Dan Ralph Bilog

Backstrap weavingBackstrap weaving

          The backstrap loom demonstrates the basic principles of weaving used with any kind of loom. You can make a variety of useful and decorative fabrics with it: scarves, place mats, wall hangings, runners, pillow covers, ties, footstool covers, belts, etc. All can be as creative and skillfully done as fabrics woven on expensive floor looms.

Our directions will show you how to build a 20-inch rigid heddle. We have chosen this size because it is wide enough for fairly ambitious projects while still permitting fairly quick construction and threading. You can weave narrower fabrics with a 20-inch heddle by threading it only to the width you desire using the middle of the he'ddle. Or you can adapt these directions to make a heddle as narrow as 5-10 inches, or as wide as 28-30 inches; much over 30 inches becomes cumbersome to work with. As you become proficient in weaving you will probably want to make several heddles of different widths. (Huldah Curl, Lila Nelson, Laurel Hansen Stanell.)