Rigid-Heddle Loom Projects: Simple Elegance from Simple Looms

The most common question we receive through our customer support team is "Can I weave this on a rigid-heddle loom?" It's a question that warms my heart because it means that more and more weavers are joining our worldwide community, and because these new weavers are using their rigid-heddle looms to explore the world of weave structures, from plain weave and all its variations to twill, lace, and more. Within the last few days, a weaver wrote asking about resources for doing doubleweave on a rigid-heddle loom, and she sent me a photo of a charming baby blanket she is weaving double width with a rigid heddle. That's why we're giving you these free rigid heddle loom projects!

  If you prefer a loom that is easy to store, quick to set up, and capable of creating exquisite handwoven cloth, this is the best place to start. Whether you’re a weaving beginner or a seasoned veteran, there are so many reasons to love rigid-heddle looms. They are versatile for so many different projects, and your options for rigid-heddle weaving patterns are nearly endless. These smaller looms are also more easily transportable, so you can take your weaving with you when you travel. Interweave compiled some FREE rigid-heddle loom projects for you to advance your skills in weaving on a rigid-heddle loom, all free. If you’re interested in learning how to use a rigid-heddle loom for the first time, explore these gorgeous projects and get started today!

Weaving many weave structures on a rigid-heddle loom is slower than with a shaft loom because it involves using multiple heddles, pickup, or a combination of the two. On the other hand, warping goes faster, and when you slow down the process of weaving and manipulate threads by hand, you have time to really understand the cloth you are creating.

These looms are easy to warp and thread, and they accommodate a variety of widths and lengths of cloth. Rigid heddle loom projects you can achieve include placemats and table runners, shawls and stoles, pillows, purses and tote bags, tops, and belts—practically any medium-weight fabric that’s the width of the loom or narrower.

Sneak-Peek at the Rigid Heddle Loom Projects:

Handwoven Pillow Project

By Liz Gipson The loom's ability to handle bulky singles yarns with little shredding makes it an ideal tool for these pillows. The two pillows use a variegated singles in three ways (each pillow is woven on a different warp): as warp with a solid-color weft, as weft with a solid-color warp, and as both warp and weft. The pillows are each finished with a tubular piping that is delightfully simple to weave.

Handwoven Curtain Project

By Mariellen Boss It's only plain weave, but Brooks bouquet gives this cloth a fancy lacy texture. Since Mariellen spins and knits, she thought that the handwork involved in this technique would be fun and keep her interest—and she was right! For something small to practice with, she decided on a valance for a kitchen window, thinking of a valance as basically an overgrown scarf.

Handwoven Cushion Project

By Leslie Ann Bestor Enjoy a decorative pillow that invites a quick nap! This pillow uses a pick-up pattern of floats and plain weave. Leslie wove two pillow faces and sewed them together so that warp floats appear on one side and weft floats on the other. If you weave the pillow on four shafts, allow two yards for warp length and use light tension.

We hope you enjoy our little gift to you, as we applaud all the intrepid rigid-heddle weavers out there who are turning out beautiful cloth by hand.