| Price Range: | $500 - $2000 |
| Weaving Width: | 18” to 27” |
| Ease of Use: | Slower to start than a rigid heddle loom but faster to weave |
| Weave Structures: | Can produce both simple and highly complex weave structures |
| Best For: | Weavers who want to be able to explore complicated patterns, but have limited space or mobility |
Table looms normally have either 4 or 8 shafts, making them just as capable as floor looms of producing gorgeous, complex weave structures. Twills, overshot, double weave, shadow weave, you name it, you can weave it on a table loom. Table looms are also very portable, making them excellent looms for bringing to workshops or travelling with. With a table loom, you can weave on your back porch or on vacation. You can also easily lend your loom out to a friend to get them hooked and turn them into your weaving buddy!
Because table looms pack the capacity for complex weaving into a small package, they are beautiful and often intricately designed small looms. Louet looms have elegant lines and artful details. Schacht’s table loom has a more rustic look, but is engineered for clean, accurate weaving. With a table loom, the entire weaving process is in view while you work. This can be mesmerizing.
The major downside to table looms compared to floor looms is speed. On a floor loom, labour is divided between your hands and your feet. With a table loom, you are doing everything with your hands. This slows down the pace of weaving, and can make it harder to get into a good rhythm. That said, if you have limited mobility or joint issues in your legs, doing everything with your hands can be a real positive.
In terms of warp lengths, table looms are in the middle of the range. Table looms allow you to make longer warps than a rigid heddle loom, but not as long as a floor loom. You can make a single project at a time, or you can absolutely set up a single warp that will give you several dish towels or a handful of table runners.
Table looms hit a sweet spot between size and complexity. They let you explore a range of techniques while only taking up a small footprint.
Table Loom Recommendations
Woolhouse Norah Table Loom
Designed for lightness and portability, our Norah table looms are complete weaver’s tools. They have graded length shaft control keys so fingers can easily identify which keys to lift or return. Warp control pawls and ratchets are outside where the weaver can easily reach them. Changing sheds is an extraordinarily smooth action because cords run over 16 maple wood pulleys, never dragged over rods or around eyelets.
Louet Jane Table Loom
The Louet Jane Table Loom has been designed after consultation with weavers, at the same time using successful techniques from its predecessor, the Kombo. There is no cord wear, since cords run over rollers and the overhead beater stays out of the way when throwing the shuttle. The loom is made of lacquered beech and has a built in raddle.
Extras
To make finer or heavier cloth, it is useful to have more than one reed. You will also need a warping board or warping mill for preparing your warps. An extra shuttle or two will let you comfortably switch between weft colours. Stands are available if you want to free up table space. Anne Dixon’s Handweaver’s Pattern Directory will get you started with a wide range of four-shaft patterns.