Instructions for Building a 36-Inch Floor Loom

Weave your own 36-inch-wide fabric.

Weaving is a skill that has been practiced for centuries. You can create fabrics that are rough or smooth, and you can weave intricate patterns into the cloth. Weaving cloth used to be a skill that was done in most homes. People would use materials that were available to them—such as cotton, wool, flax, or silk—to create beautiful fabrics to make clothing, bedding, and household items. Today, most of us purchase our fabric, but it is a fun craft to try. If you make your own loom, it should cost under $50, and you will be able to use the loom for years.

Things You'll Need

• 2 pieces of wood (2 inches by 2 inches by 5 feet)
• 2 pieces of wood (2 inches by 36 inches)
• “U” shaped nails
• Hammer
• Paint or stain
• Paintbrush
• Sandpaper

Instructions

1. Sand all of the wood before putting it together. Sanding the loom is easier before it is assembled because of its size.

2. Put the two long pieces of wood side by side on a flat surface, so they are parallel.

3. Slide the long pieces of wood apart far enough for the 36-inch-wide pieces of wood to fit between the parallel boards. Place one of the 36-inch-wide pieces at the top of the wood, and the second piece of wood at the bottom of the long pieces of wood. The 36-inch pieces will be inside the long pieces of wood, not on the top or bottom of the long pieces of wood.

4. Nail the 36-inch pieces of wood to the long pieces of wood. Nail at least three nails into each corner, so your loom will not wobble. This will give you a 36-inch-wide opening in the center of the loom, so you can make fabric up to 36-inch wide.

5. Nail the “U” shaped nails along the center of the inside 36-inch pieces of wood. Do not leave any space between the nails. You want to have a straight 36-inch row of “U” shaped nails all the way across the top and bottom of the loom. This is where you will tie the warp threads.

6. Measure and mark the center of the remaining two pieces of 36-inch wood.

7. Turn the rectangle, so one of the long pieces of wood is facing the floor, and the other long piece of wood is facing the ceiling.

8. Choose one end of the long pieces of wood to be the bottom.

9. Place the 36-inch piece of wood on top of the wood on the side you chose for the bottom. Line up the center mark, so it is centered at the bottom edge of the loom. If you look down on it, it will be a “T” shape. This will be the stand. Nail it into place. Nail at least three nails into each corner for stability.

10. Flip the stand, so the bottom is resting on the floor. The stand that you nailed on will hold it in place until you nail the second 36-inch piece of wood on the other side. Once the floor loom’s stands are in place, you will be ready to start weaving.

11. Paint or stain the loom. This step is optional. It will make the loom look nice if it is painted.

References

• Constructing a Warp-Weighted Loom