Types of Looms
Looms have been used to weave spun thread or yarn into fabric for centuries. There are several types of looms in use today, many very similar to those that have been used over time. Some looms are vertical and others horizontal. All looms rely on vertical and horizontal threads to form fabric. Looms can produce fine and delicate fabrics or thick and sturdy rugs. The more threads per inch, the finer the fabric produced by the loom.
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History
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Hand looms were first used in China and the Middle East; however, their use soon spread throughout Europe. Early looms were typically vertical, with warp threads hanging from a frame or beam. Weights held the warp threads down and the shuttle was passed through the threads by hand. With only minimal effort, sheds can be added to a warp weighted loom to raise and lower threads and to speed the weaving process.
Significance
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Advances in looms, including a move from vertical to horizontal looms, increased the speed and efficiency of weaving. Larger horizontal looms were also more apt to be used in a commercial setting than were vertical looms. A horizontal loom took up too much floor space to have a place in the average home. As table and floor looms became more common, weaving became a more specialized and commercialized practice.
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Modern Looms
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There are a few basic types of weaving looms. The counterbalance loom uses pulleys or roller dowels to keep the warp threads even, so that they are not pulled in any direction. The sheds on a counterbalance loom are controlled by a treadle. Counterbalance looms are one of the most common types of loom found around the world. Jack looms are typically small looms, and very often table looms. These are a 20th century invention and are most common in America. Jack looms are louder and have a rather loose tension, particularly if you are working with the full width of the loom. Countermarch looms are a traditional Scandinavian style. Countermarch looms are quiet, quick and produce a good quality weave with a tight tension.
Simple Looms
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While modern looms allow for quick and efficient weaving, you can also use a simpler weaving loom. A basic frame with pegs can allow you to weave a flat cloth. Frames can be quite large or very small and can be triangular, rectangular or square. Classic warp weighted looms are still effective, if somewhat slow. Experimenting with simple types of looms can allow you to try out weaving with a limited investment.
Industrial Looms
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The looms that weave the fabric we wear today are not so different from the large scale counterbalance and countermarch looms used by hand weavers. Industrial looms automate the weaving process, replacing the traditional shuttle with air or water propellant systems to move the weft threads through the warp. While there was initial resistance to modern weaving systems, today modern looms rely upon computer and technology to quickly produce durable and useful fabrics.
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