Today, the loom in the house is exotic. And some 70-80 years ago, every village housewife had it. In many ways, this is a plus, because it means that the modern standard of living allows everyone to purchase ready-made clothes and fabrics, and not spend time and effort on their manufacture. However, modern women (and men too) are increasingly interested in this forgotten craft, recreating old village looms. Let's learn a little more about the features of these devices, as well as how you can make them yourself at home.
Loom and its device
This device was invented before our era. Over the past millennia, its design has improved. However, some elements remained unchanged.
The basis of fabric production on any loom is vertical threads. They are called basic. The very process of creating a canvas is an interlacing of horizontal (weft) threads between the base ones. To do this, a shuttle is used in manual looms.(rectangular flat coil with pointed edges). Its shape makes it easy to slip through the warp and pull the weft threads through.
Another important detail of any loom is the reed. This is the name of the frequent comb used to compact the web, after each "walker" of the shuttle. Without such "combing", the finished fabric will be loose and uneven. In most household and industrial looms, a special bar with teeth is used instead of a reed.
The last integral element of each such device is the framework that controls the base threads. Their function is to take turns to raise either even or odd ones. Thus, a more reliable and varied weave of the web is achieved.
Types of machines
These devices are classified according to different indicators.
- By design, they are distinguished: flat and round loom. The latter is used to produce only a special type of fabric.
- Narrow (up to 1 m) and wide (over 1 m) machines are distinguished by the width of the fabric being produced.
- According to the type of weave, weaving devices are distinguished, making simple fabrics (eccentric), with a small pattern (dobby) and large-patterned (jacquard) for the production of the most complex pattern.
- With regards to the principle of operation stand out: manual, semi-mechanical, mechanical and fully automatic machines.
It is worth highlighting the so-called frame looms. They are usually completelydevoid of any mechanisms, you have to weave something on them manually.
A Brief History
Judging by the ancient Egyptian images, already in those days, mankind invented a kind of hand loom. For most peoples, its design was similar. This is evidenced by the drawings and archaeological finds that have come down to us.
As a rule, they were woven from vegetable threads (linen, silk, hemp, cotton) and animal origin (wool yarn). Naturally, such fabrics were not very strong and durable. To provide the family with clothes, they had to weave every year. In this regard, almost every peasant family had a home loom.
Although weaving was practiced in every family, there were craftsmen who specialized in the production of special fabrics or carpets (tapestry). For many centuries this profession was very profitable and prestigious.
Everything changed with the advent of the mechanical loom. It was now possible to produce large quantities of fabrics with minimal time and labor. Gradually, they began to equip factories that produced cheaper linen than weavers. Soon the latter were forced out of the market. By the beginning of the 20th century, the profession of a weaver was losing its former prestige. Now they were engaged in the manufacture of home linen only for their own needs.
As a rule, machines inherited from grandmothers were used for this. Or you had to make them yourself.
Information on how to make a loom,was taken at that time from two sources. It was either a manual by I. Levinsky, published back in 1911. The book was called "Improved Hand Loom". It had pretty clear illustrations, with the help of which it was not difficult to assemble the necessary device.
The second reference book was V. Dobrovolsky's manual "How to build a loom and weave simple fabrics", published in 1924
Both editions can still be found in libraries today.
By the beginning of the 80s, the standard of living of the peasantry began to rise. This allowed many of them to abandon weaving, buying ready-made fabrics in stores. Now the looms were gathering dust again in closets and attics. They were preserved only by fans of this craft. It is noteworthy that today most of them are well over 70 years old.
Starting in the 2000s (when store shelves were filled with various factory-made textiles), interest in making linen by hand has increased again.
Factory machines
If you are interested in how to make a loom with your own hands, then you belong to those who want to create their own textile products from scratch. For this, it is not necessary to make the machine on your own. You can buy it.
There are hundreds of varieties of factory-made looms on the market. Domestic or European manufacturers give a guarantee for their products, so you can buy machines without fear that they will not be able to work.
Judging by the reviews, among Russian manufacturers, the best are the looms of the companiesEcoYar and Pelsy. The latter specializes in making wooden toys.
As for manufacturers from other countries, their products are many times more expensive.
How to make the easiest machine out of thick cardboard
The fabric creation process itself is not very complicated. If you plan to weave small items like belts, bracelets or napkins, you can make the simplest manual loom.
To do this, you need a sheet of thick cardboard. If it is not at hand, juice or milk packaging material can be used.
For starters, a flat rectangle is taken. Further, the same distances are measured along the edges and tiny rectangles are cut out from above and below. Everyone.
Now the warp threads (vertical) are pulled through these holes and fixed. An ordinary gypsy needle will act as a shuttle. Stretching with its help horizontal threads between the main ones, it will gradually be possible to weave a small piece of fabric.
Of course, on such a primitive loom it will be possible to weave only coarse fabric. However, most of the craftswomen who began their creative career with such a device advise in their reviews not to neglect this machine. It will be an excellent budget start, which will help you get your hand in and understand the process a little. In addition, once you start working on it, you can decide for yourself whether this fishery is interesting for you.
Frame type machines
If you've mastered the cardboard jig and are ready for more, it's worthengage in the manufacture of a loom in the form of a frame.
It's easy to make. A rectangle or square of the size you need is knocked down from wooden planks. Further, nails are evenly driven into it from above and below. They will serve as fasteners for the threads.
Before starting work, a base is stretched between the upper and lower rows of nails. Further, weft threads are skipped between these threads.
If the frame is very large, it is worth making a small shuttle for it from a piece of the remaining plank. To do this, it is necessary to process it well with sandpaper, give it a thin streamlined shape and make grooves along the edges so that it is convenient to wind the thread around it.
If the size of the frame is modest, you can use a large gypsy needle.
Please note that for this type of handloom, a reed is already needed to make the fabric dense. This comb can be made from the same wooden plank by cutting holes in it, corresponding to the location of the threads on the nails.
If you plan to sew clothes from woven fabric, you can make frames in the shape of patterns for future details. This way, you won't have to waste the extra material you spent so much effort on creating.
Rug loom
In addition to clothes, bed linen and towels, our grandmothers wove carpets and bedspreads on their looms. To create such products, all the same classic devices were used. However, they are quite bulky. In addition, just to refuel the machine to start working on carpets, it takes a lot of time and effort.
Therefore, a simpler weaving device, frame type, is very popular.
As a rule, on such a machine, rugs, well-known to all of us, are created from scraps of old clothes. You can also use special thick wool threads.
How to make such a loom with your own hands? Pretty simple. It is an improved version of the classic frame. However, it will be larger and longer. As fasteners for the base threads, you will have to use large nails or screws with thick legs and wide hats.
Pay attention to the special detail. On the four edges of the machine you need to place 4 metal loops. They are needed to fix 2 rods. When working on the rug, they will need to be inserted into its edges so that the width of the finished product is uniform.
Round rug loom
Many people like round floor mats instead of rectangular ones. To weave them, you need to use a round loom.
You can make it, for example, from an ordinary plastic hoop. Just make sure that it is not bent, as this will affect the quality of the finished product.
First, the edges are marked around the entire circle. Next, you can drill holes in place of the marks or drive in nails. Some simply tie the threads to the rim itself. However, with this technique, the finished rug will not turn out very well.quality, as loose threads can sag or move out.
If you are not too lazy and made normal fasteners for the base, you can start work. For this, the main threads are drawn radially. The machine begins to resemble a bicycle wheel. Now you can start weaving the rug from the very middle.
As a rule, this machine is operated by hand. The reviews advise using a miniature shuttle or a large needle only when very thin fabric is made.
How to make a machine out of plywood or wood
If you have enough space to accommodate a full-fledged weaving device, it is worth trying to make a more professional model. Most often they are made of plywood or wood.
There are many ways to make such a device with your own hands.
At the very beginning and at the end, two rollers should be located. Threads are wound on one, and the finished fabric is wound on the other. The ideal option is to make them on bolts or handles with the possibility of fixation.
If your machine does not have a divider to facilitate the slippage of the shuttle, first you should fix not 1, but 2 rollers. One will be placed even, the other - odd warp threads.
The last obligatory detail is a reed. It can be made from 2 planks of wood with often hammered nails in between.
When threading the machine, the threads will need to be passed between these teeth.
If it's all doneright, you can get to work.
Machines from other improvised materials
In addition to wood and plywood, weaving devices of the above type can be made from other materials. For example, from plastic pipes. In the manufacture of miniature models, ordinary scallops or cards are used. A photo of such a machine is presented above.
Also, in the manufacture of miniature models, ordinary scallops or cards are used. And the machine itself can be built from a cardboard box.
If you want to show your creative nature even in the way of creating your own loom, go for it! You will succeed.
