overshot weaving rigid heddle loom brands

Crazyshot - creative overshot weaving - introduces anyone who uses a rigid heddle loom to a whole world of creative weaving. Using just one heddle and one pick-up stick, you’ll explore color, design, and texture, taking your weaving to the next level.

Complete step-by-step instructions are included for weaving all 14 of the designs in this book. Also provided are how-tos for the single heddle overshot technique, reading charts for the rigid heddle loom, and finishing techniques, along with lots of tips and tricks for successful and

Complex patterning is easier than it looks with this simple charted technique. All you need are basic rigid heddle warping and weaving skills to start your next weaving adventure!

Weaving is experiencing a renaissance of sorts in the western world, with various looms available for beginners and professionals alike. Owning a loom allows weavers to create complex weave structures, which was initially done on floor looms that took two people to operate.

Luckily today, there is a variety of rigid heddle looms, and table looms that are smaller and more economical than their larger counterparts. Before choosing a rigid heddle loom, it’s essential to know what to look for, such as weaving width, if it’s foldable for portability, price, and type of wood it’s made out of, which will determine how much upkeep it might need.

Rigid heddle looms are excellent for those just entering the world of weaving due to their ease of use. The main difference between a rigid heddle loom and a table or harness loom is that the rigid heddle completes two primary functions, the first is to create the opening or eye for each warp yarn strand to pass through and to control the shed to ensure even warp tension and an even warping process.

A rigid heddle loom is supported by a heddle block that guides the heddle in an up and down motion within the rigid heddle reed. The heddle reed functions to secure the cloth and store it. While not as fast as a harness loom, a rigid loom can still create beautiful weaving patterns, especially if using a second heddle.

A table loom has separate variable dent reeds that are not combined on a rigid heddle loom. This small detail limits the types of designs created on a heddle loom.

For those new to weaving, there are specific terms that are commonly used in weaving that are important to understand. The first is that weaving involves warp threads that run east to west on the loo; the second is the weft that is woven into the warp. Weaving happens when one of the following actions are completed:

Sometimes called either shuttling or picking due to the parts of the loom used, picking is using a pick or stick shuttles to pass the weft through the warp. Some stick shuttles have one or two threads held by a bobbin or woven around the shuttle, releasing the weft yarn as the stick passes through the warp threads.

The cloth beam ensures an even warp, similar to the warping peg, by tightening the woven fabric. The cloth beam is usually located at the base of the loom.

The reed has two functions, similar to a rigid heddle. The first is to keep the dents even, and the second is to feed the pick to the base of the cloth.

The rigid heddle weaving width ranges from 10–48-inches wide. The smaller the size loom, the easier it is to learn weaving. Although, a wide loom provides more options to weave broader projects.

Weavers also can purchase two stick shuttles, a loom stand, or a heddle option for the different types of weaving patterns. Most larger looms come with threading hooks, warping pegs, table clamps, yarn, and weaving instructions.

A general rule for using bulky yarns is to use a five dent rigid heddle. A rigid heddle with a lower number is designed for thicker yarns. Weavers can go a bit higher for worsted yarns, between eight and a 10 rigid heddle. When purchasing additional heddles, be sure to order the correct one as the knitter’s loom is different than a standard rigid heddle loom.

Ashford looms are the industry standard for rigid heddle looms. An Ashford loom is known for its quality, durability, and ease of use, depending on the model. This rigid heddle loom is economical and made of all-natural silver Beechwood to be stained or left unfinished. This loom comes with reed nylon, two shuttles, a threading hook, a warping peg, and one clamp.

It’s important to note that an Ashford knitters loom isn’t the same as a regular rigid heddle loom. Some differences are that the cog and pawl ensure there’s always tension with or without warp. What’s more, a knitters loom folds, whereas this rigid heddle loom does not. Another essential feature is that the warp runs from the warp beam to the cloth beam with all Ashford looms, which provides an angle while weaving. As the warp gets larger, the angle is reduced.

This Schacht Cricket loom is the right rigid heddle loom for a beginner. Anyone investing in their first rigid heddle loom will appreciate the compact size, smaller weaving width, and weaving capabilities of this Schacht Cricket loom. Note that this loom does not fold for those looking for portable looms, but the Schacht flip loom does.

Schacht looms, similar to Ashford looms, have an excellent reputation for quality in the weaving world. Beginners can start weaving plain weaves after about 15 minutes of a quick assembly. This loom comes with stick shuttles, a threading hook, a warping peg, a reed, and yarn.

Beginners or experienced weavers alike looking for an affordable loom will like the portability of this Ashford Sampleit loom. This loom comes with an already built-in second heddle kit that allows weavers to double the width, thickness, or inches of fabric. This rigid heddle loom includes a threading hook, warping peg, and two shuttles. Note, the second heddle must be purchased separately.

Weavers can quickly use up their yarn stash with this easy-to-use rigid heddle loom. Even though they are both Ashford rigid heddle looms, there are slight differences in the extra parts. When purchasing additional parts, be sure to buy for the Sampleit loom and not the Ashford knitters loom.

Ashford rigid heddle looms at this size are for weavers who have a lot of space to work on their weaving. This piece comes with a loom stand, a trestle stand to be clear, that due to its design helps make weaving on a loom this size more manageable and more stable.

Experienced weavers can create rugs, scarves, wall hangings, or even large throws for a bed or sofa. This rigid heddle loom can also accommodate double heddle blocks, with each heddle block available for purchase as part of a rigid heddle kit. In addition, this loom comes in different loom sizes, including 16, 24, and 32 inches.

As far as folding rigid heddle looms go, this Kromski is an excellent choice. This loom is small enough to be folded, similar to a knitters loom, for greater portability. Weavers can purchase a second heddle kit to warp yarns into more complex patterns.

This wraps up our guide to the best rigid heddle looms. Not only have we discussed how you could identify different kinds of rigid heddle looms, but we’ve also shared our recommendations in various contexts.

We’ve discussed how you can choose the best rigid heddles and why these critical deciding factors are essential, including weaving size, foldability, price, and type of wood. We’ve outlined them thoroughly to help you understand them easily.

Lastly, we’ve combined our recommendations in different situations. So whether buying the best rigid heddle loom for beginners, looking for a large loom, or even an affordable option, we’ve discussed it all.

Supplementary-weft weaving has been around for a very long time. There’s evidence of it in some of the earliest weavings from India and Egypt including in the tomb of Tutankhamun. The idea of creating a decorative fabric by weaving a simple tabby cloth simultaneously with a contrasting, superimposed pattern has shown up in cultures worldwide; Latin American brocades, Branoe or branded folk weaving from Russia, Smalandsvav in Sweden and Skillbragd in Norway inlay/overshot techniques, Sanga and Songket from Southeast Asia, Saga Nashiki from Japan, traditional Slavic weaves often used for belts, and American overshot coverlets from the 18th century all create a similar fabric structure using variations of decorative supplementary weft over a plain, tabby background. Many of these techniques even have motifs in common, despite being separated by great distance and time, most likely due to human migration. As is the tradition with many crafts, each province, prefecture, county and clan typically used a specific weaving designs to distinguish the area where it was made.

There are techniques that use a more freeform approach, like the figurative works from Peru, Mexico, and Guatemala, as well as many from India called weft-float patterns. These fabrics usually include individual figures or animals and are woven with a discontinuous supplementary weft. A distinction can be made for color changes across a row, between continuous supplementary wefts, where the pattern weft continues from selvedge to selvedge, and discontinuous supplementary wefts, where the pattern weft only travels across a portion of the row. Most discontinuous styles use different colors traveling partially across the same rows similar to tapestry weaving, to create different figures.

One night, while browsing weaving videos on Youtube, as I often do, I stumbled on the little known technique called Branoe weaving from Russia. I love the rigid heddle for it’s ease and portability and especially for the small commitment with speedy dressing that gets me weaving in a very short time. I quickly realized while watching all of Kelly Casanova’s fascinating videos on Branoe weaving that something about it was very familiar. I also love to do Fair Isle, stranded and mosaic knitting. Each is done by following a simple gridded chart and working one stitch at a time across a row to create a beautifully patterned fabric. I tried the Branoe technique from the video and ventured off into a rabbit hole that I still haven’t emerged from that resulted in a book called “Crazyshot!- Creative Overshot Weaving for the Rigid Heddle Loom," - a deep dive into combining traditional charts from various fiber arts and the Branoe/overshot styles of weaving.

Simply put the cloth is woven by alternating picks of tabby weave that match the warp in weight and color with a heavier yarn that follows a chart for a patterned relief that sits on the surface of the fabric. One of the coolest things about this method is that the fabric is entirely reversible since the pattern sits over both the front and the back. While it’s definitely a labor of love to sit and pick every other row individually, I find it very meditative and rewarding. Most forms of overshot weaving on the rigid heddle loom, where the fabric and decoration are woven together with different thicknesses of thread or yarn, usually entail a laborious preset of multiple warps and or heddle rods with string heddles mimicking a four shaft loom. Because rigid heddle looms typically only accommodate one or two heddles, additional pick-up sticks or heddle rods with string heddles are often employed. There are even some methods where three heddles are employed and used in various combinations to duplicate all four shafts. In this case the overall design is predetermined and warping through each heddle follows a very specific route based on the pattern chosen. One mistake in warping can cost you the entire outcome of the fabric.

What makes Branoe and the simple supplementary-weft techniques so exciting and accessible to anyone who can weave a plain cloth is that it uses only one heddle and one pick-up stick to create complex-looking patterns with endless variations. A multitude of patterns can be created including some which would be impossible to weave on a multi shaft loom. It’s also very easy to correct mistakes by watching each row as you weave, much like knitting, and unweaving incorrect rows before you progress.

Because fabrics made with a supplementary-weft techniques tend to be thicker and firmer than plain weaves, most are used for decorative home goods and accessories. These fabrics may not be suitable for clothing, where drape is a concern, but can be used as beautiful borders. I’m currently experimenting with weaving different weights of thread and yarn to see if I can produce a more wearable fabric. The adventure continues! More info about Crazyshot with lots of photos can be seen at: myrawood.com/crazyshot

Elegant patterns on your rigid heddle loom are easier than you can imagine! Here author and expert weaver Myra Wood introduces makers to a world of creative weaving that uses one heddle and one pick-up stick to  explore color, design, and texture. Crazyshot! includes complete step-by-step instructions for weaving 14 eye-catching designs, along with how-tos for the single heddle overshot technique, an overview of how to read charts for the rigid heddle loom, finishing techniques, and tips and tricks for successful and satisfying results

Crazyshot - creative overshot weaving - introduces anyone who uses a rigid heddle loom to a whole world of creative weaving. Using just one heddle and one pick-up stick, you"ll explore color, design, and texture, taking your weaving to the next level. Complete step-by-step instructions are included for weaving all 14 designs in this book. Also provided are how-tos for the single heddle overshot technique, reading charts for the rigid heddle loom, and finishing techniques, along with lots of tips and tricks for successful and satisfying results. Complex patterning is easier than it looks with this simple charted technique. All you need are basic rigid heddle warping and weaving skills to start your next weaving adventure!

With one heddle and one stick, Myra Wood explores the art of working with ground and pattern wefts in this creative approach to rigid-heddle weaving. Known for her for colorwork across many mediums, Myra beautifully illustrates that complex does not have to be complicated. --Liz Gipson, Author of A Weaver"s Guide to Yarn and other books for rigid-heddle weaving and the host of the Yarnworker School

If you are lucky enough to have a local shop nearby that supports weaving, please support them.  They can give you personal handholding when you need it, and they offer you the invaluable service of allowing you to get hands-on experience when picking your yarn, fiber, and equipment. Consider your loom, book, and other materials support of this service.

This page includes affiliate links from Amazon. I encourage you to support your local retailer, although I fully recognize not everyone is lucky enough to have a local book or weaving store nearby. The small income from these links help fund this site.

Craftsy/BluPrint was recently purchased by TN Marketing. There were a number of rigid-heddle classes available under the Craftsy brand. Keep an eye on their website for updates.

Below are manufacturers that currently manufacture rigid heddle looms. You may find other discontinued looms at a garage sale or online. Although they may seem like a bargain, many of the current loom manufactures have redesigned or reissued their looms with today’s weaver in mind. Buying a good tool is always worth the price!

*These manufactures have updated their loom designs. If you first experienced the rigid-heddle loom more than a decade ago, these are not the looms you remember.  Advanced manufacturing technology has made more features possible. There is a good loom comparison chart posted in the Rigid Heddle Loom group on Ravelry that was compiled by triplr95 and Stella8523 and updated by Climberknits in October of 2017. This blog post I wrote on beams may also help you think about your loom choice.

If you are lucky enough to have a local shop nearby that supports weaving, please support them.  They can give you personal handholding when you need it, and they offer you the invaluable service of allowing you to get hands-on experience when picking your yarn, fiber, and equipment. Consider your loom, book, and other materials support of this service.

This page includes affiliate links from Amazon. I encourage you to support your local retailer, although I fully recognize not everyone is lucky enough to have a local book or weaving store nearby. The small income from these links help fund this site.

Craftsy/BluPrint was recently purchased by TN Marketing. There were a number of rigid-heddle classes available under the Craftsy brand. Keep an eye on their website for updates.

Below are manufacturers that currently manufacture rigid heddle looms. You may find other discontinued looms at a garage sale or online. Although they may seem like a bargain, many of the current loom manufactures have redesigned or reissued their looms with today’s weaver in mind. Buying a good tool is always worth the price!

*These manufactures have updated their loom designs. If you first experienced the rigid-heddle loom more than a decade ago, these are not the looms you remember.  Advanced manufacturing technology has made more features possible. There is a good loom comparison chart posted in the Rigid Heddle Loom group on Ravelry that was compiled by triplr95 and Stella8523 and updated by Climberknits in October of 2017. This blog post I wrote on beams may also help you think about your loom choice.

Rigid heddle looms are often smaller, more portable, and budget-friendly than 4-shaft or 8-shaft looms. They are a great introduction to weaving, but also a wonderful tool for experienced weavers.

A rigid heddle loom has a firm, rigid (to state the obvious!) frame called a rigid heddle reed (sometimes referred to just as the “heddle” or just the “reed”) that has slots and holes through which yarn is threaded to create a warp (think of the warp as the canvas for your weaving.)

The yarn in the slots can move up and down freely while the yarn in the hols stays relatively fixed. Raising and lowering the heddle creates a “shed,” an open space between the slot threads and hole threads, through which you pass your weft yarn in order to weave and create fabric.

The possibilities are endless! Scarves, tea towels, and table linens are the most common projects made on rigid heddle looms, but with the magic of double-width weaving you can make larger projects like shawls and blankets too. Explore our selection of rigid heddle patterns here.

We carry two brands of rigid heddle looms: Ashford and Schacht. Both are high-quality, family-run companies that have been producing looms and weaving accessories for generations.

If you’re looking for an affordable entry-point loom, we’d recommend the Ashford SampleIt Loom. It’s a great “gateway” loom if you want to try weaving to see if you like it.

If you’re looking for a wider loom with more advanced capabilities to grow into, we’d suggest the Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom, the Ashford Knitters Loom, or the Schacht Flip Loom. These are more versatile and sturdy looms that will serve you well from beginner projects right through advanced weaving. All three can accommodate two heddles to achieve a finer sett and double-width weaving.

In addition to your rigid heddle loom, you will want to have some basic tools and weaving equipment, such as: reeds in varying sizes, shuttles, and a heddle hook. If you’re just starting out, we recommend choosing one of our rigid heddle weaving starter packs.

The “humble” rigid heddle loom can do so much, as I hope the pictures above show. A beginner is most definitely what I am at the time of writing, as I have been weaving for only over six months on the rigid heddle. Hence there may be a lot missing from the info below.

However, with my bewilderment with terminology still very fresh in my mind, I thought I might save other beginners some grief by collecting what I know below. I dived into three heddle weaving almost straightaway, from my very second project (pictured above), so the list below also includes resources for weaving with three heddles, as well as four shaft drafts.

We’ve got to start from the beginning, right? I got my 16″/40cm SampleIt as part of the “Ashford complete weaving kit“, which was issued around Christmas but seems to be available throughout the year. On the plus side: it is a bargain, and it comes with absolutely everything you need to get going, including two extra reeds, even 200g yarn for your first project, two pickup sticks, Rowena Hart’s “The Ashford Book of Rigid Heddle Weaving” – check the full details in the link. I think it is VERY good value for money. On the downside: it is shorter than other looms, so at the very least you have to advance the warp more frequently, and fitting three heddles is more finnicky than on a full sized loom; although smaller than standard rigid heddle looms, it does not fold, so if you travel you need a full size luggage (dimensions are not compatible with hand luggage if you fly). Unlike several other brands, the bottom does not double as warping board. Still, it is very cheap as a bundle, and works perfectly if you are not sure whether you’ll enjoy weaving, since it sets you up to get the most out of it.

The most common brands and anyhow those I researched are Ashford (SampleIt as entry level, Rigid Heddle Loom as standard, Knitters’ loom folds), Kromski(Presto as entry level, and Harp Forte, which folds, as standard size) and Shacht (Cricket as entry level, Flip as standard. Both fold), all available in the UK.

When researching what loom to buy, I found this blog post very clear and useful. For your first loom you’d be probably shooting in the dark: you won’t know until you start what is that you like, and what catches your fancy – I got into sewing at “granny age” because of my rigid heddle loom!

Things to consider are the obvious: budget, and what you want to do with it, which will determine the weaving width you want. Bear in mind that a larger width requires larger space to the side to manage the stick shuttles (boat shuttles are also used successfully by some, but the lower tension in rigid heddle looms as compared to multi shaft looms, and the lack of a race, mean that unless the yarn is really fine, the boat shuttle will end up on the floor quite often!). Also, larger room may require investment in a dedicated stand, as weaving with the loom on a tabletop may be quite uncomfortable/unwieldy.

In my (admittedly very limited) experience knitting yarn works perfectly well, in fact that is all I’ve been using on my rigid heddle loom. Just be careful with what you use as warp yarn: strong (so that it won’t break with all the abrasion from the reed dents going back and forth) and smooth (so that warp threads don’t stick together and give you a clear shed) is key for warp yarn. For weft you can use absolutely anything you like.

“Inventive weaving on a little loom”, by Syne Mitchell. This one starts from the very beginning, with the first three chapters taking you step by step into weaving and what could go wrong. It is great on three heddle weaving and how to translate drafts for shaftt looms to the rigid heddle loom. I learned about the latter on other sources thoug (see below). Available also as ebook.

“The Weaver’s Idea Book” by Jane Patrick assumes you have a little confidence with your loom already, e.g. you’ve done your first project on it, in the sense that it starts in earnest with weaving. It is one of those books that will really take you to another level if you go through it cover-to-cover (which I haven’t done yet, though). It has absolutely everything, and it will take you from absolute beginner to super expert. It is also full of projects for each technique. Available also as ebook.

“Handwoven Home”, by Liz Gipson aka Yarnworker is project base: with each project you learn a new technique, and there are also knowledge chapters at the beginning that cover the basics of weaving. Since each author has different preferences, having more than one text to teach you the basic is I think no bad thing. Available also as ebook.

“The Handweaver’s Pattern Directory”, by Anne Dixon. A four shaft loom, or a rigid heddle loom with three heddles, has “only” 14 possible sheds. Yet with threading and threading these can be combined to one’s heart’s content, and over 600 patterns are contained in this book. It is a must have, full of illustrations with both draft and the cloth produced. Only available as physical book, but the spiral bound and hardcover make it quite handy to look up.

A substantial section of chapter 6 in “Inventive weaving on a little loom” is devoted to three heddle weaving: this opens up all four shaft possibilities, including twills, lace, overshot and double weave. There are limitations, in that to avoid cross threads it may be just impossible to weave some patterns using the full width of your loom; and some patterns in overshot patterned double weave will just not be doable because of the way in which warp threads have to alternate in the heddles. However, there is no risk of running out of things to do for a very long while!

My introduction to three heddle weaving however came from this and this blog posts, which opened my eye to the fact that even the short Ashford SampleIt loom I owned could fit three heddles – so I will be forever grateful to

Besides’s Liz Gipson’s book mentioned above, if you sew (and even if you do not) you can also keep going as you are on plain weave but creating with yarn you have to play with texture and try some of Sarah Howard’s patterns (no affiliation, just a very satisfied customer – I think I’ve only not bought four or five of them), which are designed specifically for the rigid heddle loom in mind (I also have a 16” rigid heddle loom, and made this on it – sorry to brag, I still cannot believe I did that! My first ever sewing project was another of Sarah Howard’s pattern, turned into this skirt.)

And then of course the “obvious” sources of projects: magazines! Handwoven magazine in particular always has some Rigid Heddle Loom projects, but once equipped with the knowledge to weave 4 shaft patterns, there are loads of such projects there too!

If you landed on this page, you were possibly surfing the net – it is where I found all the above! Let me just add a couple of more places you may want to check out, again specific to rigid heddle loom weaving:

The photo is my version of Linda Marveng"s Aki, the first proper project after "being born again". After getting back into knitting, weaving has also become my passion (with a little sewing to turn my handweaving into garments).View all posts by lovestoswatch

Language: English. Brand new Book. Elegant patterns on a Rigid Heddle Loom are easier than you can imagine!Crazyshot - creative overshot weaving - introduces anyone who uses a rigid heddle loom to a whole world of creative weaving. Using just one heddle and one pick-up stick, you"ll explore color, design, and texture, taking your weaving to the next level. Complete step-by-step instructions are included for weaving all 14 designs in this book. Also provided are how-tos for the single heddle overshot technique, reading charts for the rigid heddle loom, and finishing techniques, along with lots of tips and tricks for successful and satisfying results. Complex patterning is easier than it looks with this simple charted technique. All you need are basic rigid heddle warping and weaving skills to start your next weaving adventure!With one heddle and one stick, Myra Wood explores the art of working with ground and pattern wefts in this creative approach to rigid-heddle weaving. Known for her for colorwork across many mediums, Myra beautifully illustrates that complex does not have to be complicated. --Liz Gipson, Author of A Weaver"s Guide to Yarn and other books for rigid-heddle weaving and the host of the Yarnworker School. Seller Inventory # AAV9780980018271

Hello, friends. What a busy week we’ve had here in Harrisville. I’ve made a new acquisition to my home studio: a trestle stand for my rigid heddle loom! I’m really excited about it. The stand allows one to position the loom at an angle appropriate for her and keeps the loom off of the floor when not in use. Assembly of the stand was not difficult. I’m really excited about the possibility of taking my loom outside on the patio on a nice day and working outdoors!

I designed this rigid heddle scarf to introduce color and weave effects to newer weavers. The warping of the pattern is a bit fiddly, so it helps to have a solid understanding of warping a rigid heddle; it is not a good “first” project. The pattern is available for instant download in my Etsy shop. You may also purchase the pattern right here with Paypal and I will email the file to you.

Also related to rigid heddle weaving, the workshop at Harrisville Designs went well. My goal as workshop leader was to help new weavers gain the background and confidence needed to warp and to weave on the rigid heddle loom on their own, at home, and be excited about it! Here are just a couple of photos of the lovely creations woven by class participants:

We were even able to touch on a couple of techniques beyond plain weave, including basket weave (a plain weave variation) and Brooks bouquet, which adds a lacy touch to handwoven plain weave fabric with no pick-up stick or crochet hook or extra heddle required.

Using more than one color in the warp (I’ve used 3 here) is an interesting exercise. To my eye, the texture of the weaving structure really seems to shine. Of course, after the cloth is off of the loom and finished, we might be looking at an entirely different kettle of fish. But that’s what makes this whole gig so fun, right?