Made in Minnesota
Raven King Crafts is a small business that actually makes all the wood and leather items here in Minnesota, USA. We try to make things that both serve a purpose and will bring years of use or enjoyment. Whenever possible we also try to use materials that are compostable which is why we have so many veggie tanned leather, birch plywood and wood items.
All items ship from the 55369 area code.
Thank you for supporting a small business.
Weaving Resources & Finishing Tips
Weaving Terms
| Bobbin / Spool | Frame Loom | Shuttle |
 |
 |
 |
| Circle Loom | Spreader Sticks | Comb |
 |
 |
 |
Block: When several or more parts or unites are woven together to make a bigger patch of something.
Bobbin: A spool on which yarn, warp thread or another material can be stored.
Circle Loom: A loom made in a circular shape, the weaving process on this loom is a little different than traditional ones since you cross your warp in the center and weave the weft out from the center.
Comb: It looks like a comb and is designed to help push or move the weft "weaving" material.
Draft: Is a pattern.
Frame Loom: A weaving tool where you warp directly to the loom. So it generally has tabs, slots or something else to help warp onto.
Loom: The loom is the frame that you use to weave within. It can be a variety of shapes an sizes including huge ones used to make rugs. Smaller looms like the ones we sell can also be used as a frame to help hang a tapestry and showcase the design.Needle: It is just a slightly larger needle than the one you might use for sewing. The needles for weaving are larger to allow for a thicker material, it can be wood, plastic or metal.
Selvedge / Selvage : The finished sides of your weaving / tapestry. On a traditional square or rectangular loom these aren't supported so you have to be careful not to pull to hard to avoid pulling them in. - Here is a great guide to try to keep them even. https://warpedfibers.com/straight-selvedges/
Shuttle: A tool used to store and feed yarn or another material through the warped areas.
Spool: A bobbin on which yarn, warp thread or another material can be stored.
Spreader Stick / Spacers: These tools are used to help "open" a warp to make it easier to weave the weft through. They can also be incorporated into the tapestry for visual effects.
Tassel: The hanging decoration found on ropes, curtains and some tapestries where the string or thread is gathered at the top and bells out at the bottom in loose strands.
Warp: The thread/string/yarn that runs the length of the loom which acts as the "bones" for you to weave the weft on. The warp can be any material you choose to use but should be something durable enough to withstand the weaving process through it.
Weaving: The process of creating a tapestry or art by warping a frame and then weaving the weft through it in a pattern of over/under and then under/over on the next line. A very old art form and a great hobby for those seeing something low stress or impact that allows for a wide range of creativity.
Weft: The material you run through the warp threads. Normally these are done horizontally but can be done in other directions for different loom frames and effects. The weft is what people think of when weaving and is the process of going under or over the warp.
Loom Finishing Ideas
If you plan to use your loom as part of your finished art piece we suggest that you consider customizing it to complement your planned tapestry. Here are some fun ways to finish your loom frame:
Online Weaving Tools
- Draft making tool online: https://www.handweaving.net/draft-create
- HANDWOVEN Magazine's Free Guide for Beginners - (Requires an email address)
- Hand-Loom Weaving, by Mattie Phipps Todd - A Project Gutenberg eBook, so it is free but old. You'll need to scroll further down for the free patterns. This is public domain so you can use those patterns. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/31630/31630-h/31630-h.htm
- Cotton Weaving and Designing, by John T. Taylor - A Project Gutenberg eBook, so it is free but old. You'll need to scroll further down for the free patterns. This is public domain so you can use those patterns. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/57031/pg57031-images.html
- Embroidery and Tapestry Weaving, by Grace Christie - A Project Gutenberg eBook, so it is free but old. You'll need to scroll further down for the free patterns. This is public domain so you can use those patterns. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/20386/pg20386-images.html
Free Weaving Patterns
- Draft making tool online: https://www.handweaving.net/draft-create
- Free patterns online from Handweaving.net: https://www.handweaving.net/
- Pattern E-Book from HANDWOVEN - https://handwovenmagazine.com/free-weaving-patterns-ebook/ (Requires email address)
- Bernat Circle Loom Pattern: https://www.yarnspirations.com/bernat-circle-loom-weaving/BRN0518-007971M.html
- Tassel Making: https://www.yarnspirations.com/how-to-make-a-tassel.html
- Fringe Wall Hangings: https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-to-the-point-fringe-wall-hanging/RHN0518-015295M.html?cgid=patterns
- Making Pom Poms: https://www.lionbrand.com/collections/all-free-knit-crochet-patterns/products/plethora-of-pom-poms-l70189?variant=32421507596381
Birch Plywood
Why We Use Birch Plywood
- It engraves and cuts very cleanly (produces little smoke)
- Birch sands really well
- Birch is considered a sustainable wood species
- It is durable
- It is affordable so it helps us keep our prices low
- Birch is a wonderful tree species in general and we love birch
Need to Order in Bulk?
We do offer bulk and wholesale orders. Please contact us for a quote.
Why We Started Making Looms
We first started making looms when our eldest son took an interest in weaving but was uninterested in many of the kits because they were very targeted towards girls. Thus we made our first frame loom. He loved it and we started offering it on our etsy page in case others were interested. Since then we've been revising and adding to our weaving tool selection.
For those wondering our then 9 year old son really enjoyed weaving and would make little coasters, pillows for stuffed animals and guinea pig blankets.
As for us our kits have evolved over the years with the feedback of artists and weaving guild members who have helped us refine and add items to our inventory.
