How to Build a Blanket Weaving Loom

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Things You'll Need

  • 2 lumber planks, 2-by-1-by-78 inch

  • 2 lumber planks, 2-by-1-by-40 inch

  • Wood glue

  • Corner brackets

  • Wood screws, 3/4 inch

  • Drill or screwdriver

  • Measuring tape

Make your own blanket on a handmade blanket weaving loom.

Weaving is one of the oldest crafts of humankind, and although most weaving is now done on giant automated looms, the art of hand weaving is still going strong. To weave your own blanket, you have two choices: invest in a pricey and complicated floor loom, or go for a more rustic, and much less costly hand made loom for a truly original blanket. Making your own blanket weaving loom should not take more than an afternoon, and you can be weaving your time away before you know it.

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Step 1

Arrange the lumber planks into a rectangle, the ends of the 40-inch pieces abutting the inside edge of the 78-inch pieces to form right angles. These dimensions will make a blanket approximately 72 inches long and 36 inches wide. Adjust as needed for your particular blanket size.

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Step 2

Glue the joins of the lumber planks then place a corner bracket on each corner join and screw in place to secure the frame. You can use corner brackets that lie flat on the surface of the corner, or ones which sit on the inside edge of the corner.

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Step 3

Decide how far apart you want your warp threads to be. This depends on the thickness of the material you intend to weave with. For example, fine cotton will need a close warp, say 1/4 inch or less, whereas thick wool can easily accommodate a warp 1/2 inch apart.

Step 4

Measure and mark the chosen warp distance on the two short sides of the frame, ensuring that the points match up exactly on either end. Screw in a wood screw at each point, leaving around 1/4 inch protruding from the frame. This is to accommodate the warp threads. You are now ready to warp the loom and start weaving.

Tip

You can also stain and varnish the loom. Just make sure to let it dry completely before use.

You can lean the loom against a wall, or construct a simple base from a piece of lumber longer and wider than the loom frame.

If you don’t want to weave a large blanket all at once, make a smaller lap loom using the same design and sew the smaller woven blocks together to make a woven patchwork blanket.

Warning

Wear protective eyewear when operating an electric drill. Unplug the drill after use.

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