Perfect for Summer—Portable Inkle Looms

Watching TV without something to do with my hands makes me restless. Rather than aimlessly playing solitaire on my phone or scrolling through social media, I find working on a project is the perfect antidote to less-than-compelling shows and movies. Keeping my hands busy occupies one part of my brain, which allows the other part to calm down and watch (well mostly listen to!) TV. Those are the times when I want a project on a portable table loom, and an inkle loom fits the bill.

In the dog days of summer when even the thought of warping with wool or actively throwing a shuttle seems too hot and sticky to consider, weaving on an inkle loom has a strong appeal. When you are looking for an excuse to sit on the porch with a glass of tea and your floor loom doesn't have wheels, the appeal of inkle weaving grows even stronger. Not convinced? Inkle bands can be the answer to the eternal question about what type of straps your recently finished handwoven purse needs. You could weave straps using the same yarn as the purse and they would match perfectly. (Yay!) You might like to weave some sweet bookmarks for your people friends, dog collars and leashes for your dog friends, and guitar straps for your musician friends. All these can be made on an inkle loom, taken wherever you want to work: on the porch, in front of the TV, next to the air conditioner, by the pool—you name the place.

Inkle Loom. Photo by George Boe

It's your summer. You can weave where you want.

Weave well, Susan

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