Weaving Tools

This Weaving Tools page outlines essential weaving tools needed to create tapestries or wall hangings on the loom. Whether you are a DIYer or prefer to have something mostly ready-made, I have included various options in this weaving tools list. Luckily, weaving on a frame loom does not require too many tools. Often times you can create your own alternative weaving tools with items found around your home.

tool overview

What weaving tools do I need?

I have outlined the most essential weaving tools and how to make them in this blog post, TOP 10 Essential Weaving Tools for Beginners.

Here is a list of the essential weaving tools needed for tapestry weaving or frame loom weaving:

1. Frame loom, made from cardboard, wood or other materials
2. Warp Yarn, cotton yarn
3. Weft Yarn, or material to weave through the warp
4. Tapestry Needles, 1x very thin and 1x long, for weaving
5. Loom Comb, or Weaving Comb, to beat the weft yarns down
6. Shed Stick, to open the weaving shed
7. Scissors, or thread snips, to cut yarn ends
8. Dowels, or alternative rod, for displaying weaving
9. Sketchbook, to document your creative process
10. Ruler, or other measuring tool, for the planning of the woven project and line creation

I am a big beweaver in being creative with the tools that you already have. So I encourage you to use the tools and materials that you already have before purchasing anything new. There are plenty of DIY options that you can use to create lovely tapestries and wall hangings.

Affiliate Disclaimer: The product links on this page are affiliate links (click on the product image or title to view on Amazon). If you use the link and purchase something, I will earn a small commission.

A self healing cutting mat is a helpful tool when it comes to precision and protecting work surfaces. If you are preparing a tapestry cartoon or cutting materials for the loom, this mat could be helpful.

Alternatively you can layer up a few sheets of cardboard and cut things over it. to You should make sure that the blade can not go through the cardboard layers.

When making a cardboard loom, I have found using hot glue gives my looms extra support- which is important, because of all the pressure it must withstand while weaving. I only use hot glue for making looms, so I use a very simple and basic tool because I do not use it so often.

Alternative, craft glue can be used.

Ready to level. up? 16″x20″ is a generous size that can get you weaving large tapestries.

The canvas can easily be removed and saved for a painting project, or can be used in an experiemental weaving project.

If you decide to build your own loom with wood, a tapes measure will come in handy. This one by Craftsman has a self lock, which can make measuring easier.

For measuring the nail spacing on the loom, I rcommend using a ruler, such as the Officemate Stainless Metal Ruler.

The nails used to create your own loom should not poke out fro the the back of the loom sides. The nails should be long enough to be added to the loom and hold the warp yarn. Try to use short nails, such as these  2X25mm steel nails.

Depending on how handy you are with a hammer, a drill could be a better option for building a frame loom. I really like durablility and performance of Bosch products and it can be used for other purposes.

Similar to the hammer, a drill won’t be used too often, however in the times that you might use it, it can be very helpful to used a reliable and powerful drill.

Embroidery hoops can be used alternatively for cirlce weaving. The warp yarns can easily lock between the hoop and stay in place as you weave the weft.

This is a mini loom that you can play with weaving. Due to the small size, you can play with yarns to create small motifs. If you want to just try weaving without a large loom, then this could be a good alternative.

What you may find challenging is that you can only work from the front of the weaving- the back is completely covered and does not become visible until you remove the panels from the loom.

This 14 inch Beka Loom is also a nice size to start weaving on. If you are just getting your feet wet, this size is a good option.

If the gaps between the tabs are too wide, then try double warping the loom. Read and watch the full tutorial here in this blog article. 

The 20″ Beka Weaving Frame Loom with Stand- The Deluxe is strenghten with two stronger sides that is not present in the other smaller looms and other 20′ Beka Weaving Frame. It really screams to me “durable”.

Another plus is the stand! Personally I like to weave with loom in the upright position, so the stand offers that option (which the other sizes do not).

Stand back-here comes the Grizzly! Wow, the 36″ BEKA tapestry loom is a large loom for serious weaving! 

If you are a beginner, I would wait before making such a commitment and try a smaller loom at first. 

Prismacolor Color pencils was one one my first art tools that I bought years ago. I love the color and texture of the pencils- great for creating and experimenting with color palettes. Also a  nice tool for sketching out design ideas.

The Staedtler Triplus Pens are recent additions to my design tool supplies.  Staedtler has so many pen and marker lines, but what I really enjoy about the Triplus Color Fibre-Tip pens is the shape of the pen tip. The tip is pointed enough for fine details, but the bottom of the tip is thicker for line variation.

I tend to use the grey tones and darker markers for planning the basic structure of my weaving.

Graph paper will come in handy when planning a design or jotting down notes. If you prefer to use a notebook, instead of the Mr.Pen graph paper tab, then this could be a good alternative for you!

Once you have atleast one small and thin taptestry neededle, then you can start adding a few more tools to your supplies. When weaving on a smaller loom, you doens need tapestry needles that are very large- just ones that are larger enough for the weaving section.

This set includes 7 pieces with some variations in size and length. It appears to be a nice starter pack.

I included this comb because of the handle variation and its slight resemblance to a weaving comb. Alternatively to a fork or another wide tooth comb, this Honbay comb could also function well as a weaving comb.

Remember to separate your everyday combs from the combs you use for weaving. 

Paint mixing sticks are a great substitute for a shed stick. The dimensions are similar and can be used in the same way.

Interested in making your own stick shuttles? Strips of sturdy thin cardboard can be used to organize your weft while weaving.

For instructions, read and watch the full tutotrial in this blog post here.

If the FISKARS Thread Snips aren’t for you, then perhaps try these detail scissors for cutting weft and warp ends close to the woven surface.

A half inch dowel will give a more support to the weaving. If you are weaving a piece that is larger and weighs more than a small woven ornament, then I would a thicker dowel such as this. A half inch dowel can hold small to medium sized tapestries.

If you plan to weave a bit more regularly, then it could be a good iddea to get a varitey of dowel thicknessess / sizes for the weaving projects that you plan to create. 

Simply wind your yarn into balls with a simple ball winder.

If you prefer a wooden touch, then this yarn swift could be a alternative to the metal one. 

When dressing the loom place a strip of masking tape, or painter’s tape, over the top and bottom nails or tabs of the loom. This will prevent the warp yarns from falling out of place while they are tightened.

Alternatively tiusses can be used as warp spacers. Fold one sheet until it is .25 inch thin, then weave it through the base of the warp.

What I like about this storage basket is that it has a top closing section. Sometimes my yarn stays in the belly basket for a while, which leaves it open to dust and anything to fall on it. But with this basket, you can simply place it next to you, open it when you need to used it, then close it back up. 

I like to see yarn, especially next to other yarn- when I organize the yarn its usually by color, so I like to see how the color families interact with each other. I have a similar bookshelf/ organizer that I love to put my yarn in.

A positive and negative feature of the organizer is that it is open on both sides. I like to fill as much yarn as I can in each section, so an open front and back is great for that – especially if it is used as an island. However, every now and then a small ball of yarn falls out of a shelf. But over all, I find this type of organizer very useful in my weaving space. 

I often rotate between weaving on a chair, floor and standing. I often take a cushion from the chair, then wrap it around a throw blanket. Just possibly having a designated floor cushion could save me all this hassle. 

Find a seat that fits for you. I prefer to use a low seat, like a stool, but I have also used my office chair while weaving. 

Want to know my other cozy secrets?

It can be easy to get lost in creating, but it is important to stay hydrated. One way that I enjoy water (especially is the hotter months) is adding fruit. 

As mentioned before, I am not a big “tech-person”. But as a creator, some things need to be digital- this includes planning and sketching projects. I love developing ideas on paper in my sketchbook, but using an iPad, or tablet, makes a different creative experience. I can experiment with colors and textures easily with layers in a design app and create with various tools.

I like to use the free drawing app, Sketchbook, for developing designs. I also like to use Snapseed, a free photo editing app, to fix up images of my artwork. 

The price of Apple products are steep, so take the time to consider if you really need one and research buying them secondhand or refurbished.

Dont’ have warp thread, then you can alternatively use cotton yarn as the warp.

The warp can be any color, but usually white in tapestry- however, you can weave with the colors that you like.

cotton, 4 medium worsted weight

mercerized cotton, 4 medium worsted weight

cashmere, 2 fine sport weight

Man Made Fibers / Blended Fibers

Man-made fibers, such as polyster and acrylic, can be spun together with natural fibers to create blended yarns and threads. To learn more about yarn fibers, check out the blog post, Comparison of 3 Yarn Types.

Alpaca and acrylic blend, 4 medium weight

polyester, 5 bulky weight

Cotton and polyester blend, 3 light weight

Acrylic and wool blend, 5 bulky weight

happy weaving!

I hope that this list helps you plan your next (or first!) weaving project.