Ashford Knitters Loom vs Rigid Heddle Loom

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  Knitters Loom

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  Standard Rigid Heddle Loom

Side by side

Ashford’s pages for the Knitters Loom and the Standard Rigid Heddle Loom.

Where they differ

How wide you can weave

The Knitters Loom comes in 30, 50 and 70 cm. The Standard comes in 40, 60, 80 and 120 cm. If you want blanket-width cloth or a wide shawl in one piece, only the Standard gets there.

At the narrow end, the 30 cm Knitters Loom is enough for a scarf.

Putting it together

The Knitters Loom comes assembled and the Standard is a kit, so if you’d rather not put a loom together, that favors the Knitters Loom. If you like to finish wood yourself, the Standard comes unfinished.

What’s in the box

The Knitters Loom comes with a padded carry bag. The Standard has indirect warping holes. Both come with cardboard warp sticks, clamps, a Learn to Weave booklet, a threading hook and a warping peg.

Taking it with you

The Knitters Loom has the carry bag, and reviewers of the 12 in and 20 in sizes describe a fold-up design. If you plan to travel with it, ask your dealer for the weight of your size.

Where they are the same

• Type. Both are rigid heddle looms, so for pattern weaves that need shafts, you’d look at a different kind of loom.
• Reed. Both have a 7.5 dpi reed.
• Material. Both are beech hardwood.
• Getting started. Both come with the Learn to Weave booklet, a threading hook and a warping peg.
• Shuttles. Both come with two stick shuttles, sized to the loom.

Which one for you?

• You want to start weaving the day the box arrives: the Knitters Loom. It comes assembled, with its bag.
• You’re a knitter weaving scarves from stash or handspun: the Knitters Loom’s 30 or 50 cm sizes.
• You want to weave at a class or a group: the Knitters Loom, for the bag and the fold-up design that reviewers of the 12 in and 20 in sizes describe.
• You’re planning shawls, throws or yardage: the Standard at 80 or 120 cm. The Knitters Loom stops at 70 cm.
• You like finishing wood, or don’t mind a kit: the Standard.

If you’re still unsure, the 40 and 60 cm Standards overlap with the Knitters Loom’s range, so width won’t decide it at the small end. Assembly, finish and the bag will.

Owner reviews

These cover the 12 in and 20 in Knitters Looms, in 2012 and 2015.

• Andrea, on Huntington House, 2015, bought the 12 in loom. The back warp beam can ride up and the fold-up knobs need re-tightening, but for her, “portability and small size far outweigh the minor engineering issues.”
• Robbie and Amy, in a Knitty review, 2012, wove on loaned looms for two weeks each. Amy had never woven before and had a friend who is an experienced weaver on hand. The review says “it really is as easy as it looks”. Both suggest warping across two tables, after a low table strained Amy’s back.

FAQ

Is the Ashford Knitters Loom a rigid heddle loom?

Yes, with a 7.5 dpi reed. It’s a different loom from the Standard Rigid Heddle Loom, which Ashford also classes as rigid heddle.

What is the difference between the Knitters Loom and the Standard Rigid Heddle Loom?

Width and assembly. The Knitters Loom comes in 30, 50 and 70 cm, assembled, with a carry bag. The Standard comes in 40 to 120 cm and is a kit.

Which is wider?

The Standard Rigid Heddle Loom. Its widest size is 120 cm, against 70 cm for the Knitters Loom. The 80 cm Standard is also wider than any Knitters Loom.

Do either of these looms have shafts?

No. Both are rigid heddle looms, so for pattern weaves that need shafts you’d look at a different kind of loom.

Which is easier for a first-time weaver?

The Knitters Loom comes assembled, so there’s one less step before you begin. A 2012 Knitty review, on loaned looms, reports a first-time weaver learning on it, with an experienced weaver on hand.

What does each loom cost?

See today’s prices at Woolery for the Knitters Loom and the Standard.

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