I’ve spent a LOT of the past week weaving, mostly for just the one project that has really been grinding down my patience with each failure. I think I can put each mistake down to a lack of experience and planning. I rushed in with a carefree attitude and quickly realised that you only find out how much you dislike something after putting in the hours. It is so soul destroying to pick apart all this work each time but before I do I always try to find the reason it hasn’t worked first and take something from the failure.
In the past week I’ve watched each weaving develop and go from what was originally so bad it made me want to give up, to something I’m so proud of. I’ll be sharing the fruits of the loom later this week but for now I’m sharing quite possible the one thing that stopped me giving up – this DIY Heddle Bar. This is such a game changer when you’re weaving at home. The genius of the heddle bar is in the way it moves alternative warp threads up from the work making it much easier to thread the yarn in between them. This saves so much time allowing the weave to build at a much quicker pace. Best thing about them? They’re really easy to make! This tutorial completes the DIY Giant Loom post from last week so you can find the references to some of these techniques over in that tutorial.
Materials:
- Square dowel
- Knife saw
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Small file
Instructions:
1.Make sure the bar is the same length of the width of the loom. We need to cut the grooves along the heddle at the exact same points along the bar as they are along the loom. Measure and mark off the the position of the grooves with a pencil and ruler.
2. So you’re going to make cuts along the wood at each of these points but unlike the loom you’ll be making these cuts at two different angles. Start by cutting the first slot at the top corner down two sides until you reach the next two corners. Continue to saw just passed these two corners. The dotted lines below show how the cuts should alternate.
3. Now do the same but starting from the bottom corner. Keep alternating the slots all the way along the bar. When you’ve finished file them down until smooth.
4. Next you need to cut the ends so that the bar will sit at an angle on the sides of the loom. Mark off the corners at the end of the bar to create a point that faces the uncut side of the dowel.
5. Measure the width of the side of the loom and mark that measurement from the edge of the heddle bar dowel. This will mark how far down you need to cut to create the angles.
6. Cut from the end down the dowel creating the house shape you see above. Once you reach the point marked in step 5 saw from the outside in until the cuts meet. Sand down the wood.
You should now be able to thread up the loom and fit the bar underneath all the the warp threads but over the top of the loom. Twisting the bar back and forth will bring the alternative warp threads forward making it easier to thread under.
Weaving is SO much easier with a heddle! Great DIY. Can’t wait to see what you’ve been making! x
Amazing! I soooo want this. I wonder if I could convince my Dad to make me a loom. :)
If you like this then I’ve got a great surprise coming your way soon Beth x
Hoping to find someone to do this..
THIS IS A GREAT TUTORIAL
Wow thanks for this! I made a DIY loom recently only to abandon it mid project because it was so tedious. This will help me get back to it! :D
I HAVE a loom like that and did use it. I was an exchange student when I was young and it was made for me in that country. Question: Can you only do things on that loom that are the size of the loom or can you do longer things on that loom? I only did a picture that was the size of the loom. Thanks. I’ve always wondered about that.
The way to make your weaving longer with this kind of loom is to ale several pieces and sew th together.
Thank you for the wonderful tutorials! I would like to see these pics with a darker background. The high contrast would make it easier to see. Also, thanks for showing women they don’t need to be afraid of tools! Don’t forget your safety glasses. :)
Thanks J! Absolutely – safety first! I’ll work on creating clearer pictures in the future x
HI, :)
I just discovered your blog and I am so happy!! I have been wanting a rotation heddle bar but wanted to make it myself cos the ones I’ve purchased didn’t work on my loom sizewise.
And I didn’t know if I could make one but you described it so well that I KNOW I can make it and today I bought the square wood dowel to make it :)
THank you so much!
Thanks again,
Debbie :)
Thanks for the diy on making a loom I’ve always wanted to weave something larger than jewelry pieces. I would love to see what you make too.
Thanks so much Linda! I’ve dabbled in a little jewellery weaving but it’s quite fine work. I find the yarn and fabric weavings much easier! I’ll have to get a few pieces up on my Instagram! You can follow me @fallfordiy if you want to see more xx
ok…so i know i’m late to the game on this. but i’ve tried to figure this out with the photos and the written directions and it is just not making any sense.
Hi miss !!
I just come over your blog and i love it !
This DIY is awesome but to be honest, i really dunno what to do with it… (i’m new to knitting and i’ve never woven).
Do you have some DIY i could do with your Heddle Bar and Giant Loom please?
Didnt find them on yout site (but will search again!).
Thanks a lot :)
And great job!
Xx :)
I just made the giant loom- which is amazing!! I started on this next, but once I got most of the cuts in, the heddle bar started to bend and then ended to breaking in 2 places before I finished. No one else seems to be having this problem, do you have suggestions? Is my hand saw bad? Maybe I need harder wood? Wish I could make the cuts on a table saw! Thanks!!
Hey Kari!
I’m sorry to hear you’re having problems with making the bar… I’m thinking perhaps you need a thicker piece of wood and to make sure you don’t go further than half way. If you want to send me over a picture (my email is fran@fallfordiy.com) and I can try to see what the problem is in more detail.
x
Sorry I never got back to you! Turns out I was making it incorrectly! I thought the grooves were total opposites, but it is the corners right next to each other. When I made one this way I didn’t have any issues. Thanks again for this, my new loom is beautiful and I’m so excited to get to work!
I just did the same mistake as you did. I’m hoping to salvage the one I’m working on by making the correct cuts on it :(
I love the idea of turning weaving faster, but I didn’t understand how this heddle works? Could you please show?
Yes, could you post on how to rotate the heddle bar? I have one that I bought and when I turn it, the yarn just leaves all the slots. Good for you for making one yourself, by the way. That is impressive!
Hi, I’d also like to see how you use the heddle bar! I’ve talked my dad into making me a loom and bar, but the only heddle tutorials I’ve managed to find have been the ones with plastic strips and holes in. I would really appreciate this! Do you have any works in progress that we could see? Thanks for the inspiration. x
This is a great idea Kirsty. I’m thinking of making a video to show the weaving process. Stay posted!
Hi. Thanks for the DIY tutorial for the giant loom. But, I’m not able to understand the making of the heddle bar from this tutorial. Could you please explain the position of the slits again?
Also, I’m a beginner in this field. So, it would be great if you could explain how to use the loom and the bar as well.
Thanks
The slits have to be at right angles to each other.
Im defo gona make one of these but ive never tried weaving before does anyone know a good place i could go to watch a diy video on how to weace for beginners pretty please. Xx
Please make a video tutorial!
Thanks Ronda! I’m putting this on my list as we speak :D
How deep do the cuts need to go? Do they get cut at an angle? Or are they all perpendicular? (Will cuts form a triangle if you’re looking sideways? )
Your blog is unreadable with all the pop ups on it. I very much wanted to read about the heddle bar but it is impossible to do so.
Do you know if this will this work when you double warp your loom? Thanks for the tutorial, looking forward to making it this weekend!
Hello! Making the loom and heddle now. I’m not clear on the cuts for the heddle. Are they each 1/2” apart like the loom frame?
Thanks so much!
Super late in the game, I’m sorry. But this is an incredible tutorial! I love it. Does a heddle bar help keep the straight?
I love this tutorial! Very clear and unique post! Quick ? – what size dowel did you get? I bought a 1” for my DIY 30×36” loom. But, I’m thinking I might need a bit chunkier. Thx!!
Here’s a great instruction set to build your own rigid heddle loom if anyone’s interested. I built one and it’s awesome! https://www.etsy.com/listing/594630754/rigid-heddle-loom-plans-20-page-step-by
What is the diameter of the dowel?
Is 1-1/2″ (or appx. 40 mm) square a good size bar to make this? I very much wish that dimension had been given in your excellent instructions.