How to Make a Beading Loom With Wood & Coils
Beading looms are an easy way to bead bracelets, necklaces and other jewelry. If you are new to beading, use larger size beads that are easier to handle and work with. Czech seed beads are a good option for a beginner because they are round and easy to grasp. When working with a loom, always place it on a sturdy, flat surface to minimize wobbling while you bead.
Things You'll Need
- Wood board, 6 inches by 1 inch by 48 inches
- 6 box nails, 2 inches
- 4 box nails, 1 inch
- Hammer
- 2 warp coils, 6 inches in length
- Carpenter's glue
- Metal epoxy
- Saw
- Spool of warp thread
Instructions
-
Building the Loom
-
1
Use a saw to cut the wood board into three pieces. Cut two of the pieces to be 6 by 6 inches, leaving the remaining piece to be 36 by 6 inches. The large piece will be the base of your beading loom and the two smaller pieces will be the head and the foot of the loom.
-
2
Lay the 36-by-6-inch base on a flat surface. Apply a layer of carpenter's glue to one end, along the 6-inch-wide edge of the board. Place one of the 6-by-6-inch pieces against the board so that the two pieces form an L shape. This is the head piece. Drive two of the 2-inch box nails through the bottom of the head piece and into the end of the base. Each nail should be about 1 1/2 inches in from the vertical edges of the head piece. Wipe away any excess glue. Drive a third 2-inch nail into the bottom of the head piece, at the center of its width, but don't drive it all the way in. Leave about 1/4 inch of the nail protruding. This is for tying on the beading thread.
-
-
3
Repeat this process for the foot at the other end of the base. When you are finished, the profile of the loom should be 36 inches long -- plus the thickness of the head and foot boards -- and 6 inches high. Allow 30 minutes for glue to dry.
-
4
Hammer a 1-inch box nail into each top corner of the loom, one nail near each corner of the head and the foot. Do not hammer the nails completely into the wood; leave about 1/3 inch of space between the head of the nail and the wood.
-
5
Identify the two hooks on either side of one of the coils. Place the coil on the head of the loom, along its top edge, and hook the ends to the two nails. Place a thin layer of epoxy under the coil and ensure that it is in contact with the wood. Repeat the process for the foot of the loom. Allow the epoxy to dry overnight.
-
6
Tie the warp thread to the center nail protruding from the bottom of the head of the loom. Thread the warp thread through the first coil and through the corresponding coil on the opposite side, at the foot of the loom.
-
7
Wrap the thread around the center protruding nail on the foot side of the loom and thread through the next available coil. Bring it back to the head end, through the appropriate coil, and wrap the thread around the nail at the head end. Repeat this process four or five times, depending on how wide you want your piece of jewelry to be. Keep drawing the thread taught as you wrap around the nails at either end.
-
8
When you are finished stringing, tie the thread to one of the nails to secure it and begin beading.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Keep in mind that you will need one more string of thread than the number of beads you have; for example if you have five strings, you will be able to attach four beads.
As an alternative to nailing the head and foot to the base, you can drill pilot holes and drive wood screws with a screwdriver or drill that has a screwdriver bit.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
