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A pin loom is a frame with pins (or nails) in a continuous row all the way around the loom. There are some general guidelines in that squares, triangles and hexagons will have the same number of nails on each side and a rectangle will have a multiple # of pins on the long sides as the short side, but this does not always hold depending on the maker and their views.
The predominant pin looms are 4 inch squares with the pins in a grouped 3 pin arrangement with 24 pins per side.
When pin looms first came to be Weave-Its were the most popular and can be found on online and locally in many antique/thrift shops.
The Loomette, my favorite and also an antique, has the equidistant pin spacing. Some of the weaving methods I do (and will be teaching you how to do in Warped Weavies)JOIN US require that the needle goes in at different angles than the straight in and the equidistant spacing provides space between each set of pins to allow the needle to be maneuvered at all angles easier.
There are many makes and models of pin looms both vintage and current. Size and shape of loom and number of pins per inch are the key parameters to think about when purchasing. A small square loom is designed to make a small square weavie, a heart shaped loom is used to make a heart. A loom with more pins per inch will make a denser fabric than a loom with less pins per inch using the same yarn.
Size of Loom
The size of the loom will determine the size of the weavie it can produce and if using a continuous piece of multi-colored yarn the size will determine where the colors will be and how much color. A 2" loom may just be 1 color if the yarn has only 1 color in 2 yards, whereas the 4" takes 7 yards of yarn and can contain 3-4 colors if the yarn changes color every 2 yards.
Weaving up 4 – 2 inch weavies will give the same size as a 4 inch weavie but the look will be different due to seams and yarn color variegation.
The size of the weavie produced by a loom will be slightly smaller than the loom due to yarn shrinkage and how tightly woven the weavie is. As you get more familiar with this style of weaving you will work out the right tension for you.
I consider my 6 foot triloom and 2 foot square to be pin looms as they can do the same weaving methods as their smaller cousins. I have done several projects using the 3 layer warp method on my 2 ft square.
Shape of Loom
There are a multitude of shapes – square, rectangle, triangle, hexagon, elongon, diamond, circular, heart.
Some weaving methods are unique to certain shapes and other methods can be used across all shapes with little or no modifications.
There are some shapes that are so unique they have only 1 or 2 ways to warp and/then weave. Or someone hasn't been creative enough with them to discover other methods.
Currently I know of over a dozen different ways to warp and/then weave on a square pin loom, all giving different effects depending on the colors used. Come JOIN US in an exploration of of these weaving methods and more in the next dimension of pin loom weaving.
Pin Spacing
The number of pins per length of side will determine the density of fabric or the pics per inch in weaving terms. It is possible to skip pins or double up the yarn on pins to vary the fabric density.
It is a common misconception that a 3-pin arrangement on a pin loom sets it up to the 3-layer method while equidistant pin spacing is for bias weaving. Either loom can be used for either method. Using the same yarn and weaving method on either loom will give the same results as long as the size of loom and number of pins is the same.
Aquiring a pin loom
Used pin looms can be readily found on sites like Ebay or in local second hand shops. Buying used you get what you see – check for all pins being present, rust, broken or cracked frames.
With the amount of tension that can be applied during the weaving process it is imperative that the loom is in good working condition. I have been very happy with how my vintage looms have held up to my weaving.
When buying new – size of loom, material made from (both frame and pin) and pin spacing are all considerations. There are many modern day makers of pin looms, check Etsy or ask in Warped Weavies as there are many different makers. JOIN US
I recently purchased from several different makers and happily received looms made out of wood or plastic, using different types of pins and spacing to accommodate a wide range of yarn thickness.
The variety speaks to' There is no one size fits all' and I can see where some prefer the wider base of the Zoom Loom, the clear acrylic of the Wunderwag or the repurpsed wood of the bigfam.
The other option is to build your own. There are templates available on some websites to get you started and if you are handy with wood then the sky is the limit for pin loom construction. Just one note on construction, if using wood pre-drill the nail holes and then use glue to hold the pins in place or else the wood will crack.
Not originally designed for pin loom weaving methods
These looms were not made for pin loom weaving methods but if you have them and they are the shape or would weave the density that you want I will be the first to say break the rules and do what makes you happy!
Knitting looms
Have done many bottle socks where the bottom is a woven circle using the bias weaving method and then knitted up the sides. Can now see where following the directions for a hexagon for the middle portion of the circle would prevent the frustration of dealing with the rounded edges. If you don't understand what I'm talking about join Warped Weavies as we get into the finer details of how to use the various looms.JOIN US
The long narrow knitting looms would weave a long narrow strip and I can see where it would be awesome for a band or belt that could be tied.
Potholder Looms
Can be used as a pin loom with some adjustments for the lack of pins/knobs in the corners. :
Some of the continuous strand methods I use utilize the edge finishing techniques from the potholder weavers. Also if you are looking for unique color patterns, this is a style to follow.
For Love and Money
The pins/pegs are widely spaced apart and will give a very lacy look unless a thicker yarn is used or multiple strands of a thinner yarn. But if this is the look you want Go For It!
With the widely spaced pins on these larger loom these weavies will weave up really fast with a bulky yarn and a blanket will be done in very little time.
Reading this far and are intrigued?
JOIN US inside Warped Weavies where we discuss and discover new and intriguing ways to use these looms.
I see pin loom weaving as making pieces of fabric that can be sewn together to create an unlimited number of items utilizing the shape and size of the pin loom(s), weaving method, weaving pattern and yarn(s). The possibilities are endless!
Come join me on this Journey to discover the wonders of pin loom weaving in the third dimension.