one without. <see picture>
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16. To end: For last two warps wrap the yarn around twice from A to C to D to A, without heddles. Locate the first warp end and untie it. Cut other end from ball. Tie in a square knot under dowel A. <see picture>
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NOTE: If your pattern calls for changing the colour of the warp, procede as follows:
a. Lay aside the first colour when the warp is at dowel A.
b. Tie new colour to A using half-hitch, wind around A three times in a clockwise direction.
c. Continue warping as before (Steps 10 to 14)
d. When desired number has been wound, lay aside colour and either take up the previous one or tie on the next new colour and continue warping as before.
Do not cut off any balls of warp.
e. To end: Locate all ends and untie from A. Cut off balls of warp leaving enough to tie a knot. Knot the ends together in one knot, using the square knot. <see picture>
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Your Loom is Now Warped
How to Weave on an Inkle Loom
You will need a Beater and a Shuttle for weaving. Consult Chapter 6, "The Weaver's Tools" for directions for making these and other helpful tools.
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Steps in Weaving
1. Wrap weft on shuttle.
2. Move the dowel in hole E to hole F. This will pull the warp much tighter.
3. Place hand under warp behind dowels B and F. Pull up as illustrated.
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This creates the shed (or space) in front of dowel F.
4. Pass shuttle through shed.
5. Place hand on top of bottom warp threads behind B and F, as illustrated.
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6. Push down. Pass shuttle through.
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7. Beat weft into place with a Beater.
8. Repeat Steps 3 to 7 until you can no longer fit shuttle through shed. <see picture>
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9. Advance warp by grasping it in your hands between A and B and pulling toward yourself. The woven cloth will go under the loom and the unwoven warp moves forward between A and B. <see picture>
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10. Continue weaving until the beginning of the cloth is behind dowel B. Cut warp between A and B at the heddle. <see picture>
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11. Slide heddles off (they can be reused) and tie end of warp to prevent unravelling (See pages 145-155).
