Weaving looms are one of the oldest tools known to mankind. Nearly every culture in the world developed around what kinds of fabrics they wove. Weighted looms and frame looms were simple yet vital tools for everyday life. Archeological digs have uncovered proof of weaving even as far back as 27,000 years.http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba52/ba52news.html

As technology developed, more complex looms appeared. During the Industrial Revolution, weaving became automated, making fabric faster and less expensive than ever before. Weaving for one's family gave way to buying fabric. Today, weaving is more of an artistic pursuit, done for enjoyment rather than necessity.

Because of their extremely long history, looms are described by a set of terms that often sound archaic and strange to the modern ear. Some of these terms have also changed over time so that the current term is different from its original form (such as "weft" vs. "woof"). Whenever possible, the more current and widely accepted term is used here.

Terms:

Warp and Weft: The perpendicular strands of yarn that make up weaving. Warp is often stronger, smoother yarn that is designed to stand up to the action and tension of the loom. Weft can be the same as warp or a different yarn, sometimes decorative or textured. Warp forms the length of the cloth and weft forms the width.

Heddle: A narrow looped piece of string, metal, plastic or wood through which warp strands are threaded. Certain ones are raised or lowered to form a pattern while weaving. In the case of rigid-heddle looms, a flat piece made up of slats with small holes in the center is used instead of independent heddles. This makes the loom more portable and simpler in overall design.

Beater: Usually a stick or comb that forces the weft to lie close together. In a rigid heddle loom, the heddle acts as a beater.

Harness: In weaving terms, this is a set of heddles that raise and lower to create patterns in the fabric. Table and floor looms may have as few as two harnesses and as many as 24. The more harnesses one has, the more detailed the weaving pattern can be.

Treadle: In the case of floor looms, the treadle is a pedal on the floor that changes which harnesses raise and lower, to create patterns in the fabric. In appearance, it is often similar to pedals on a piano or organ.

Types of Looms

Frame Looms

These are the simplest type commonly available today. Many children are introduced to weaving by using a plastic one to make potholders out of knit loops. A more "grown-up" version is made of wood and nails or pegs and is used to weave specifically-sized items such as shawls. They can be square, rectangular, and triangular.

Another type of frame loom is the tapestry loom, a loom designed for weaving images and freeform designs. They can be taller than a man or tiny and portable or anywhere in between. The Journey Loom is an example of a tapestry loom.

Rigid Heddle Looms

Also called RH looms by enthusiasts, these are slightly more complex than a frame loom but less so than a harness loom. Usually they consist of a wooden frame and a rigid piece the same width as the frame. Warp is threaded through holes and slots on this piece and depending on how the piece is positioned, will raise and lower certain threads.

Harness Looms

The most complex design. Floor looms can have dozens of harnesses for weaving highly detailed fabrics. Many modern versions of this type of loom are computerized to aid the weaver. Despite their large size, there are some types that fold up for transport to fiber festivals and meetings or classes.

Backstrap Loom

Another very old type of loom, used in Africa and South America in particular. Instead of relying on a permanent framework to add tension to the warp, the weaver actually creates tension by leaning into a strap that goes around his or her back. These looms can be made with minimal materials and are easy to pack up and move, making them popular with nomadic cultures.

Inkle Loom

A small, portable loom designed for weaving narrow bands of fabric. One side is often left open for ease of access. http://www.ispindle.com/inkleweaving/inkle.htm