How to Make an Amish Loom
Knitting projects are a lot easier when you use a loom. A loom primarily consists of many strong, vertical strings attached to a secure frame made of wood, plastic or another solid material. Some companies and craftsmen charge hundreds, even thousands of dollars for a loom, particularly those that are custom-made. Make your own simple Amish loom instead, and create something that will be exactly the right size and shape for your needs --- without spending a lot of money.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- One 1 by 2 wood piece
- Hacksaw
- Hand drill
- 4 corner irons
- Black felt-tip marker
- 8 1/2-inch screws
- Tape measure
- Calculator
- 52 screws (1 inch)
- Sturdy string (1 ball)
Instructions
-
-
1
Cut a 1 by 2 piece of wood into four lengths using a hacksaw. Cut all pieces to the same size to make a square loom, or cut two pieces a little shorter for a rectangular one. The length of the wood will give you a clear idea of the size of your loom, so make small cuts until you achieve the size you want. The shortest pieces of wood should measure 12 to 14 inches in length.
-
2
Set the boards on a flat, clean work surface --- the floor or a table will do nicely. Place the boards to form a symmetrical wooden frame, with the right and left boards inside the top and bottom so that the ends are flush against the top and bottom edges of the frame. Place corner irons at each corner to hold the wood in place.
-
-
3
Mark the holes of the corner irons using a black felt-tip marker and remove the corner irons.
-
4
Pre-drill holes at each mark, going less than halfway down into the wood, and then replace the corner irons.
-
5
Drill screws into the holes through the corner irons. Use 1/2-inch screws that won't go all the way through the wood.
-
6
Turn the frame over so that the corner irons are against your work surface.
-
7
Get a measurement for the top of the frame in inches with a tape measure. Multiply the number by 2.54 to convert the measurement to centimeters. Do the math twice on a calculator just to be sure all of the numbers are correct. Divide the resulting sum by 26. The number you get is the measurement in centimeters that you will use to create your warp.
-
8
Make 26 marks at the top of your frame at the interval determined by the math in the preceding step, using the tape measure as a guide. For instance, if your frame is 12 inches wide, you will be making a mark every 1 1/10 cm.
-
9
Pre-drill holes at each mark.
-
10
Repeat the process for the bottom of the frame. The holes at the top and bottom of the loom must correspond exactly, lining up evenly all the way down.
-
11
Screw 1-inch screws (a total of 52) into the holes, but do not drill them flush against the wood. Leave 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the screw jutting out. Try to make this even for every screw.
-
12
Tie a strong string in the color of your choice (white is the most common) to the screw that is furthest to the left. Keep the string tight and wind it up and over the screw, looping it around, and then move to the second screw and loop it around this as well. Holding the string tightly, move it in a perfectly vertical line down to the corresponding screw at the bottom (the second from the left corner) and loop it around. Move to the third screw on the bottom row, loop the string around and thread it up to the corresponding screw at the top. Repeat the threading process in this fashion until you reach the final screw. Loop the string around this screw once or twice, cut off the excess and tie it tightly. The loom is ready for use.
-
1
References
Resources
- Photo Credit hand weaving loom image by green308 from Fotolia.com
