My Inkle Loom - Need some help getting started

Diane -

Check Christina White at http://www.funkychickenartproject.com/white.htm

She is a fellow LumberJock (http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/Thor) she made a comment about your Inkle loom and sounds like she has some experience using one.

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

Hi David :-), nice to see you again. Sorry I’m so lost and can’t figure out how to use the loom you put so much work into. I think I have the heddles figured out now, a least I got that far. It is so simple when one has the right directions.

I could at this point do a weave with no pattern I believe. I’m just not getting how to do a pattern. I’m even getting the patten charts somewhat, I just don’t know how to do for example three white stitches then 4 black ones. It looks like the colors are changed every few stitches and I know that is not the case so it must include how the wrap is put on the loom as well?

Thanks for the information on this lady that might be able to help, I will consider contacting her. I am up late, the results of how frustrated I am.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

sounds like you’re getting it figured out!
There sure are great support people out there, aren’t there?? !!!

(I am of no help with this one… sorry)

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

I could write a book on what i know about Inkle Looms (but all the pages would be blank).

You have the greatest teacher and He wouldn’t give you the inspiration without following up with instructions.
Relax… breathe deep, and if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of… James 1:5

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

I’m sorry I can’t help you, because I don’t have an inkling of what a Inkle loom is. LOL

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Debbie, no I am still totally lost about how to weave. Like I said I can build anything pretty much with instructions because they are usually very detailed one step at a time but the directions for this loom are pretty bad so far or the site pages need to be zoomed in on to read them. I’m reading one now like that. Like the Heddles all they had to say was to wrap and tie instead of dividing measurement in half and adding two inches which makes for a Heddles half the length I needed.

By stitches I mean the color changes in a pattern, like three white next to 4 black being 7 stitches. I can’t change the color many times within one pass of the shuttle through the weave so I’m not getting how these color changes are taking place. If I put the threads on the loom a different color every turn on the loom then I’d get different colors but that still would not give me a way to follow a pattern.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

I’m hoping the Inkle group I joined can help. I am not good at wording my questions so I take alot of time thinking how to word things. I think I explained it well here though. This is why I get so frustrated I’m not good with the questions to get the answers.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

I can feel your frustration!!
So many times I’ve read “simple instructions” and have had no clue what on earth they were talking about.
That’s why i love it when the LJ’s post pictures and especially videos!!!

I’m sure that the Inkle Group will be able to help you. They are the experts and they have all been at the beginning stages.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

That’s true about videos and pictures they sure fill in the blanks many a times. That’s what I was thinking if only I could watch a video or see pictures on how to warp a loom, how to use a pattern to plan that out and how to do the weaving to get the wanted pattern.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

I bet your group knows of such a video OR could make a video for you!!

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Debbie that would be nice. The personal video would help if they understood what I wasn’t getting.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

maybe YOU need to make the video of yourself and ask “what am I not getting right”... I’m sure they’ll pick up on the mis-steps quickly.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Lol, I looked at the directions again on how to make the heddles, it looks like I did them right. The picture was for doing them a different way, a loop over way instead of string being passed through the heddles to put them on. Goes to show I shouldn’t be trying to figure this out late at night. I’m lost with the rest though.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

you are getting closer!!! :)
keep at it (of course, make sure you are rested first) :)

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Someone from the group gave me these two links from her pages:
http://saralamb.blogspot.com/2006/05/inkle-weaving-101.html
http://saralamb.blogspot.com/2006/03/pick-up-tutorial.html

I actually am understand it enough now to get a pretty good idea how this is done!!!!!

I posted I would like a weaving buddy though so maybe someone lives near me. I sure hope that happens.

Thanks everyone for your patients. I had the loom awhile before I started to figure this out, I had to figure out what materials could be used first and what to make the heddles out of. I am using 100% cotton, a string stating that it is used for beginner weavers and waxed linen for the heddles which I bought from dickblick.com. I also have crochet string that I just read that can be used as well which is a much nicer thread but probably more expensive.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

Debbie, I just read your post on making my own video. Lol, I don’t have the equipment to do that but that would of been interesting to do and to watch.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

what about just photos of each step? That will help.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Debbie that would work but thankfully someone understood what I was asking and I got my answer. Maybe someone will get interested in this on here and we will have a few weavers. I want to make a Mandolin strap at some point, some here actually make their own instruments that could show their woodworking skills as well as a woven strap to go with it.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

I’m glad that you got the help you were seeking!!
perhaps you will be the one to mix the two crafts ;)

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Who knows, that would be nice. Maybe a wood burning item as a wall hanging hung with a Inkle hanger.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

there ya go!!
I’ll be expecting to see it in the near future ;)

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

I believe my first project will be a belt, I have a good collection of Macreme’ and other types of belts I made recently. I do want to make a Mandolin Strap so I will ask if anyone has made one to see how they made the end that goes around the neck of the Mandolin. The holes for the other end I think I know how to do with two shuttles instead of one.

I will not be doing any pickup weaves to begin with.

Oh, I found another site that explains the pickups pretty well, I’ll go get it and post it for those that are wanting to learn this too.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

yes, you are definitely on your way!!!
Looking forward to seeing your finished products.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

http://www.jomsb.org/Sunnifa/Weaving/weaving.htm#Pattern%20Drafting%20for%20the%20Inkle%20Loom

http://members.shaw.ca/evethejust/pickuplearn.html

The first one is without pickups so my first project will look like this or very much like it, I may follow this pattern infact but I will have some of these colors, they are the color I bought to get started: light blue, dark blue, light green, tan, and cream.

The second site on the pickups looks good but I haven’t read it yet.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

I still am not getting the patterns enough to get going. I may be understand enough to do a pattern that isn’t a pick-up one but I’m not sure. In the patterns they don’t tell how to warp the loom (how to lay out the thread pattern by color) and what thread color to use to weave with.

Boy when I finally figure this out I will be able to explain all this better than what I am finding for instructions.

For those that are interested, this is the group I joined: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inkle_weaving/?yguid=244328965

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/