[jaykay]

My Christmas pressie is a rigid heddle loom  It's already arrived and I am neglecting everything I ought to be doing for playing with it 

First I made some towels - they're very basic but I learned a lot in the process and in fact they're quite nice to use. I just zigzagged the hems as turning them properly would have been too thick.

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Now I'm trying a scarf - the yarn is 80% bamboo, 20% wool and is very shiny and soft.


Must stop weaving and do some jobs 

[Bionic]

Jaykay your work looks lovely but you are naughty. You should have saved it for christmas day 
Sally

[jaykay]

 
But I wouldn't have been able to use it on Christmas day 

[Blinkers]

LOVE the T-towels - well done you 

[in the hills]

Well impressed     


Would love to try that. Is it difficult? Is the loom very big?


I have a drop spindle and some fleece and some giant knitting needles as my Chrissie present (to knit rugs and the like) but being a good girl I am waiting for Santa to deliver them        

[jaykay]

Thank you  They don't bear close inspection, but I am learning, much aided by Ravelry and YouTube videos 

ITH, the loom is about 31" square, with a weaving width of up to 25".



It really isn't difficult. I'm sure it will take me forever to get to do some of the very clever things possible but to actually produce some sort of cloth isn't so hard. See the FO and WIP thread on the Rigid Heddle forum on Ravelry if you want to see what can be done - this is what inspired me to get one, as well as seeing a guy weaving a really excellent tartan at my local Guild on one.

I can actually get my head round a rigid heddle loom, as it's very simple, whereas 4shaft looms, table or floor, addle my easily-confused brain! Plus it's much cheaper.

This one is the Schacht Flip 25".

[Fleecewife]

I love your weaving jaykay       I have a couple of looms, one a bit bigger than yours (four shaft and yes it addles my brain too  ) and the other a big sturdy floor loom for rugs, but working on them is a job for 'when I'm better'.  That's something to look forward to and your scarf is an inspiration - it looks as if it will be wonderfully soft.
 
I also love the dog rug around your stove.  We used to have 6 dogs, 3 of them Wolfie sized, so we could never get anywhere near any source of heat 

[jaykay]

Thank you 

I have always had in the back of my head having a floor loom. But when I saw what was possible with a rigid heddle, I was hooked  I might yet want one - very early days yet, I'll see.

I did get the Schacht because it's sturdy enough to take quite high tension warps apparently - having in my mind linen and maybe (small - or made-in-pieces) floor rugs one day 

[quiltycats]

Ohh the weaving envy! lovely present and lovely weaving.

I have a hankering to try Navajo weaving at some stage ..though the discipline of pattern will no doubt elude my chaotic brain.

[Alistair]

Oh no, no that's it, I WANT one, no, I NEED one, I've always wanted one.. Tried to make one once which sought of worked but broke

Love what you've doe so far, are there instructions with the loom to allow novices to gt started straight away or would you recon that a book would be needed?

[jaykay]

I watched "Kate from Ashford's" on YouTube in order to warp it - I had it playing right next to my loom, watched 3 seconds, did that bit, watched the next three seconds.......

I read some threads on the Rigid Heddle forum on Ravelry, which gave me the idea of trying dishcloth cotton to begin with and also I went back to the beginners thread there when my edges were going all wrong, to find out what to do.

Then I just played. I saw the lace pattern in someone else's scarf on Ravelry, found out what it was called, found a YouTube video on how to do it - gotta love the internet!

I have ordered a book, Jane Patrick 'Weaver's Ideas Book - creative cloth on a rigid heddle loom'. People seem to rate this one very highly and keep using it beyond being a beginner.

[TheGirlsMum]

Want one and want it NOW.
Your towels look fantastic but I'm sure they are far beyond me. Where do you get your yarn?

[jaykay]

They are very simple and benefit from being photographed at a distance 

I bought the cotton online from Texere yarns. But the great thing about a rigid heddle loom is that it works best with knitting thickness yarns, from aran to thicker lace. So you can get your yarn from anywhere. I haven't done anything so fine yet but it seems a lot of people weave scarves and wraps with sock yarn 

[Bionic]

My spinning guild has arranged for some tutorials in weaving for January, weather permitting.
Its then my birthday in Feb. Wonder if OH would buy me one if I am VERY nice to him 
Sally

[Mammyshaz]

Love the tea towels,  Jaykay     they look much better than my bought ones and no doubt will last much longer.