Last year I discovered the Loomette around the same time as the Weave-it, so I bought one. Then I bought another one . . . two . . . Somehow along the way I acquired four of them. Early on I realized the Loomette was superior to the Weave-it when it comes to two-layer warps (which I think are tricky). Loom prep is more straightforward. While two-layer warps are not my specialty they’re the obvious choice if you want total freedom when it comes to warp thread manipulation.
Example of a two-layer warp, woven from the top down. This is a square I warped up a long time ago–before I felt super comfortable with pin loom weaving. Now I would warp it differently.
Last night, after teaching a seven-year-old to use a pin loom, I realized that the simple-yet-complicated process of warping and weaving the little Weave-it was perhaps not highly suitable for the participant. In other words, while not impossible for her to do, the concepts were over her head or out of her sphere of interest, and the procedure was too.
A little bit daunted, I contemplated how to make pin loom weaving more accessible. Thus I discovered the Wrap-2, Skip-2 method of prepping the Loomette–whose frame is sturdier than the Weave-it’s and may be easier for younger hands to control.
Wrap-2, skip-2 on the Loomette
The method is pretty self-explanatory (when I get around to doing it again I’ll take a photo of the first and second layers without the third layer to obscure the view):
Layer 1: Tie on at corner 1 (or use the handy slit in the loom to secure your initial yarn tail).
Take the yarn up to corner 3 and wrap around the first two pins in the horizontal edge.
Come down to the lower horizontal edge and leave two pins blank; wrap around the next two.
Continue up and down till you get to corner 2.
Layer 2: Wrap the last pin on the lower horizontal edge of the frame and the first pin on the vertical row of pins.
Take yarn across toward corner 1 and skip the first two vertical pins.
Continue Layers 2 and 3 wrapping-2 and skipping-2. You’ll end up with 23 vertical strands (instead of the usual 31) and 11 horizontal.
Wrap the yarn 4 times around the pins; cut; thread needle. Begin weaving moving from corner 2 toward corner 1. Row 1 will begin with the yarn wrapped around the last lower edge pin, and come out between the first and second vertical pins on the corner 1/corner 3 edge. After that, continue weaving-2 and skipping-2. (Enlarging the photo below should clarify where to weave. Click on the photo; when finished click the back arrow to return to this page.)
The completed 23 x 23-strand square
Of course the Loomette can be used in the Weave-it’s 3-pin configuration as well. The only adjustment is the first wrap. Instead of skipping two pins at corner 1, skip only one; then continue as you would with the Weave-it.
Layers 1 and 2 of Weave-it style loom prep
Layer 3 of Weave-it style loom prep completed
With its pins placed a full 1/8 inch apart, Loomette has slightly wider spacing than the Weave-it’s less than 1/8-inch placement. The Loomette can handle thick worsted weight (size 4) yarns, like Red Heart Super Saver that are less-suitable for the Weave-it. Loomette can also handle “Super Bulky” (size 6) yarn in all 4 layers. (I wouldn’t use such thick yarn on the Weave-it without substituting a lightweight yarn in one or two layers because it would endanger the Weave-it’s more delicate health.)
Size 6 yarn
Yet the Loomette squares turn out the same size as the Weave-it’s.
Three squares stacked. The Weave-it, on top, is the same size as the two Loomette squares below it.
Use the wrap-2, skip-2 prep
Super bulky yarn requires patience and the “Tug Technique”
The Loomette needle is slightly thicker than the Weave-it needle and it has a larger eye. These features make it especially suited to bulky yarns.
The finished square is thick and fairly stiff; no “drape” here.
Up to now I thought the Weave-it superior to all pin looms because no other loom has numbered rows. Don’t know how I missed this, but the later versions of Loomette also have numbered rows.
Loomette–without and with numbered rows
Though I still think Weave-it is the best loom, the Loomette–somewhat crude in its construction–is undeniably a more versatile loom. In the Pin Loom Olympics it’s a solid silver, in my estimation.
Very interesting! I have not ever found one I could afford though.
Loomettes used to be really cheap on eBay. Used to be about $6; now $20 is the average price.