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Can you believe I just typed all this out and then the blog editor lost it? Doh!
Ok, here’s the basic instructions for building your own peg loom. We worked a few bits out for ourselves and changed some of the basic design. I like peg looms for their simplicity and ease of storage. Unlike some of the simple frame looms and smaller tapestry looms, you’re not restricted by length. And they offer more strength than weaving sticks. So here we go!
Buy your bits:
Approx. 3 metres (about 3 yards) of wood dowelling – I used 9 millimetre (0.35 inch) diameter
Length of timber – I used 32 inches length of 1.5 inch by 1.5 inch
2 small table clamps or square G-clamps
Waste wood to support drilling
Get your tools out:
Drill
Table vice
Small saw
Various drill bits; 3 or 4 millimetre (1/10 to 1/6 of an inch), plus size to match dowelling
Tape measure
Pencil
Sandpaper
Now get busy!
1) Using the small saw and vice, cut the wood dowelling to 3-inch lengths. They can be longer if desired.
2) Mark along the centre of one edge of the base length (mine was 32 inches), and then mark 1-inch divisions along it.
3) Using the waste wood beneath the base length, drill into each mark. Best to mark the drill bit to about 1 or 1.5 inches so you don’t go too deep. These will be the holes for the pegs, so it’s ideal to check they fit… you don’t want too much room around the pegs. Also, you want at least 2 inches of the peg sitting above the base to work with.
4) The tricky bit! You need now to use the smaller drill bit to make the hole for the warp threads. Mark the centre of the peg about 1.5 inches from the top. Do use the vice though and take your time – you want a hole through the centre, not rearing off towards the side!
5) Along one side of the base length, about 6 inches in from each edge, make a mark close-ish to the base. These will form the slots for the table clamps. Don’t be too close to the base or too high – you don’t want them to interfere with the peg holes.
6) Carefully drill a few adjacent holes with the smaller drill bit along these marks. Tidy up with a chisel if necessary, so you get a slot (or long wonky hole, depending on your skill).
7) Sand all pieces to avoid snags on yarn. If you live with a power tool junkie, as I do, then you could use one of those nifty Dremel tools or similar for this job. Otherwise plain old sandpaper will do.
8) Put it all together and get weaving! Make sure the peg holes are lined up and that the warp threads go from front to back evenly.
9) Oh, just a thought… don’t forget to hoover up before you get engrossed in weaving. Sawdust gets everywhere.
The wood for this cost a grand £2.53, and you can get the table clamps cheap enough from D.I.Y. stores. It took us an afternoon to build, and we were being fussy about detail and using the nifty Dremel tool. Worth a go, eh?
Disclaimer!
Ok, so I’ve posted this, but I’m not responsible for what you get up to (ooh er)! Just remember your basic health and safety, and if you don’t know how to use the tools… bribe someone who does! And it doesn’t matter if it isn’t perfect, so long as it does the job. Happy weaving!
Support
As always, if you have a question about this technique or need some help with it, leave a comment below! I’m afraid I’m unable to offer help via email or private message, but you’re welcome to post in our forum.
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Oh! OH!! OH!!! I have so been looking for this!! Thank you soo much!! I have had this idea in my head forever, well at least the last, oh say 43 years since I’m 45! I want to have it wall mounted and try the nomad bedouin/navajo drop style work.
Here is a really interesting and informative site http://www.marlamallett.com/
I just gotta share something in return for this great find.
could we have some instruction on how to USE this loom Please?
Great.
Love the drill spinner as well – a little adaption and you can make a drill ball winder!
Hi there, you could try the following sites for instructions on how to use the peg loom:-
http://www.falkirk.gov.uk/services/development/waste_strategy/Waste_at_School/craft_activities/rag_weaving.aspx
http://www.permaculture-magazine.co.uk/articles/articles_47.html
As I find more, I’ll add them!
what are the holes in the pegs for?
There’s a good description here:
http://www.falkirk.gov.uk/services/development/waste_strategy/Waste_at_School/craft_activities/rag_weaving.aspx
Judith
Sorry, wrong url, this one!
http://www.stewardwood.org/resources/DIYpegloom.htm
jkd
I like your peg loom. Here are a couple of other blogs with info on peg looms
Good tutorial with pictures!
http://bee-leaf.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-use-peg-loom.html
More peg loom instructions
http://www.stevescrafts.com/page13.htm
Have a good day!
Franco Rios
Sacramento, CA
Hello,
Just to say that the Bee Leaf blog has been renamed Heart and Soil and the link has changed to this:
http://heartandsoil.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-use-peg-loom.html
Brilliant instructions Woolly – thanks for posting them! 🙂
Thank you so much for this, I plan to make some rugs with home processed corriedale roving and this will be perfect. I am a human diz now! Thanks again and all the best.
Ellie
great plans, getting started next week. however, going to expand to 84"long and 48"wide.
going to weave horse blankets IF I can find the yarn…party on folks!
How do I use thicker warp threads? Someone said to attach to regular threads?
I’m sorry I’m unable to help – I wrote this post 15 years ago and have touched anything like this in over a decade.
What you could do is put a loop of thinner thread in each peg and run your heavier thread or yarn through that loop or just drill a bigger hole in the peg but the loop would let you use smaller pegs giving you a tighter weave.
Hello
You state a 1 inch gap between pegs. Would you always use a 1 inch gap, no matter what you’re making, please?
Regards Megan
I’m afraid it’s been a long time since I made a peg loom and can’t remember the reasons why we left 1 inch between pegs, but I should think that the space between would be adjustable to some extent, especially if the pegs are finer.
It would depend on the thickness of the yarn you’ll be using with the loom.
Hope this helps!