How to choose a small tapestry loom

There are many kinds of small tapestry looms out there and knowing which one is best for you can be
confusing. The information in this worksheet can help.

Below is a summary of some of the things you need to look for.

At the end of the worksheet you’ll find a discount code for my Weaving Tapestry on Little Looms
online class.

What should I look for in a tapestry loom?

1. Does it have tensioning?
A loom where you can increase the tension on the warp is very helpful. If your piece is quite
small (perhaps 5 inches square or less), you can get away with a loom without tensioning. But
if you’re going to weave anything larger, a loom that has a tensioning device is really helpful.
2. Does it have a shedding device?
A shedding device is something that helps you open one or both of the two sheds quickly. On
a loom without a shedding device you must pick every other warp up to weave. If your loom
has a shedding device, the shed is opened with one motion.
3. Are you able to change the sett for different projects?
Many small tapestry looms have a fixed sett. The Schacht School Loom for example, has
plastic pegs set at 6 epi. You can warp it at 6 epi or you can double the warp at 12 epi, but
setts in between those two are difficult to achieve in an even manner. Other looms like the
Mirrix utilize a device that works like a reed and can be changed to achieve various setts. Or
something like a copper pipe loom doesn’t have any fixed sett at all and you determine it
while warping by carefully spacing each warp thread.
4. How big a piece can you weave?
Some looms have the potential for continuous warps and others will only weave within the
area of the loom including loom waste. Mirrix and Schacht Tapestry Looms are warped with a
continuous warp which means that the warp can be turned as you weave and the piece can be
much longer than it could on another loom.
5. Do you need it to be stationary on a table or stand for physical reasons?
Very small looms such as frame looms or Hokett looms can be hard for some people to
manage. Some people do much better with a loom that sits on a table all by itself instead of
needing to be propped on your lap or a cushion. And you can always consider the ultimate
stationary loom, a floor loom.
6. And of course there are all the standard things when you buy anything. Is it well-made?
Perhaps you want something made in your own country that doesn’t have to be shipped
around the world. Does it work well and hold up over time?

Here is a list of small tapestry looms that are currently manufactured.

o Mirrix Looms: wide variety of sizes, has a shedding device, has a changeable sett with coils,
stands alone on a table, a treadle can be added to shift the shed with your foot, has
excellent tensioning.
©2017 Rebecca Mezoff Tapestry Studio, LLC
www.tapestryweaving.com
 o Hokett: I-shaped frame looms with cut slots. These are very simple looms that come in 6
or 8 dent setts. There is no shedding device and no tensioning.
o C. Cactus Flower Loom: Has tensioning, has metal teeth that can be changed for different
setts, no shedding device, Navajo-style intended to weave four-selvedge.
o Schacht School Loom: Larger area for weaving than most portable tapestry looms, plastic
pegs set at 6 epi, no tensioning, does stand upright on a table.
o Schacht Tapestry Loom: continuous warp, has shedding mechanism, has some tensioning
o LeClerc Penelope II: this loom is a glorified rigid heddle loom which does stand upright.
You can put on a long warp as it has a beam on each end to roll the warp across the front
of the tapestry. It has some tensioning and a shedding device.
o Copper pipe loom: This make-it-yourself loom is a great option for the DIY set. You can
have tensioning and if you’re handy, you can create your own shedding device and a
stand.
o Galvanized or Black pipe loom: these looms are similar to the copper pipe loom but made
of pipe that you buy in ready-made pieces and screw together. It is easy to make a stand
for these looms out of pipe as well as a bar for leashes.
o Lost Pond Loom: This is a wooden loom with pegs set at 4 epi. You can easily warp the
loom at 8 epi. Very basic wooden loom without shedding or tensioning.

Here are some of the things to think about when choosing a loom. Remember that not all of these
looms have options that I like.

What is your price range?

o $35-$100
Consider these looms: Schacht School Loom, Hokett, Copper pipe loom, Glimkra Freja, Lost
Pond Loom
o $100-$300
Consider these looms: Mirrix Loom, Cactus Flower Loom, Schacht Tapestry Loom
o $300-$800
Consider these looms: a larger Mirrix, Ashford Tapestry Loom, LeClerc Penelope II
o $800+
If you have this much to spend on a loom, consider an upright tapestry loom such as a Fireside
or Shannock, or a countermarch floor loom like the Harrisville Rug Loom.

How big will your tapestries be?

o Tiny, less than 5 inches in any direction
Consider these looms: small Mirrix such as the Lani or Little Guy, Hokett loom in tiny, regular,
or intermediate size, homemade copper pipe loom, small Cactus Flower
o Medium, at least 8 inches square
Consider these looms: Copper pipe loom, Large Cactus Flower, Schacht School Loom, Glimkra
Freja, Lost Pond Loom
o Medium, at least 8 inches across and length of 20 inches or more
Consider these looms: Mirrix Big Sister or larger, LeClerc Penelope II, Schacht Tapestry Loom
o Large, 15 inches wide or larger with length 20 inches or more
For a “portable” loom, this leaves you with a Schacht Tapestry Loom, an Ashford Loom, or, my
personal favorite, a larger Mirrix.

©2017 Rebecca Mezoff Tapestry Studio, LLC

www.tapestryweaving.com
 If you want to weave very large tapestries, you need to consider a floor loom of some kind.
That is not the subject of this training, but a used floor loom can be cheaper than you think
($1100 and up).

How much space do you have available and will your loom literally fit through the door?
o “I live in a studio apartment and the only available spaces are in the back of my closet and
under my bed.”
Consider any of the smallest looms, or if you want to weave larger, one of the bigger Mirrix
looms. They fold flat and can slide under a bed. The have feet that fold out to stand on a table
when in use.
o “I have as much space as I need”
Consider: does that space matter and do you need to fill it? If you want to weave big, consider
a floor loom! Otherwise, any other choice is fine.

Do you like weaving vertically (high warp) or horizontally (low warp)?

o Most small looms are either held on your lap or have a stand to stand vertically on a table.
They function mostly like a high warp loom though they are more flexible if you’re using them
on your lap. The position of your arms while weaving matters if you have any arm or neck
physical limitations.
o Low warp looms are usually treadled floor looms. This can greatly speed the weaving and the
position you sit in is quite different than when weaving on an upright tapestry loom.

Do you want to use bobbins or butterflies when weaving?

o Butterflies work best with a loom with shedding. Very small looms like the Hokett can abrade
the yarn if you try to pull a butterfly through.
o Bobbins are mostly used for upright looms without shedding though they can be used on
looms with a shed also. They work well on Mirrix looms for example.

What kind of shedding device do you want? Treadles, leashes, or pick the shed?
o Looms without a shedding device at all will require you to pick the shed.
o Treadles are common on large floor looms. You can buy an electric treadle for Mirrix looms
that will shift the shed by pushing a control with your foot.
o Leashes are strings that are looped around every other warp and allow you to open one shed
easily. Mostly these are used on larger upright floor looms, but I have used them on pipe
looms that have a stand.

What ergonomic issues do you have? Back, neck, shoulder pain?

o People with lots of difficulties with finger dexterity will want to consider a loom with a
shedding device.
o Problems with upper back, shoulder, and neck might indicate you need to get a loom that you
don’t have to reach up to weave on.

How fast do you want to be able to weave? Treadles are the fastest.
o Controlling the shed with your feet is the fastest way to weave. Mirrix offers this in a small
loom. Otherwise you’ll need a larger floor loom model (either high or low warp).

©2017 Rebecca Mezoff Tapestry Studio, LLC

www.tapestryweaving.com
Does the loom need to be transportable to a workshop or on vacation?
o Are you going to cart this loom around? If you want to have an excellent loom for a workshop,
Mirrix Big Sister is the biggest of their looms I can fit in a large checked suitcase.
o A loom like a Hokett loom is fantastic for travel or waiting places around town.

If you’re still having difficulty deciding what loom is right for you, consider asking this question in
weaving online groups. There are some good tapestry groups on Facebook. If you’re an Instagram
user, search #tapestryweaving and see who comes up who might be able to help. I also address this
issue in my signature beginning tapestry online class,
Warp and Weft: Learning the Structure of Tapestry where you can ask me as many questions as you’d
like.

Rebecca’s favorite looms

After reading all this and considering all the options, I bet your final question is, "What loom do you
like the best?" I weave much of my work on a countermarche Harrisville Rug Loom which is a big
beast of a thing that serves me very well. But if I have to weave on small looms, I have a few favorites.

My galvanized pipe loom is my favorite for four-selvedge work. I like a small copper pipe loom for
some travel work and because they are fun to make. For hiking and sitting on the couch, I like a
Hokett loom. And for everything else on small looms, I absolutely want a Mirrix. They are the best
commercially available small tapestry loom. And no, I am not an affiliate and they don’t pay me to say
that.

Discount for Little Looms online class

And as an added bonus, here is a discount code for my Weaving Tapestry on Little Looms online class.
Regularly $129, with this code, the class is $97. When registering, enter the discount code
LittleLooms25. You can find out more information about the class on my website here:
http://www.rebeccamezoff.com/weaving-tapestry-on-little-looms/
And you can register from the buttons on that page or here:
https://rebeccamezoff.pathwright.com/library/

This class addresses some of the basics of tapestry weaving and shows you how to warp and weave
on small pegged and slotted looms like the Hokett, Lost Pond Loom, and Schacht School Loom. It also
shows you how to make and warp a copper pipe loom. All of the material in this class could be
applied to weaving on a Mirrix or other more complicated tapestry loom also.

Happy weaving!

©2017 Rebecca Mezoff Tapestry Studio, LLC

www.tapestryweaving.com