Some people call it browsing the internet; others call it research, shopping, etc. I was doing that thing earlier today when I ran across a marvelous, but unpurchaseable, contraption.

Hazel's Adjust-a-peg Loom (not associated Hazel Rose Looms. It appears that to be in the current loom market you need to have a color or two associated with your product--Hazel Rose, Blue Butterfly. Except for Zoom Loom.)

Hazel’s Adjust-a-Peg Loom. (Not associated with Hazel Rose Looms. In fact, it appears that to be a member of the current loom market you need to have a color or two associated with your product–such as Hazel Rose, Blue Butterfly. Except for Zoom Loom.)

I snagged a few pictures from http://www.knitting-and.com/blog/hazels_adjust_o/, but there are more. What an utterly spiffy little object! With this one loom “I could, dare I say it, rule the world” or, well, no, probably not. But I sure wanted to try it!

It occurred to me that I own an object kind of like it. My gadget is for shaping wire (a sport I gave up on some years ago).

Wild Wire implement

Wild Wire implement–with attempted 3-pin configuration

I found my purple thingy (which is tantamount to a miracle) and stuck in the little pegs only to discover that the Weave-it configuration wasn’t going to work well. So I filled in the blanks and used a modified Weave-it-type warping method. Then I started looping yarn around the pins to measure the length of the weft. Both the yarn I was using to encircle the pins and the warp yarn popped off the pins–not once, not twice, nor thrice. I lost count.

This was going to make a super gap-toothed square.

This was going to make a super gap-toothed square.

I replaced the pins and started over.

I replaced the pins and started over.

Instead of wrapping the pins, I randomly cut off a length of yarn and began the weaving process. Every other thread had to be picked up with my fingernails because the needle couldn’t get under them without popping the yarn off the pegs. I had to hold the yarn down onto the pins–especially when I pulled the weft thread through each row.

At this point I will tell you that if you don’t have enough frustration in your life, I may have located a solution to your problem. Go get yourself one of these little wire wrapping gizmos at JoAnn or Michaels and warp it up with yarn. Then weave it. Nuff said. (I now know why the pins on the pin looms are so long. ‘Cuz if they weren’t . . . so long–to our weaving careers.)

It didn't start off looking great, but it improved.

The “square” didn’t start off looking great, but it eventually improved.

Hazel’s Adjust-o-Peg looks like it has longer, snugger-fitting pegs than the wire wrapping device, so if you find one at a reasonable price, sheesh, snap it up. I understand it makes nothing larger than a 4″ x 4″ square, so it might not fit all your weaving needs. Nevertheless, it would be a fun thing to mess around with.

I had to take the pin out of the last corner to get the needle through.

I had to take the pin out of the last corner to get the needle through.

The finished square only looks half bad--no, not even fully half. It came off the loom--carefully--without dislocating all the pins. (I think only one come out.)

The finished square only looks half bad–no, not even fully half. It came off the loom–carefully–without dislocating all the pins. (I think only one came out.)

I am by no means discouraged with these results. Maybe if I could come up with longer pins . . . or drill holes in some other surface to create a similarly adjustable loom . . .

Guess I don’t have enough frustration in my life.

4 Thoughts on “Adventures in Pin Loom Weaving—the March of Madness

  1. Bren Hannan on 27 March 2016 at 5:30 AM said:

    I love the idea of an adjustable loom! Then you wouldn’t need to have so many different sizes, think of all the neat shapes and projects you could do!

    • Did you see the little owl shape she made (see the link in the post)? That’s what sold me on this little thing I can’t buy. I have a Loomette with bars which allows me to make a small variety of 2″ and 4″ squares or rectangles. However, it has the drawback of not removing the pins-not-in-use. These adjustable guys are good in a pinch if you can’t find what you need at a reasonable price, but not having a hole in the center of the frame would likely make them difficult to use on a regular basis.

  2. You are so clever.

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