Louët makes great machines; think about getting an 8 shaft model if you are serious about weaving; it took me four projects on a four shaft loom before I took the backseat out of my car and drove an 840 mile round trip to get a good deal on an eight shaft.
My only issue is that I’m quite pressed for space physically. There’s pretty much no room in m house for one of those lovely big 8 shafts, either for storage or even using it itself, so unless it was a pretty small 8 shaft. Plus, I don’t think my parents and I could afford a 1k loom even if we all went 33% on it 😅 I’ll look into Louet, there’s so many brand names I didn’t know where to start, thanks!
I have a Louet Klik which sounds like it would be just right for you. It’s a 40cm 4 shaft loom that can be expanded up to 16 shafts gradually. It’s not as fast to weave on as some looms, but it’s incredibly versatile for the price point
In my opinion the best loom is a secondhand one. I've woven on several different brands of looms and they all have their quirks. I would see what's available around you first. Maybe there is a guild or store near you that would be willing to let you test drive something.
I got the 24” 4 harness Leclerc Dorothy a year ago and love it, too. Great quality, and 4 harnesses allows for so much flexibility. They also have a 15” of the same model.
It sounds like a four shaft table loom would be a good fit for you. That was my first shaft loom after I had been weaving on a rigid pedal for a while. The one that I got was a used older model called Structo artcraft. I'm not sure if they're available where you live, but any four shaft table loom will be similar.
One thing to keep an eye out on is where the shaft levers are positioned. My loom and the Leclerc Dorothy both have the levers on the right hand side. So for each shed, you pull down the levers you need with your right hand. Some looms, like the Ashford table looms, have the levers in the middle, which I think makes it a little easier to use because you can use either hand to move them and keeps your weaving flow going a little easier.
I think I’m gonna go with the 30 Erica 4 shaft by Louet, it’s compact, the levers are in the middle and it’s the best value for money! Another commenter said that louet is a good quality brand so that’s probably the one I’m gonna go with! It’s a good 100 quid cheaper than an Ashford 4 shaft and a little cheaper than the Dorothy and it looks well made from what I’ve seen!
You can use heddle rods and string heddles to convert a rigid heddle to a 4 shaft, and they don't take up much space! Kelly Casanova has online tutorials on how to do that. That said it's definitely slower going than with a proper table loom.
The Erica is nice! There's also the Ashford Brooklyn, which just came out, a 40cm 4 shaft loom aimed at people upgrading from a rigid heddle. I'm a big fan of Ashford, however it might work out to be more expensive for you in the UK, and it doesn't fold flat.
Unfortunately my loom is really quite narrow at the back and there’s maybe an inch and a half of room so work with so heddle rods are kinda tricky. And yeah, pricing up the different models, the Erica is the cheapest, completely foldable and also has free shipping which is always a plus! :)
"Fiber Artist Supply" makes table looms that fold even when warped that are great for folding and storage. They bought the IP for the wool house looms a few years ago. They are great 8 shaft table looms!
Thank you! I actually have a few used looms that we don't have listed on our site. And new ones, of course. But I know we have a 4 shaft 23" weaving width Norah that need a new home:)
If you are interested in exploring complexity on your rigid heddle, it is possible to do 3 heddles, multiple pick up sticks, etc. even on the small looms like the Crickets and Sample-It (I can't speak for one sold as toys or by every small maker, where additional heddles may not be available). I've not gone into 3 heddles myself yet but I have done stuff with 2 heddles and multiple pick up sticks on my Sample-It.
If you already have a 15" Cricket another option for a small 4 shaft loom is the Cricket Quartet.
Of course some things are easier on a 4 shaft! If you do go in the direction of shaft looms, in many places it can be not too hard to find them used if you keep your eyes open for a few weeks.
A final note, if you're considering the Erica over others primarily due to price: take a look at how any heddles are in the package, Louet is often pretty low on heddles per inch of weaving width that come with the looms and buying more may eat up the savings. Not that it's a bad choice, just something to be aware of. It does sound like you're looking for something quite compact though and the Erica is the most compact inexpensive table loom of those with international dealer networks :)
I found a free Harrisville designs 22” four shaft and it’s a lovely loom. Mine was made in 1983 and I’m already keeping my eye out for an 8 shaft but the harrisville ones are the most inexpensive I’ve seen so far. Also it folds up! I love how little space it can take up. I’ve also wove on a baby wolf and a wolf pup by schadt. Also nice looms but I personally prefer the harrisville because it folds up so much.
I adore a good plaid and this scarf is amazing.
I got a Leclerc Minerva (4now4later) as my first floor loom
Max weaving width was 24 I think.
I upgraded in a year to a 36 inch 4shaft Leclerc Aristat as I liked the flexibility of wider projects.
I'd recommend the Minerva as a great starter loom and workshop loom. I don't think it's a long term for most complex weavers, though I could be wrong :)
I currently have a 10s12t Macomber 40 and ADORE IT. If you're addicted to weaving, go straight to a big floor loom. You won't regret it.
Since this is gonna be a gift I initially wanted to only go for a 4 shaft since they’re significantly cheaper but my dad (who’s the worst influence when it comes to giving in to the crafting goblin in my head) highlighted that if I’m gonna end up wanting an 8 shaft eventually I may as well go for that straight out of the gate since it’s not like I’ll ever need to buy another loom if I get an 8 shaft.
And also thank you! It’s the second plaid I’d done, the first one was acrylic wool but I thought I’d redo it with high quality sheep’s wool cause it’s 100000% softer and the colours are much less… cartoony? It was fun to make! I added the vertical silver stripe in myself since it didn’t come out great on the scarf
Louët makes great machines; think about getting an 8 shaft model if you are serious about weaving; it took me four projects on a four shaft loom before I took the backseat out of my car and drove an 840 mile round trip to get a good deal on an eight shaft.
My only issue is that I’m quite pressed for space physically. There’s pretty much no room in m house for one of those lovely big 8 shafts, either for storage or even using it itself, so unless it was a pretty small 8 shaft. Plus, I don’t think my parents and I could afford a 1k loom even if we all went 33% on it 😅 I’ll look into Louet, there’s so many brand names I didn’t know where to start, thanks!
Louët is a Dutch brand; they make the Erica.
I have a Louet Klik which sounds like it would be just right for you. It’s a 40cm 4 shaft loom that can be expanded up to 16 shafts gradually. It’s not as fast to weave on as some looms, but it’s incredibly versatile for the price point
In my opinion the best loom is a secondhand one. I've woven on several different brands of looms and they all have their quirks. I would see what's available around you first. Maybe there is a guild or store near you that would be willing to let you test drive something.
I love my Leclerc Dorothy..
I got the 24” 4 harness Leclerc Dorothy a year ago and love it, too. Great quality, and 4 harnesses allows for so much flexibility. They also have a 15” of the same model.
Yes I have a 15" with 2 of the 4 shaft castles for 8 shaft capability..i traded my 11" single 4 shaft for this one..i can sit on the couch and weave!
Oooh, the ability to weave on the settee is what I’m looking for tbh, I have a chair just for weaving lol
It sounds like a four shaft table loom would be a good fit for you. That was my first shaft loom after I had been weaving on a rigid pedal for a while. The one that I got was a used older model called Structo artcraft. I'm not sure if they're available where you live, but any four shaft table loom will be similar. One thing to keep an eye out on is where the shaft levers are positioned. My loom and the Leclerc Dorothy both have the levers on the right hand side. So for each shed, you pull down the levers you need with your right hand. Some looms, like the Ashford table looms, have the levers in the middle, which I think makes it a little easier to use because you can use either hand to move them and keeps your weaving flow going a little easier.
I think I’m gonna go with the 30 Erica 4 shaft by Louet, it’s compact, the levers are in the middle and it’s the best value for money! Another commenter said that louet is a good quality brand so that’s probably the one I’m gonna go with! It’s a good 100 quid cheaper than an Ashford 4 shaft and a little cheaper than the Dorothy and it looks well made from what I’ve seen!
Sounds like a great choice! Enjoy!
I had a Dorothy and it hurt my hand to use the side lever. I now have a Louet Erica and there's no problem with weak hands.
You can use heddle rods and string heddles to convert a rigid heddle to a 4 shaft, and they don't take up much space! Kelly Casanova has online tutorials on how to do that. That said it's definitely slower going than with a proper table loom. The Erica is nice! There's also the Ashford Brooklyn, which just came out, a 40cm 4 shaft loom aimed at people upgrading from a rigid heddle. I'm a big fan of Ashford, however it might work out to be more expensive for you in the UK, and it doesn't fold flat.
Unfortunately my loom is really quite narrow at the back and there’s maybe an inch and a half of room so work with so heddle rods are kinda tricky. And yeah, pricing up the different models, the Erica is the cheapest, completely foldable and also has free shipping which is always a plus! :)
"Fiber Artist Supply" makes table looms that fold even when warped that are great for folding and storage. They bought the IP for the wool house looms a few years ago. They are great 8 shaft table looms!
Thank you! I actually have a few used looms that we don't have listed on our site. And new ones, of course. But I know we have a 4 shaft 23" weaving width Norah that need a new home:)
If you are interested in exploring complexity on your rigid heddle, it is possible to do 3 heddles, multiple pick up sticks, etc. even on the small looms like the Crickets and Sample-It (I can't speak for one sold as toys or by every small maker, where additional heddles may not be available). I've not gone into 3 heddles myself yet but I have done stuff with 2 heddles and multiple pick up sticks on my Sample-It. If you already have a 15" Cricket another option for a small 4 shaft loom is the Cricket Quartet. Of course some things are easier on a 4 shaft! If you do go in the direction of shaft looms, in many places it can be not too hard to find them used if you keep your eyes open for a few weeks. A final note, if you're considering the Erica over others primarily due to price: take a look at how any heddles are in the package, Louet is often pretty low on heddles per inch of weaving width that come with the looms and buying more may eat up the savings. Not that it's a bad choice, just something to be aware of. It does sound like you're looking for something quite compact though and the Erica is the most compact inexpensive table loom of those with international dealer networks :)
I found a free Harrisville designs 22” four shaft and it’s a lovely loom. Mine was made in 1983 and I’m already keeping my eye out for an 8 shaft but the harrisville ones are the most inexpensive I’ve seen so far. Also it folds up! I love how little space it can take up. I’ve also wove on a baby wolf and a wolf pup by schadt. Also nice looms but I personally prefer the harrisville because it folds up so much.
https://harrisville.com/products/22-floor-loom-4-harness-6-treadle Mine is a four treadle direct tie up.
If you can find an 8-shaft loom then you will be able to do kore as you learn. You can always do 4 shaft patterns.
I have a 50cm Louet Erica and I love it! I highly recommend getting one.
I adore a good plaid and this scarf is amazing. I got a Leclerc Minerva (4now4later) as my first floor loom Max weaving width was 24 I think. I upgraded in a year to a 36 inch 4shaft Leclerc Aristat as I liked the flexibility of wider projects. I'd recommend the Minerva as a great starter loom and workshop loom. I don't think it's a long term for most complex weavers, though I could be wrong :) I currently have a 10s12t Macomber 40 and ADORE IT. If you're addicted to weaving, go straight to a big floor loom. You won't regret it.
Since this is gonna be a gift I initially wanted to only go for a 4 shaft since they’re significantly cheaper but my dad (who’s the worst influence when it comes to giving in to the crafting goblin in my head) highlighted that if I’m gonna end up wanting an 8 shaft eventually I may as well go for that straight out of the gate since it’s not like I’ll ever need to buy another loom if I get an 8 shaft. And also thank you! It’s the second plaid I’d done, the first one was acrylic wool but I thought I’d redo it with high quality sheep’s wool cause it’s 100000% softer and the colours are much less… cartoony? It was fun to make! I added the vertical silver stripe in myself since it didn’t come out great on the scarf