The Development of the Loom

Webster defines a loom as "a frame or machine for interweaving yarn or threads into a fabric, the operation being performed by laying lengthwise a series called the warp and weaving in across this other threads called the weft, woof, or filling." Another definition, which is quite to the point: "A loom is the framework across which threads are stretched for the weaving of cloth." Since the warp functions as the backbone of the weaving structure, choosing a warp requires knowledge of the nature of fibers, in that warp yarns workbest if they have certain characteristics. The warps should be fairly smooth and should not have too many slubs or bumps. The warps should be plied yarns with adequate tensile strength, strong enough to withstand a certain amount of weight. Types of warp yarns used in historic times varied depending upon what plants or animals were native to a particular region. Cotton, wool, linen, and silk were favorite warp yarns of our ancestors and are still some of the most popular choices of contemporary weavers. Today's fiber artists use the same general principles as people during primitive times, for the fundamental aspects of handweaving have remained unchanged. Since many loom types have evolved over the centuries, we will discuss a selection of looms, starting with the simple and progressing to the more complex.