Today the loom in the house is exotic. And some 70-80 years ago, he was at every village mistress. 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 waste time and effort on their manufacture. However, modern women (and men) are increasingly interested in this forgotten craft, recreating ancient village looms. Let's learn a little more about the features of these devices, as well as how they can be made with your own hands at home.
Loom and its device
This device was invented before our era. Over the past millennia, its design has been improved. However, some elements have remained unchanged.
The base for fabric production on any loom is vertical yarn. They are called basic. The very process of creating the canvas, is the interweaving of horizontal (weft) threads between the base. To do this, hand tools use a shuttle (a rectangular flat coil with pointed edges). Its shape makes it easy to slip among the warp and stretch weft threads.
Another important detail of any loom is the reed. This is the name for the frequent comb used to seal the canvas after each shuttle “walk”. Without such "combing", the finished fabric will be loose and uneven. In most household and industrial looms, instead of a reed, a special bar with teeth is used.
The last integral element of each such device is the framework that controls the warp threads. Their function, in turn, is to raise even and odd ones. Thus, a more reliable and diverse weave of the web is achieved.
Types of machines
These devices are classified according to different indicators.
- The design distinguishes: 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 stand out across the width of the fabric.
- By the type of weaving of threads, weaving devices that produce simple fabrics (eccentric), with a small pattern (carriage) and coarse (jacquard) for the production of the most complex pattern are distinguished.
- Regarding the principle of operation stand out: manual, semi-mechanical, mechanical and fully automatic machines.
It is especially worth highlighting the so-called looms-frames. Usually they are completely devoid of any mechanisms, they have to weave something manually.
Short story
Judging by the ancient Egyptian images, even 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 reached us.
As a rule, weaved from threads of vegetable (linen, silk, hemp, cotton) and animal origin (yarn from wool). Naturally, such fabrics were not very strong and durable. To provide the family with clothes, we had to weave every year. In this regard, almost every peasant family had a home loom.
Although weaving was done in every family, there were craftsmen who specialized in the production of special fabrics or carpets (tapestries). For many centuries this profession was very profitable and prestigious.
Everything changed with the advent of a mechanical loom. Now it was possible to produce a large number of fabrics with minimal time and labor. Gradually, they began to equip factories that produced cheaper linen than weavers. Soon, the latter were driven out of the market. By the beginning of the 20th century, the profession of a weaver is losing its former prestige. Now the manufacture of home linen was done only for their own needs.
As a rule, for this, machines inherited from grandmothers were used. 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 Handloom". There were quite distinct illustrations in it, with the help of which it was not difficult to assemble the necessary device.
The second reference book was a manual by V. Dobrovolsky "How to build a loom and weave plain 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 canvases in stores. Now looms are again gathering dust in pantries and attics. They are preserved only by fans of this craft. It is noteworthy that today most of them are far from 70 years old.
Beginning in the 2000s (when store shelves were filled with various factory textiles), interest in hand-made fabric production 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. To do this, it is not necessary to do the machine on your own. It can be bought.
There are hundreds of varieties of factory looms available for sale. Domestic or European manufacturers give a guarantee on their products, so you can buy machines without fear that they will not be able to work.
Judging by the reviews, among the Russian manufacturers the best are looms of the companies "EcoYar" and "Pelsi". The latter specializes in the manufacture of wooden toys.
As for manufacturers from other countries, their products cost several times more.
How to make the simplest thick cardboard machine
The process of creating the fabric itself is not very complicated. If you plan to weave small items like belts, bracelets or napkins, you can make the easiest manual machine.
To do this, you need a sheet of thick cardboard. If it is not under your hand, you can use the packaging material from juice or milk.
To begin with, we take an even rectangle. Further, equal distances are measured along the edges and tiny rectangles are cut from above and below. All.
Now, warp threads (vertical) are pulled through these holes and secured. An ordinary gypsy needle will act as a shuttle. Stretching horizontal threads between the main threads with its help, it will gradually be possible to weave a small piece of the canvas.
Of course, on such a primitive loom we can only weave coarse fabric. However, most of the craftswomen who began their career with such a device, in their reviews, they advise not to neglect this machine. It will be an excellent budget start, which will help to get your hand in and a little understanding of the process. In addition, starting to work on it, you can decide for yourself whether you are interested in this fishing.
Frame type machines
If you have mastered the cardboard fixture and are ready for more, it is worthwhile to make a loom in the form of a frame.
It is done simply. A rectangle or square of the size you need is knocked out of wooden planks. Further, nails are evenly driven into it from above and below. They will serve as fasteners for the threads.
Before starting work, the base is pulled between the upper and lower rows of nails. Further, weft threads are passed between these threads.
If the frame is very large, it is worth making a small shuttle for it from a piece of the remaining bar. To do this, it is necessary to handle it well with sandpaper, give a thin streamlined shape and make grooves along the edges so that it is convenient to wind a thread on it.
If the size of the frame is modest, you can use a large gypsy needle.
Please note that for this type of manual loom, a reed is already necessary so that the fabric is dense. This comb can be made of 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 a woven fabric, you can make frames in the form of patterns of future details. Thus, you don’t have to spend extra material when cutting, which you spent so much effort on creating.
Doormat loom
In addition to clothes, bedding and towels, our grandmothers wove carpets and bedspreads on their machines. To create such products, all the same classic devices were used. However, they are rather bulky. In addition, just to refuel the machine to start working on carpets, you need a lot of time and effort.
Therefore, a simpler weaving device, a frame type, is very popular.
As a rule, rugs made of scraps of old clothes that are well known to all of us are created on such a machine. You can also use special thick woolen threads.
How to make such a loom with your own hands? Pretty simple. It is an improved version of the classic framework. However, it will be larger and longer. As fasteners for warp threads, you will have to use large nails or screws with thick legs and wide hats.
Pay attention to a 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 a rug, they will need to be inserted into its edges so that the width of the finished product is uniform.
Round rug machine
Many people like not rectangular, but round floor mats. To weave them, you need to use a round machine.
You can make it, for example, from an ordinary plastic hoop. Make sure that it is not bent, as this will affect the quality of the finished product.
First, mark the edges around the circle. Then 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 is not very high quality, since poorly fixed 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 extend radially. The machine begins to resemble a bicycle wheel. Now you can start weaving the rug from the middle.
As a rule, people work on this machine with their hands. In reviews it is advised to use a miniature shuttle or a large needle only when very thin fabric is made.
How to make a machine from plywood or wood
If you have enough space to accommodate a full-fledged weaving device, you should try 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.
Two rollers should be located at the very beginning and at the end. Threads are wound on one, finished fabric on the other. Ideal option to make them on bolts or handles with the ability to fix.
If your machine does not have a spacer that facilitates the shuttle slipping, you should first attach not 1, but 2 rollers. On one will be even, on the other - odd warp threads.
The last obligatory detail is the reed. It can be made of 2 wooden planks with often clogged nails between them.
When refueling the machine, the threads will need to be skipped between these teeth.
If all this is done correctly, you can get to work.
Machines from other materials at hand
In addition to wood and plywood, weaving fixtures of the aforementioned 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.