Directions for a Square Lap Loom
Weaving, like pottery, is one of mankind’s oldest crafts. Weaving is used to make practical, everyday items including rugs and carpets, cloth, bed linens and baskets. Wall hangings, tea cozies, pot holders and other small decorative items are typically made using a small type of weaving loom, called a lap loom. Lap looms come in several varieties, from circular to triangular, hexagonal and square. Making a square lap loom is simple, and is considerably more cost effective than buying a commercially available loom.
Instructions
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1
Lay two planks 16 inches apart, parallel to one another.
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Lay the two remaining planks on top of the ends of other planks, parallel to each other. Make sure the ends are flush with one another, forming a square.
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3
Nail four nails into each corner in a square pattern, so that the four planks are firmly attached. This forms the square frame of the lap loom.
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4
Sand the loom thoroughly with the sandpaper, smoothing out any rough patches or snags that may catch on the weaving yarn.
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Tips & Warnings
The size of the loom can vary simply by using shorter, or longer planks for the loom frame.
Most lap looms are warped—the weaving term for strung—simply by wrapping the yarn around the loom frame. A variation for holding the warp threads involves hammering matching rows of about 30 small nails on the two opposite ends of the loom, around one-half inch apart.
