My Weaving Startup Guide
A warm welcome to beginners and potential weavers! I’m so glad you’re here.
Want to start weaving but don’t know where to begin? Wondering what kinds of things you can make? I’d love to share the approach I used to start my own weaving journey, along with some insights to help guide you.
First, Do You Even Like Weaving?
Before you dive in, let’s talk about what weaving really involves. No matter the project or style, all weaving is a mix of these foundational elements. If any of this sounds appealing, you’re in the right place. And if any of this sounds daunting, you’re still in the right place :)
Creativity: Whether you follow a pattern, or take an intuitive approach, or something in between (my preference), weaving is an art form. There is all the creative problem-solving that is required of any craft.
History: I love that when you weave you feel a tradition coming alive at your fingertips. No matter what way you engage, you are learning from countless generations of accumulated knowledge.
Material Physics: Each type of yarn has its own personality, and you’ll learn about it’s unique needs, friction and tension as you work with it.
Arithmetic: Measuring, estimating, and calculating resources to plan projects. Sometimes there’s a lot of counting involved.
Mechanics: The loom is a machine, no matter how simple. You’ll work with it closely as a physical extension to your body. Good weaving is good muscle memory.
What Do You Want to Weave?
This question is crucial because weaving requires an investment of time, space, and money. Since weaving is such a vast craft, it’s helpful to narrow things down with a bit of fun research.
Think of it like choosing the kind of music you want to play on an instrument.
Step 1: Start by exploring photos of weaving to see what resonates with you. Search Instagram for the following hashtags and save posts that inspire you. This represents the “musical genres” of weaving that appeal to you. Hashtags to start your search:
#weaversofinstagram
#handwoven
#weaving
#weaverfever
#modernweaving
Step 2: Once you’ve identified the styles you like, it’s time to understand the tools used to create them. Go back to your saved posts and look at the other common hashtags in those posts. You’ll start to see terms like “tapestry,” “twill,” or “floor loom”, or specific models of looms like “kromski harp forte”. Now research these terms to understand what they mean.
Start by Googling definitions of unfamiliar terms
For an extensive list of resources, see the r/weaving subreddit wiki and search past posts, it’s packed with useful information
Follow your favorite makers on Instagram to see what setup they have
Decide on a Loom
If you’re still excited, it’s time to choose the type of loom. This decision is crucial because each loom has its own physical limitations and stylistic differences. Often, looms find you—perhaps one will come into your life through a thrift store, a Craigslist find, or as a gift from a fiber fairy godparent. Here’s a quick guide to help you, and the universe, find the right loom for you:
Try a Frame Loom:
If you’re intimidated by math and enjoy repetitive tasks
If you’re sure you want to weave tapestry style
If you’re not ready to invest more than $100
Recommended book: Weaving on a Little Loom by Fiona Daly
Try a Rigid Heddle Loom:
If you’re intimidated by the warping process but love a good puzzle
If you’re not sure what you want to weave, but a scarf is definitely on the table
If you have a few hundred dollars and a weekend to get started
Recommended book: Inventive Weaving on a Little Loom by Syne Mitchell
Try a Table Loom:
If you’re excited by the warping process and love detailed work
If you definitely want to weave twill and non-plain weave structures
If you have $500+ and a long weekend to get started
Note: Personally, I recommend a floor loom over a table loom. Table looms lack treadling, which means you’ll use significantly more steps (via arm motions) that are easily achieved with foot pedals.
Pass Go and Head Straight to a Floor Loom If:
If you’re excited by the warping process and love finding efficiencies
If you want to weave twill and non-plain weave structures, create large quantities, or make rugs
If you have $600+, some floor space, and a long weekend to get started
Recommended book: Learning to Weave by Deborah Chandler
Note: only buy table or floor looms used from local guilds or online marketplaces. There’s plenty of used looms out there!
To me, the rigid heddle loom is the perfect entry point into weaving. It offers a great balance of challenge with the ease of simplified mechanics. New weavers will find it engaging, like a puzzle that’s tough to “grow out of,” with plenty to explore beyond just plain weave. Rigid heddles looms follow the same steps as larger looms—just simplified. I still use my rigid heddle often. And I contiue to use the accessories I purchased for it when weaving on bigger looms. I suggested buying one that’s 16 to 24 inches in width.
A Cautionary Note: Tapestry & Backstrap
Tapestry rug weaving involves high tension and requires a rug-specific loom. If you’re inspired by traditional styles like Diné, Chimayo, or Oaxaca weaving, start by taking a class from a weaver of that lineage.
Backstrap weaving is deceptively simple and often touted as a “cheap” way to begin due to the simplicity of the loom. However, it is not a beginner technique. I don’t recommend starting here unless you have a 1:1 teacher of a lineage. Take a class, like a backstrap intensive or use videos that accompany a kit.
Finding Your Path
If you’re still feeling lost, that’s okay! Weaving is a vast craft with many paths to explore. Start with what excites you most. After researching some terminology, you’ll have more information to draw from. Whether it’s in-person classes, virtual courses, YouTube videos, or books, there are plenty of ways to learn.
A class is a great place to begin, offering a chance to get a feel for the craft and focus on the elements that interest you most. Look for classes at your local weavers' guild, yarn store, community college, or fiber arts center. The startup costs of weaving can be significant, so if you find a class and teacher that resonate with you, give it a try before making a big investment.
Personally, I’m mostly self-taught, and I’ve learned so much from the books I’ve recommended here. I hope this guide provides some direction, and that as you dive in, you find weaving to be easier and more rewarding than you ever expected. Welcome to the world of weaving. Enjoy!