Q&A: Ashford rigid heddle looms

1/19/2017

We continue to received a wealth of really great questions regarding Ashford Rigid Heddle and Knitters looms. Today's post highlights a number of FAQ's regarding the purchase of a new loom.
My personal answers are attached. They reflect my own experience as a Rigid Heddle mega-fan and an Ashford retailer over the past 20 years. The opinions of others may vary.

Where do I start in choosing a loom size?
In terms of choosing a loom width, the smallest looms 10"-12” are perfect for scarves, small accessories and sampling, 16” will also provide enough width for tableware.
A 20” loom is wide enough for most shawls, 24” provides the cloth width required for most sewing patterns 32” will, of course do all of this as well as small blankets and floor mats.

Rigid or folding (knitters loom)?
In my opinion the rigid looms are a little sturdier.
The folding looms are excellent and super-portable but of course there is a (small) compromise in that they have a little give or movement as you work.
This does not affect your weaving project and doesn’t bother me at all when I use these looms though I think perhaps weavers who have lots of experience on large looms may find this a little distracting.
In terms of space requirement the rigid looms will store under a bed or hanging on bicycle hooks although they are not quite as space efficient as knitters looms.
All of the stands (for rigid and folding looms) can be taken apart simply by turning a set of knobs. They do not require a tool set after the initial assembly.

Trying to decide between a 28” knitters loom and a 32” rigid heddle loom
The only difference between these two is their size and folding capability.
In terms of function they are equal. The stand set-up for the rigid Heddle vs Knitters loom is more substantial but not as travel friendly.

Is a 32” rigid heddle too large for me?
Our most popular sizes sold are the 20-24” models as both lend a good width for shawls.
If you are feeling uncomfortable about not having the extra length, the 32” is not significantly more expensive. In terms of working on a 32” it is as simple to operate as the smaller models. The only thing that I would mention to you is that the 32” rigid heddle is a bit too large to work on without a frame. The idea is that smaller looms, say 16” or less can be worked against a table supported in your lap. At 20” some people prefer to use a stand and others weave without one. I would definitely suggest that looms 24” and up require a stand.

Which additional reeds do you recommend?
The heddle that comes with all Ashford rigid heddle and knitters looms is a 7.5 dpi, suitable for a standard worsted weight yarn (such as Briggs and Little).
For lace weight shawls you may want a 15dpi heddle. A common cloth weight for dish towels etc used are 10 and 12.5 dpi heddles (sett with either a single or double strand).
A super-bulky textured scarf will use a 5dpi heddle.

What is a vari-dent reed?
A vari-dent reed offers the ability to accommodate different sized yarns in small segments across the width of your reed. This allows you to dress the loom with a custom warp, meaning endless possibilities for cloth of your own design!

Would a Rigid heddle loom make a good gift for my daughter?
I absolutely love rigid heddle looms. I use them in the shop and have one at home as well. I think it’s a fantastic gift for anyone who like to work with fibre!

40 Comments

Kimberly Robertson

3/13/2017 04:17:18 pm

What did you mean when you said "the folding looms are excellent and super portable but of course there is a small compromise in that they have a little give or movement while you work"? In which way, are you referring to tension on the loom or the loom on a stand without the extra supports?

I have been using a smaller rigid heddle for about two years now, and have woven everything from scarves to double sized blankets on it (joined panels) and have reached the point of either going with a larger rigid heddle loom or a shaft loom.

I really like the rigid heddle looms, they might not be fast to weave on but who wants fast I am doing this for enjoyment not production, and I don't know if I want to give up the quietness of the rigid heddle weaving for a shaft loom.

If you could please clarify your statement it would be appreciated, and maybe help my decision process.

Thanks,
Kimberly

Miriam Kaufman

1/29/2020 12:13:28 pm

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I would jump in anyway. I have the 28" knitters' loom and like almost everything about it. However, the wobble is a problem. When I contacted Ashford, they basically said I must be doing something wrong. After a couple of attempts to mitigate this I hit on a solution. I used Sugru (a silicone putty that cures without heat) to build up the plastic L brackets that fit into the notch that holds the back beam up. I made them big enough to fit the triangular notch and now have no issues. (The wobbling was a big problem because it wasn't even, so my tension would be loose on one side only). Someone else I know with the 28" has strapped it together so it can't move.

Heidi

1/29/2020 04:57:10 pm

Great tip Miriam!

1/29/2020 05:06:29 pm

i accidentally unsubscribed, just subscribing again.

3/19/2017 08:21:08 am

Hi Kimberly,
Thanks for writing.
The tension on a knitters loom equals its rigid heddle counterpart. Movement in the loom can be a function of its hinged side walls and frame mount. Supports will eliminate any rocking in the frame. The proviso being that you must adjust the (convenient) tightening knobs at all of the hinge points from time to time. Basically the loom is hinged and not fixed so these adjustments are obvious however if you are coming to the folding rigid heddle from a heavy floor loom any such movement will feel foreign.

nadine plingos link

5/17/2018 05:49:06 am

Hi
I have an ashford knitters loom. I want to purchase more dents but I am not sure what size to buy. My dent measures 28 Inches but I don't see that size. What size should I be buying??

Heidi link

5/19/2018 12:53:32 pm

Hi Nadine,
Measure how many dents there are per inch along the length of your Heddle.
This will tell you which size heddle you own.
Your choice of new heddle sizes will depend on the weight of yarn that you'd like to weave with.

Judi Meissner

8/2/2018 11:17:09 am

I am currently working on a 12" Ashford Knitter's loom on a
stand and often when I'm advancing the scarf, the L bracket moves and then the loom starts folding a bit - as a beginner, it is pretty frustrating and then I'm not sure I have the tension
right. Sometimes I cannot get the reed into the lower position and sometimes the upper positon, the reed falls over. I then realize that the tension on the warp is either too loose or too tight. I am isolated and there is no support, so I
depend on information I can find online. I bought the loom 2nd hand

Dagny Carolina Opsal

8/13/2018 01:45:30 am

I am not able to offer a reply, but I have the same problem- the reed falls over, driving me crazy, and tension is very hard to adjust on the Knitter's loom. I have a Sample It too, though I do struggle with good tension in general, it is a breeze to use compared to a Knitter's loom. Is there a trick to the Knitter's loom, with the folding, or something, that helps with tension and keeping the reed in place? I suppose the Knitter's loom must be a more advanced option, because I find it tricky. Sorry, but I could only leave a reply, not a comment, so I suppose this is not answering your question...

best,
Dagny

Heidi Wulfraat link

11/3/2018 09:03:44 am

Hi Dagny,
I've written a little bit about this issue in a reply to Judy, which I hope that you may find helpful as well.

If you are finding the tensioning easier on your sampleit loom could it be because your knitters loom is a greater weaving width? The adjusting mechanisms are equal so I'm wondering if the difference is in your warp itself?

If so you might find it helpful to tweak your method of winding the warp on to the back beam. You may need a partner to help with this. If you're alone a water jug or similar weight tied to the warp can give you the resistance needed to achieve good tensioning. In any case a wider warp will be more to contend with and may take a little more practice to perfect. Inconsistencies in the winding on itself will reflect in tensioning as you weave.

11/3/2018 08:05:18 am

Hi Judy,
If your loom is folding at it's hinged centre, you may be experiencing one of two issues (or maybe a little bit of both). the knobs on either side of the centre hinge may not have been tightened quite enough and/or your warp tension may be too tight.

If the heddle is very difficult to set into position (upper or lower) try making this a general practice:
1.move the heddle to the "Zero" position (floating on the warp, not in either up or down position)
2. turn the heddle so that it is horizontal (laying flat along the warp) to the loom
3. move the heddle (horizontally) into position on the heddle bracket.
you should find this a less strenuous method of positioning the heddle.

With this in mind,I might suggest adjusting the warp tension in SLIGHT increments in order to assess the situation and to find a "sweet spot" in terms of tensioning your loom. Keep in mind that Although your tension should be very firm and constant it does not need to be (should not be) drum-tight.

Sarina

8/10/2018 12:47:57 pm

What does the 30/10 mean on the 7.5 reed?

11/3/2018 09:22:14 am

Hi Sarina,
The 30/10 is a metric measurement.
A reed marked 7.5 has 7.5 dent per inch
or 30 dents per 10cm (3.94 inches).

Melanie Pound

11/3/2018 07:09:36 am

Great comments on here. If only I had found this site when I first started to weave. I went out & bought the largest of the knitters loom. I have subsequently sold it! I wasnt a fan tbh. I found it most irritating to use & the tension was most definetely compromised with the folding action. I found that if you started a piece of weaving then altered the turn knobs it would affect the piece of cloth you were working on. It was hard to warp up with the peg moving if you tensioned your warp at the beginning, most frustrating. I always need another person to help when I was warping also, this was because of tension problems if I tried to do it myself.
I am now going to go for a smaller Ashford but a ridgid heddle rather than a folding knitters to see what that's like. I am hoping it will be better.
Don't get me wrong I love Ashford products (I have the espinner which is fab) but for me I just couldn't get on with the Knitters loom.

11/3/2018 09:29:33 am

Hi Melanie,
It's true that folding looms are not for everyone, and for some they are a perfect fit. I hope that you love your new Ashford Rigid Heddle as much as I love mine!

Ana

11/18/2018 06:54:05 am

I just purchased my first loom and I cannot wait to get it in the mail. My question is, what is the difference between the ashford weaving rigid heddle loom and ashford sampleit weaving loom? I purchased the sampleit 16", and I hope I made the right decision. Thank you!

Heidi Wulfraat

11/18/2018 09:54:15 am

Hi Ana,
The Sampleit has a shorter overall length.
The amount of working space in front of your reed will be less than that of the 16" Rigid Heddle Loom. This means that you may need to advance your cloth slightly more often than you might on the RHL.
As well the Sampleit is not set up to accept a freedom roller, which is an added accessory that allows for longer warps on the RHL.
These points, however, can also be considered benefits for the Sampleit loom as it is super space efficient, can easily fit into a large project bag and can be used just about anywhere. I use a 16" Sampleit all the time. I love it for all of these reasons and am very happy with the cloth that can be produced on it.

Sue

12/9/2018 02:10:36 pm

I am thinking of purchasing the 32" RHL to use on my table (without the stand) what are the drawbacks of not having a stand?

Also is it difficult using such a long shuttle and can I use it to make smaller items easily such as a scarf?

12/9/2018 04:04:00 pm

Hi Sue,
Your weaving set-up needs to be comfortable for you. It may not be someone else’s preference but that’s ok.
Keep in mind that you’ll want your weaving height to be comfortable. You’ll also want to clamp your loom to the table In a few places so that it doesn’t slide along the table top as you change sheds to weave. If your table edge is too thick to accommodate the supplied clamps you can substitute with wood clams (available at any hardware store).
If you start out using a table to support your loom and later decide that you’d like a stand you can order one separately.

As for shuttle length, I think it never hurts to have some shorter sticks for smaller width cloth. Warps that are less than 32” in width should be set up in the center of your loom to maintain good balance throughout.

George Spinner

7/28/2019 02:34:38 pm

Hello, Is it possible to use a boat shuttle with the Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom? If so are there any that definitely do?

8/2/2019 09:34:34 am

Hi George,
To use a boat shuttle on your rigid heddle loom you'll need to have the combination of a good sized shed, a good amount of tension (to carry your shuttle) and a rather flat boat.
There are some boat shuttles that are very flat. These seem to work well for some, however, I would guess that most RH weavers, myself included, use stick shuttles.

Karil

9/10/2019 03:34:38 am

Hello Heidi, I am a Newbie and recently purchased the Ashford 70cm Knitters Loom. It is a perfect match for my needs, but I found that I wanted to do more sampling, and I also wanted to introduce my 6yr-old granddaughter to weaving, so half a year later, I purchased the Ashford 25cm Samplet Loom. Another excellent decision!

My question is if it is possible to do back to front warping on the looms using the indirect hybrid method of warping from a warping board? I assume that this would require removing the warp stick ties and replacing them with string ties. Is this advisable for these looms?

Thank you in advance for your advise.

9/11/2019 01:05:47 pm

Hi Karil,
I think I might warp from front to back using the hybrid method. This would most closely match a direct warp. However, if you are warping from back to front you might want to warp onto a separate warp stick and then attach this to your fixed warp stick. this would leave you with your fixed stick ties that are super-handy!

Ellen

1/15/2020 02:27:53 pm

I want to buy a loom, but wonder what is the main difference between a rigid heddle and a kintter's loom. Is it mainly that the knitter's is slightly less -- sturdy, or moves less? (I know there's another word that I mean, but I'm at that age where it takes a while to find some words....)

1/15/2020 04:39:42 pm

Hi Ellen,
The rigid heddle loom has a fixed frame while the knitters loom is hinged and is capable of folding. The knitters loom fold-up and fits into a carry bag, even when warped, making it a super-portable option.

Bana

1/25/2020 08:50:08 am

Hi, I'd like to know what the difference is between the Rigid Heddle Loom and the SampleIt Loom from Ashford. Other than the limited width in size for the SampleIt I can't really tell. I want to buy my first loom but am perplexed by a lack of clarity on the difference on any website. Also, I notice that the Rigid Heddle Loom has the ability to be a warping board on the bottom of the Loom.. Is this is all the sizes? And does the SampleIt loom include this feature? I primarily want to make scarves and smaller pieces of fabric at this stage perhaps moving up to larger fabrics if I gain enough experience etc. Thanks

1/29/2020 05:13:47 pm

Hi Bana, Great questions:)

The Rigid heddle loom has a Longer frame. The sampleit loom is more compact making it convenient for travel, classes, sampling, etc.. for example the actual frame dimensions of a 16" RH = 20"W x 24.5"L and the 16" sampleit loom is 18.5"W x 18.5"L.

Rigid Heddles are able to accommodate an optional freedom roller for additional warp length. Sampleit looms cannot.

All of the latest model "Rigid Heddle" Looms by Ashford have the capability to hold warping pegs (for indirect warping) on the underside of their frame. The "Sampleit " looms do not.

Julie

4/24/2020 05:34:21 pm

I was wondering if you could point me in the right direction with which Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom width I would need to make throws and baby blankets and how difficult is it to use d
the double heddle Thanks Julie

4/30/2020 11:00:59 am

Hi Julie, for throws and baby blankets I would suggest a 32' Rigid Heddle. As you've suggested a double heddle can be used to double the width of your finished piece. This process is not at all difficult but will require you to have become familiar with the process of plain weave.

Jean Formo

3/2/2021 10:56:54 am

Can I direct warp my 32" Ashford rigid huddle loom while it is attached to its floor stand?

3/2/2021 12:49:37 pm

Hi Jean, Yes you can warp the loom while it is on it’s stand. It requires you to anchor the stand so that it cannot slide forward along the floor while you are warping. For example, can tie the stand to a heavy piece of furniture before you begin warping.

Marsha Abrams

3/20/2021 06:30:15 pm

Is it possible to put two warp threads in each slot/slit of a 7.5 reed (on a Sampleit loom) to effectively turn the dpi into 15?

Thanks.

3/22/2021 05:40:55 pm

Hi Marsha,
Yes, you can do this. It works perfectly well. The warp "spacing" is not perfectly even (as it would be if you were to use a 15 dpi). This will correct itself, for the most part, in wet finishing. Any residual effect can be considered a design feature! :)

Marsha

4/20/2021 06:19:39 am

Thanks for your answer about doubling the warp threads with a 7.5 dent.

Could you tell me the maximum length of warp I can use on a 16" Sampleit loom?

Thanks!

4/20/2021 07:14:30 am

Hi Marsha,
There’s no one answer to this. Your WOVEN warp length is limited to the amount of cloth that will wind onto your front roller and fit within the space between the FRONT roller and loom frame.
If you’re weaving super-bulky cloth, this may not be a huge amount of yardage, whereas weaving a lace weight cloth may accommodate a very long warp.
Ultimately, you can wind as much WARP onto your loom as will fit between the BACK roller and the loom frame. When warping for several pieces at a time you can simply cut the warp and empty the front roller between projects, then tie the remaining warp back onto your front warp stick.

4/20/2021 07:27:40 am

So helpful. I was hoping to weave multiple scarves from one warp (to give to shelters), and your idea of emptying the front roller between projects should make this much easier, Thanks!

Terri

7/23/2021 04:09:05 pm

Hi. I m a beginner. I can’t decide between the 16” RH and the 16” Sampleit. I want to mostly makes handbags and shawls (I’m 5’0”). I might want to do a lot of pickup for the bags. Would it be worth it to get the RH for the roller? Which loom is better? Thanks.

7/24/2021 03:01:24 pm

Hi Terri,
The 16" Sapleit is slightly more portable although the warp width is, (equal to the 16" RH) a full 16”, the body of the loom is slightly shorter than the Ashford 16" rigid heddle loom. This does mean that your weaving space is less and as your working the warp will need to be advanced more often, although I would suggest that on such a small loom you may not notice a difference.

I have a 16” sampleit loom which is absolutely adorable - also incredibly useful.
It’s super-portable and I find myself moving it around with me through the day. The width makes a lovely, full scarf/shawlette. I can’t tell you how many fingering weight scarves and bulky cowls (also great at 16”) I’ve made on that little loom.

The Sampleit does not have the option to add a freedom roller (which allows for a longer warp) nor does it have the option to add warping pegs and use the underside of the loom’s frame as a warping board (it uses direct warping). This isn't an issue for me but it is something to note when considering the difference between these two looms.
Direct warping the sampleit is quick and easy - one of the beautiful features of rigid heddle weaving! However, if you are using the rigid heddle in conjunction with a muti-shaft loom, the option to wind a warp on pegs and dress the loom separately, provides wonderful practice for your multi-shaft loom.

Mary Jo

9/4/2021 06:22:56 am

Sorry I couldn't figure out how to post a wuestion, only a reply.
I am having trouble with the down position on the knitters heddle loom. I have the older single heddle block. Some videos say it should click in place in the down position. Mine just hangs.what am I doing wrong?

9/4/2021 10:44:40 am

Hi Mary Jo,
With your warp threads under tension, from the resting position, you should be able to move the heddle towards you, just ahead of the heddle block. Position your hands, evenly, on the far left and far right of the top of the heddle. Keeping the heddle in a vertical position push it down so that the heddle bottom is just below the heddle block then, keeping the heddle vertical, move it towards the back of the of the loom and into the lower grooves on your heddle block.

Q&A: Ashford rigid heddle looms

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