How wide one can embrace?

It's not that I will describe myself as a collector. Apart from a tissue collection and paper dolls when I was a kid, I only collected mustard glass, they were fast tradable in a family of 4 children, the collection grew sizeable in step with kids left home, it was actually necessary to send the the stock on recycled since there wasn't room for more in the closet.

Otherwise, I haven't collected anything special! Well, I think I haven't. Yarn, for example,you can't make a collection of that, it has to be used to weave with. Looms, who can have to many?

A little more than six months ago, I saw a used loom for sale, it had a weaving width of 160 cm. For a reasonable price. Now I have the opportunity to weave a tablecloth for our dining table! I thought.

Preferably in 5-shaft satin on 2 parties. Approximately 1.40 x 4 m, with shrinkage the weave width must be 10% larger, ie approx. 155 cm. 10 shafts and 10 treadles.

I bought the loom, the seller believe there are 16 shafts, it's perfect, I have not more than 8 shafts.

The loom has a history (that's what I like about used looms), During The second World War there are scarce fuel and there is the rationing. At Copenhagen  there is a weaving mill with mechanical looms, due to fuel shortage, one gets manufactured ​​42 handlooms at Lervad. It is then one of them I have bought. the K-loom. It has the most adorable enamel badge, white with a blue K on.

I get filled the trailer - quite frankly, it was Allan who wore and packed. Home with loom, assemble the loom and count the shaft and treadles.

16 shafts, but only 10 top lamms
8 short and 8 long lamms
8 treadles

Thus even an 8-shaft loom, but now with a weaving width of 160 cm.


I bought some cheap cotton yarn 8/2 at my local yarn-pusher and set up a tablecloth of around 145 cm weaving width.

It is in every way a major loom, here we can talk about that a Breast beam, is a brisket rail, and yes, I know that I'm not quite high!


As you can see from the picture, there is no question of ergonomically correct working position when I enter the leftmost treadle down, while I'm trying to put weft in from right.
I have had to raise the weaving bench, so I can  get to the edge, but that means that I can only reach the treadles with the tip of my toes.

I will still keep the loom, it has a clear advantage. It has exchange on cloth beam, so the warp can be tensioned a lot, perfect if I want to weave carpets or other things that require a tight warp.