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Equipment list for Beginner weaving zoom class

Start Weaving:  Yarn and Equipment list

 There are 3 Projects in this Start Weaving module

  • A plain weave scarf in wool, either in 4 ply or 5 ply
  • A twill sampler in 4 ply cotton
  • A project of your choice either in plain weave, twill weave, or a combination of twill weaves.

Yarn for Project 1: your plain weave scarf

  • Yarn Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 4ply ie (2 x 100 g balls) - 2 or more colours or similar 4 ply wool yarn ( no acrylic, no crepe yarn)  You will need   300 metres for warp  and a similar amount for  the weft

Yarn for Project 2: your Twill Sampler

  • Yarn  4 ply cotton yarn from Bendigo Woollen Mills in two colours with a similar meterage - 300 metres for warp and same for weft

Equipment needed.
  • A shafted loom ie 4 shaft Loom  ( or 8 shaft, but we use only 4)  eg, Ashford,  Louet Erica. (not a rigid heddle or frame loom)

 

  • warping board-  or  warping pegs                               or warping mill

     

  

     

  • cross sticks- for most looms consists of 2 wooden sticks with holes in the ends… the metal rings from Office Works or a newsagency are a great way to hold the cross sticks together but at a distance a part… you need about 3 finger widths between the sticks, so large rings or three of  thesmaller rings on each end work well. Rings pictured have a diameter of 4 cm. If no rings are available a short pair of shoe laces will be needed to tie the cross stick together.
  • Scissors, small
  • pencil, pens, ruler marked in inches and cms, 

 

  • Shuttles can be boat or stick shuttles… boat shuttles require quills (cardboard tubes) or plastic bobbins

 

  • Stick shuttles need to be just a hand wider than the width of your warp and are good for beginner use.

 

  • threading hook ,

 

  • and optional reed hook -  1 only needed!! These are just examples!

 

 

  • A tape measure, that is three metres long is easier to use than a 1.5m one.

 

  • These S hooks(5-6cm long, from Bunnings), yarn bobbins ( can be cardboard) and metal washers are used when replacing broken ends…You need no more than 5 of each of these to start!.
  • small amount of waste yarn for tying up warp and the guide string. It should be a  different colour to that of your warp yarn

 

  

Raddle for looms without a fixed raddle

   

 

If you have one like the first photo with no piece of wood at the top, just nails, you will need strong rubberbands to hold your yarns in place.

 

 

  • Cross sticks for the Erica loom are metal rods… these are supported with the texsolv cord, and in the photo, the cord is held with the sponge stoppers (designed for knitting needles). The stoppers are helpful but not needed if you are getting equipment together.   Erica and Jane loom users also need rubber bands

 

Hiring a loom from your local Hand Weavers Guild

If you are hiring a loom from the guild, ask if it comes with

a warping board, a raddle, cross sticks and 3 stick shuttles

You can usually find costs on the guild website.

 

In the following lessons you will need

  • a newspaper or some paper, advertising material/ junk mail wider than your warp,
  • and a face washer or a small towel wider than your warp. 
  • a tapestry / crewel needle, with blunt point and largish eye 
  • sewing cotton or fine laceweight wool in a colour slightly darker or blending with your warp

Yarns for Project 3 or future Scarf projects- a guide for metres required.

(No acrylic please, and preferably not crepe yarn -a crepe yarn consists of  5-8 very fine strands twisted together- these two types of yarn stretch quite a lot under tension on the loom, and the scarf you finish may be shorter than you would like)

 

Yarn is your choice but can be made up from various wool yarns of a similar thickness, that are a pleasing combination from your stash.

 

 

  • the thickest yarn is 8 ply . You will need approx. 260 metres for the warp and a similar amount for the weft, .. because it is thick, it makes a thicker scarf, but still pleasing. OR

 

  • 5ply or 4 ply...  knitting shops have a good range.. approx 300 metres for warp, and about the same for weft, in a couple of colours. OR

 

  • 2ply classic Bendigo, 2 cones from Bendigo woollen mills.... OR

 

  • a mix of yarns from your stash suitable for your chosen project for the more advanced people, those that have done some weaving before.

 

Yarns are available from Morris and sons, 50A York St Sydney,… Spotlight, Lincraft, Big W and knitting shops, Bendigo Woollen Mills, Nundle Mills,  Wagtail Yarns and from the local  Hand Weavers  Guild shop.