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Loom Work

Beading looms are incredibly easy to use.  Looms are usually made of wood or metal. The smaller metal looms available in any craft store and in many toy stores are fine for short, narrow projects, and run under $10.  Wooden looms are usually larger and adjustable, and better for longer or wider projects.  They are a bit more expensive - $20 or more.  Plastic tube looms are available for small projects, and run under $10.  Another option is to make your own temporary loom with a hard paper box (such as a cake box).  Wrap warp threads around the box or cut & tape them to the sides.

Bead Loom

   Handmade Loom

MATERIALS NEEDED:

  • Beading Loom
  • Loom Pattern

  • Seed beads - size 10/0 or 11/0

  • Beading needle size 12

  • Warp - Nymo size A or B, or cotton buttonhole thread (black is recommended)

  • Weft - Nymo size A or B (black is recommended)

  • Tape

  • Beeswax

  • Felt or fabric for backing

  • OPTIONAL: You can warp with beading wire if desired; 28 gauge works well.  Use 34 gauge for very small weavings.

THREADING UP THE LOOM:

  • The loom is strung in width according to the number of beads used. This is called the WARP. You will need one more warp thread than the number of beads. Outside threads are double for extra strength.

  • Warp loom according to instructions for your model.  If you are working with 11/0 or larger seed beads, you may need to skip 1 to 2 grooves per inch. It is better to have the warp threads spread apart than have the beads crowd into an arch.  The threads need to be of equal tension. If they twang, they are too TIGHT; if they slump unevenly, they are too LOOSE. Make your adjustments before tying off the thread. 

  • Run WAX up and down warp threads for extra strength.

  • The WEFT thread holds the beads, weaving in a horizontal path around the vertical WARP threads. Cut a length of thread 24 to 36 inches and knot it onto an outside warp thread leaving a 6 inch tail. Slip the other end of the weft thread into a beading needle. If you are right-handed, tie onto the left warp; If you are left-handed, tie onto the right warp.  Be sure to string the beads in the same direction as the weft thread. Read a chart from left to right for right-handers; read right to left for left-handers.

BEADING ON THE LOOM:

  • You are now ready to begin beading. Try to choose beads that are uniform in size. The best method is to work from a bead box which features a unique working tray that keeps the colors separate.

  • String the number of beads required for a row onto the weft thread. Make certain that the thread is UNDER the warp threads before pushing the beads up to the first outside warp. Press the beads up with your finger so there is one bead between two warp threads across the row.
  • Holding the beads in place, pass the weft thread back through all the beads OVER the warp threads. Repeat these two steps for each row.
  • The most common mistake is passing the needle UNDER one or more warp threads. The beads will drop beneath the rest of the row. If you catch it right away, undo the weft thread back to the mistake and rethread, reweaving to correct the mistake. If you discover it several rows later, you may thread a needle with weft thread and pass through two beads before, the beads affected, and two beads after, making sure that the needle passes OVER the warp threads. Weave the ends into the surrounding beads.

TAKING BEADING OFF THE LOOM:

  • While finished work is still on the loom, cut strips of tape for each end of work and sandwich the end threads between a piece of tape, making sure tape butts up against end beads, then cut outside threads off.  Fold tape behind beaded piece.  Hide tape and threads by attaching backing.

  • OPTION 1:  Cut end threads, leaving a 2-3 inch tail, and weave each one back into your beadwork (or if you wish, use them to attach fringe or embellishments).

  • OPTION 2:  Cut end threads, leaving tails long enough to tie together in pairs behind beadwork, then attach backing.

  • OPTION 3:  If warp was done with beading wire, cut end wires with wire cutters, leaving a 1-2 inch tail, then twist them together in pairs up against the beads, then bend behind beadwork.  Trim off excess wire.

JOINING NEW THREAD:

  • To join the weft thread use a weavers knot. During beading the knot should end up inside a row of beads. Excess thread can be trimmed off.