My journey into rigid heddle weaving: from making a loom to learning how to create my first handwoven scarf
- Emma and Gillian
- Jun 5
- 6 min read
Starting a new craft can often feel daunting, especially when it involves multiple steps and skill development. Over the last week we have had a work experience student working with us. This is a guest blog written in the main by her help detailing how she has learnt about our business from the making of the looms to learning to design and weave her own handwoven scarves.
Creating my rigid heddle weaving loom - learning how to make a loom from scratch
My work experience week started with an outline of the TabbyandTweed business run by Emma and Gill. They design, make and sell weaving loom kits. It was explained to me at the outset that they planned to give me a flavour of the wide range of activities involved in running their business. Whilst I spent some time making small frame loom weaving kits, this blog outlines the process of making my own rigid heddle loom and then learning to weave before going on to design and weave a handmade scarf.
The first activity of the week was learning how to make a rigid heddle weaving loom. The looms are cut and made by Gill and Emma and the first step after the loom parts have been cut out from the wood is sanding. This is a very time consuming activity but is really important because it ensures that the finish on each loom is smooth and of high quality. An afternoon of sanding ensued with me being responsible for sanding the cross pieces and cogs.
After the sanding I was then shown how to make the loom. Loom manufacture was not going to be a big part of the week and as it is quite complex I was shown how to make a loom. I could see that this process was quite complicated and there were a few steps which needed to be fine tuned to make sure that the loom was made correctly to a high standard.
Learning to weave on the rigid heddle weaving loom - warping the rigid heddle weaving loom
For my first weave I chose to use a British wool with the warp colours being teal, turquoise and white. Like any new skill, weaving takes time and practise and Emma and I warped the loom together which gave me the opportunity to learn how to set the loom up from Emma who is an experienced weaver. Emma explained that there are a few crucial steps needed when warping the loom to ensure that the warp is wound on with a good and even tension.
Emma explained that where weaving issues arise with a rigid heddle loom they often centre around the setting up and warping of the loom. She explained how each of the warping steps contributed to ensuring a correctly warped loom which would help with neat weaving.
Understanding the basics of weaving on a rigid heddle weaving loom and mastering a neat selvedge
Once my loom was warped I was shown how to weave on the loom. I learnt how to move the heddle to create the shed. I was also shown how to weave a balanced weave which was essential for the houndstooth area of my weave. I was also given tips on how to weave a neat selvedge.
It was explained that getting a neat selvedge can be a challenge for a new weaver and this did take a little time to perfect. The edges of a woven piece are vital for its overall appearance and structure. I learned that a well-executed selvedge involved consistently pulling the weft thread in at the edge and then laying the thread at an angle to give the weft thread sufficient yarn to go up and over the warp threads.
I found it quite difficult at first getting the right tension on the yarn so that my weave didn't have uneven spaces. With practise the process of weaving became easier. I also became quicker at weaving. Initially I was quite slow as I focussed carefully on beating the weave correctly with the heddle. Once I got the feel of the process I became quicker with my weaving being better.
My first Handwoven scarf woven on a rigid heddle loom was completed
The weaving process was a joyous experience. I found it easy to relax as I watched the fabric grow into a stunning scarf, with many different colour explosions that I had never even considered before as a combination. Seeing my completed scarf was the best moment and I felt proud that I had been able to make something both beautiful and useful.
Choosing colours and designing a second handwoven scarf
After the success of my first handwoven scarf I was keen to have another go at designing and creating a woven scarf. I now understood the basics of weaving and was able to make an informed choice about the design and colour of my second scarf. I decided to weave a scarf for my sister as a birthday present. I was confident that she would like a pink and red scarf and I gave some thought about how I could combine these colours whilst having sufficient contrast in the weave to show the houndstooth pattern. I eventually decided that white and deep red would contrast well for the houndstooth centre piece with other areas of grey and a soft pink being added into both the warp and weft. The image below shows the loom being warped.
With this scarf I was able to warp the loom almost independently with a few reminders about the different steps. I found winding the warp onto the back beam challenging at first but by the end I was confident in the process and was pleased that my warp was wound correctly with even tension.
Weaving the second scarf
I decided that I would use the red and white for a central houndstooth area but would also include a pale grey and blue as stripes to add areas of interest in between the areas of houndstooth. I found weaving this second scarf much more straightforward. I had mastered the skill of weaving, so for this scarf I was able to be more considered about the design. I kept a record of the design thus ensuring that my chosen pattern was repeated along the length of the warp. It is important to keep a plan of the weaving design because once the woven fabric has been wound onto the cloth beam at the front it is best not to unwind it. Unwinding the woven fabric can result in issues with the warp tension.
The final handwoven scarf
The final scarf is shown below. A beautiful scarf which I was delighted with which I hope my sister will love too!
Reflecting on my work experience week and the process of learning to weave
I enjoyed learning to weave during my work experience week and now understand the steps from the initial process of loom construction to the final touches of a handwoven scarf. I recognise that I need to be patient in learning the skills but to also have faith in my own skills and creativity. Whilst I have learnt that weaving and creating new weaving loom kits is part of the work undertaken by Gill and Emma, I have also gained an understanding that running a small business like TabbyandTweed involves a very large number of tasks and activities.
I have been allowed to keep my TabbyandTweed loom and I am looking forward to weaving more fabrics and scarves. I look forward to exploring new designs, colours and would encourage others to give weaving a go.
Rigid heddle looms with the scarf weaving kit to weave the scarf above are available in our TabbyandTweed website shop for UK delivery and our TabbyandTweed Etsy shop for delivery elsewhere. We sell a variety of scarf rigid heddle loom weaving kits which include the pattern and yarn for both 8epi and 10epi reeds.
In the fast paced world we now live in it is our opinion that it is something quite special to take time out of life to be creative. Weaving fabric and scarves as unique items of clothing for yourself or gifts is hugely rewarding and helpful when trying to both unwind or keep warm!
Interested in learning to weave? Then our workshop page has all the details found by clicking the link here.
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