spottedeagle

If anyone has any questions, needs better examples or a better explanation of anything.....Please post them here, PM me, e-mail me and I'll be more than happy to do my best to give you an answer or put you in touch with someone who can help you if I can't.

I've only been doing loom work for less than a year, but it's something I picked up really quickly. Not to mention it's something I really enjoy doing.

I have a couple pics in the gallery of the piece I'm working on right now.

__________________
The things you are doing today are the traditions of twenty-five years from now.
-Daryl Baldwin: Miami

superndngyrl

thanks spottedeagle. gonna try something this weekend!

__________________
The only time its too late to start dancing is when you're dead.

spottedeagle

Hope this helps you out then. Let me know if you have any problems and I'll try to help you out as quick as possible

__________________
The things you are doing today are the traditions of twenty-five years from now.
-Daryl Baldwin: Miami

spottedeagle

Don't forget to post some pictures!!!!!!! Either here or in the gallery and post a little something here for us to know it's there.

__________________
The things you are doing today are the traditions of twenty-five years from now.
-Daryl Baldwin: Miami

BeadMan

I can't believe that people are actually talking about loom beadwork and I'm on vacacion! What are the chances of that?

SpottedEagle has done an outstanding job of explaining the technique. Hats off to you! Also included are some of his personal tricks. Everyone does things a little different, and it is very important for you to just jump right in and find what works best for you. I'm going to add my 2 cents now and offer it as a variation of SpottedEagle's individual technique just to show people that there are other ways, not right or wrong, just different.

DESIGNS: I hate using Bead Designer. (there I said it) if it works for you, God Bless You! I use a plain #2 lead pencil and some bead graph paper. I don't sketch in color, that all comes out of my head, and I usually draw out 1/4 of the whole design because it repeats up and down and left to right. SpottedEagle's "rose belt" wouldn't work for this. In a case Like that I will draw the whole design.

More to come.......

BeadMan

THREAD: Believe it or not, I have made more than 90 straight dance belts and lots of other loomed items, all using nymo as a warp thread. Don't ask how I do it, I just do. Everyone that I teach beadwork to uses nymo for warp threads and their stuff comes out even, not bunched up and crooked. It all in how you string your loom. I also think that adjustable looms are the ONLY way to go, this helps get the tension just right. If you are starting out on your own, I have to go with the flow and suggest using a non-streatchy thread. But for the record, it can be done with nymo.

I use nymo for the weft also, but I never wax anything on a loom, warp or weft. I too use a lot of weft thread, about 8 yards at a time, and I almost never get any knots or freying. I have had people ask to watch me work to see how I do this, it is a wierd way of coiling the thread on the floor on the right side of my chair. Sounds complicated I know, but it happens in about 1 second after each row. Sometimes I even amaze myself.

BeadMan

BeadMan

KNOTS I don't put a knot anywhere in my loom work. Glue is also a four letter word around ANY of my beadwork. Just a personal thing. I'm a typical male, I'm afraid of long term commitments, and the permenance of glue ranks right up ther, don't ya think? Using a knot for your first row is alright. I hold the thread in my teeth for the first row and after about an inch I will thread that with a needle and go back through the beads like Spotted Eagle says to do when finishing a piece.

NEEDLES: I use the 3 inch long loom beading needs. I love them! and I highly recomend them for anything more than 2" wide. I found some 3 1/3 inch needls in Colo. Springs about 3 yr ago. They are large and only work with 10/o beads, but they are strong and they make your work go very very fast. Some people use the so called "big eye" needles. My advice is don't waste your time. That is the stupidest invension of all time. (my opinion only) If anyone uses them and likes them, power to ya.

BeadMan

Last thing I'll say is about finishing the work. I used to use cloth medical tape, but when I went to mount the piece and a needle passed through the tape it would get all sticky and wouldn't come off. I have since switched to Masking tape and I don't use more than one layer thickness. After I take the piece off the loom I press the tape with the blunt handle of my scissors to "seal" the tape (you will be able to see the threads through the tape like ribs on a starving horse) I also do not cut a piece from the loom. My loom is on dowel rods and one end slides up and down. I loosen the clamp and slide the moving part inward and lift the strip off the loom (I do have to cut the starting and ending threads that are tied to the anchor nails) I find that when you cut the piece off a loom the tape can shift and the tension gets all whacked out.

I think this has been a great thread. I hope to see some of the work that you fine craftspeople will do on your looms.

BeadMan

Blackbear

Just so you know SpottedEagle... I have'nt been commenting cause I'm sitting back learning ok? Although I have done loomwork before.. does'nt mean I know enough about it... so keep up the good work here!!!

__________________
Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

spottedeagle

BEADMAN, I was wondering where you were!!!! Was kinda weird me being the only one posting on this whole thread. I'm very glad you put in your 2cents!!!! You have pointed out a few things I forgot, or didn't know.
But when I started this thread I did make sure to put a disclaimer. I'm no pro, Sheesh, I've only been doing loom work for a year. So I'm no where close!!!!!!!!!!


Thanks Beadman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

__________________
The things you are doing today are the traditions of twenty-five years from now.
-Daryl Baldwin: Miami

webscouter

I wanted to add my two cents in. I always leave the beads on the needle when I am putting them between the warp threads. After I have the beads between the warp threads I use the index finger on the other hand to hold them up and then pull the weft thread through the beads. I find that this works faster for me.

__________________
One vote wonder.

spottedeagle

I'm just wondering if those who asked for a loom introduction have tried doing any loom work yet.
If so, how are things going?? DOn't forget to post some pics when you are done!!!!!!

__________________
The things you are doing today are the traditions of twenty-five years from now.
-Daryl Baldwin: Miami

Riverwoman

I am trying a beaded headband for the first time. Got a very long adjustable loom on Ebay, from a great lady in WA state. I sure have to tell you, getting that first line of beads up was a *****! But after that, they all seemed to fall into place. Just a note, make sure that you "push up" those beads with your finger, and then put the needle thru. It somehow "looks" better, and I have not seen any "lines or threads" when I do that. Know what I mean right? :Chatter

For making matching hairties, would I just double the size of the pattern? I mean the headband is only 7 beads wide, and for hairties I would like something a bit bigger. Not sure how to get there yet, but if anyone can help me, please let me know:)

Jammer

I did a little playing around with a loom last year. Was farely easy to catch on to after messing with it for about an hour or so. The only problems that I ran into after a quater of the way done was that in some parts I pulling the string to tight which was creating a curve. I messed around with a few different colors and patterns off the top of my head I'll either take a pic of it or just scan it to show ya.

__________________
There should be a law against stupid people being able to breed!

spottedeagle