Sample It Rigid Heddle Loom - 8 in by Ashford

When making the selection I passed on the children’s loom in favor of one that rolled the fabric produced. I wanted easy handling so the process would be enjoyable. Unexpectedly, I found the entire weaving process from warping to weaving and finishing to be a pleasure. Yes, that even included assembly.Assembly was much easier than I expected. I was, at first, intimidated but after I oiled the pieces and read the instructions – several times – I felt comfortable and my special needs child – limited intelligence - helped with the oiling and assembly. Very easy peasy and yes: fun. The pieces did need further sanding and the sand paper was provided. It was not a chore, but peaceful and calming to so. The pieces felt good in my hands; they are well crafted and look splendid; which made the process a pleasure because it felt good to handle. These little details matter.Simply outstanding loom for anyone who wants to learn and get started. The size is perfect for portability and for what I want to achieve which are 6 to 8 inch strips. Everyone in my family loved the scarfs I produce and wish I had gotten a wider loom.I quilt, and purchased this loom for my special needs son for him to have something to do other than watch Taylor Swift on You Tube. His attention span in limited to four rows at a time, but I am hopeful that he will over time stick to it longer. The real problem is that I haven’t stopped using it. Now everyone in my family has a scarf which came in handy during the blizzard in Washington DC this January 2016.Warping the loom solo is no problem. I do it all the time. Products can be made as long as you desire and I have scarfs 6 feet long; which is a lot of fun as people love wrapping themselves in it. It only comes with one reed 7.5 dent for average sized yarn and quickly you will wish you had additional sizes and additional shuttles. It came with two shuttles but four would have been ideal for my pleasure. The price was right for a first timer unsure about weaving in general. I am fully self-taught – since December 2016 - using just the guidance provided as part of the loom which teaches a few basics. I produce a foot of material on the loom in under an hour. So a six foot scarf was created in five hours including the set-up of warping. Warping is about 45 mins. In an afternoon you produce a useable and delightful end product. I hope to incorporate my weaving into art quilts and eventually garments just for fun.Bottomline: you get a real loom for a reasonable price and can produce useful products. Yes, when you want width, such as a blanket, you will have to join your strips together which is a work of art.

I'm a knitter in a slump who ordered this loom as a fun way to keep working with fibers. I love this loom so much that I may no longer think of myself as a knitter who weaves, but rather a weaver who knits! There are several reasons to love this loom: (1) Compact size. Even though it doesn't fold, (I don't expect to travel with a loom any time soon), it takes up very little space. (2) Ease of use. Very easy to assemble. I did it myself with just a couple screwdrivers. Note that the wood is unfinished. It's sanded smooth as silk but it's recommended that you seal the wood. I used a furniture paste wax. Applied it, went out to dinner, and then came back and buffed the wood with a soft cloth. Easy peasy. (3) Easy to warp. It uses a single peg method that's quite easy to learn. I recommend this video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0aFlG7294w Watch it a couple times and you'll have the process down pat. (4) The 8" weaving width is perfect for scarves and easy to sew strips into larger pieces of cloth. (5) Can weave with heavier or lighter yarns. I've warped with anything from a sock weight to a worsted weight yarn with the heddle that comes with the loom, and I ordered a different heddle to warp with even lighter weight yarns. (6) Value. There are cheaper looms, but this one has a number of features (like the rigid heddle and the locking ratchets) that make this loom far more than a toy. It's an inspiring tool that's sure to spark your imagination.Overall, this is a great loom for anyone who wants to try weaving without investing too much money. I also recommend purchasing the book Inventive Weaving on a Little Loom (Syne Mitchell) if you want to expand beyond plain weaving.

This is my first loom! It is easy to warp using the Ashford instructions on YouTube. Very well made, and not difficult to assemble. I treated the wood with Tung Oil, which worked just fine as a finish.The heddle that comes with the loom works well for worsted weight yarn, if you want to weave something finer or bulkier, you will need to purchase another heddles available on Amazon.The perfect loom for a beginning weaver.Highly recommended!

I love it. It's a great starter loom. I had some trouble getting the screws in by the rollers like some others, but my partner was able to do it. I love how sturdy it feels and how quickly it works. I wish there was more in the description about having to sand and wax this product. I was so anxious to get started that I didn't wax it before hand and will have to after the fact. For some this is probably an unnecessary detail, but for the more persnickety out there, be forewarned.

I am currently working on staining mine right now a Bombay Mahogany color from MinWax. I can't wait to put it together and start using it. The instructions are not only written out, but there are pictures that match each step in putting it together.

This was a gift for my ailing grandmother in her final year. Her eyesight was failing and kept her from knitting. She has a huge loom in the basement but with her bad eyesight she wasn't able to thread it. This little lap loom was amazing! She was a little skeptical at first but soon was producing several scarves for friends. I'm also happy with the company, there was a piece missing and they sent this to her directly.

My first loom, luv it !! Very easy to get started. Works great , made very well.

Such a great loom for sampling. I love the size and ease of use.