Louet Jane Loom: Owner Reviews and Who It Suits
The short answer: is the Louet Jane right for you?
The Jane suits a weaver moving up from a rigid heddle loom who wants 8 shafts, expandable to 16, in a table loom that folds. The size is the real decision: the Jane 40 weighs 8 kg and the Jane 90 weighs 16.5 kg.
- To carry it to workshops: the Jane 40 or 50.
- For a wider loom: the Jane 70 or 90.
- If four shafts are plenty: the Ashford Four Shaft Table Loom, below.
The price depends on the size and setup. See Louet’s Jane page, and ask a Louet dealer for today’s price.
Which size?
| Model | Weight | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Jane 40 | 8 kg | 57 x 75 x 65 cm |
| Jane 50 | 10.5 kg | 67 x 75 x 65 cm |
| Jane 70 | 13.5 kg | 87 x 75 x 65 cm |
| Jane 90 | 16.5 kg | 107 x 87 x 65 cm |
| Jane 16 50 (16 shafts) | 67 x 87 x 65 cm | |
| Jane 16 70 (16 shafts) | 87 x 87 x 65 cm |
Owners call them by width: a 40 cm Jane, a 50 cm Jane, a 70 cm Jane. Before you settle on a wide one, read what the owners below say about moving it. Barbara Olson owns a 70 and says, “In hindsight I think I’d have been happier with the 50cm, for portability.”
What it means for your weaving
More patterns. Louet lists 8 shafts, expandable to 16, with two dedicated 16-shaft models. Katherine Q, who moved up from a rigid heddle loom, says “the Louet Jane dramatically expands my options for weaving”.
Setting it up. The raddle is built in, and the reed is a metric 40-10. Ashford gives its reeds in dents per inch, so the numbers below aren’t directly comparable.
Taking it with you. It folds. Cheryl Schwarz says her 40 cm Jane folds into a carrying case.
What it’s for. Barbara Olson finds it good for towels and scarves, not rug warps.
Who it suits
- A rigid heddle weaver moving up. Eight shafts open up lift plans, and it still folds.
- A weaver going to workshops or guild meetings. The Jane 40 (8 kg) or Jane 50 (10.5 kg).
- A weaver who wants a wider loom. The Jane 70 and Jane 90, at 13.5 and 16.5 kg.
- A weaver planning 16-shaft patterns. Louet’s Jane 16 50 and Jane 16 70.
Look elsewhere if
- Four shafts are plenty. The Ashford Four Shaft Table Loom is a simpler step.
- You plan heavy rug warps. Barbara Olson and Katherine Q both say the light shaft frames aren’t suited to a warp tightened hard.
The Jane beside two others
| Loom | Suits | Shafts | Width or model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louet Jane | Pattern weaving, carrying the 40 or 50 | 8 or 16 | Jane 40, 50, 70, 90 |
| Ashford Four Shaft Table Loom | First shaft loom | 4 | 60 cm |
| Ashford Standard Rigid Heddle Loom | Plain weave, first loom | 1 heddle | 40, 60, 80, 120 cm |
Ashford’s Four Shaft Table Loom comes as a kit with a 10 dpi reed, 480 Texsolv heddles and a shuttle race. Its Standard Rigid Heddle Loom comes as a kit with a 7.5 dpi reed.
Owner reviews
These come from owners on the School of Weaving forum, run by Jane Stafford, a Louet dealer, and they own different sizes.
- Barbara Olson, 70 cm, 8 shafts, in one thread, finds it heavy to move around a small house, and adds weights because it feels light on the stand.
- Wendy Crook-Abel, 50 cm, in the same thread, finds it easy to fold and carry, and is glad she didn’t buy the 70.
- Cheryl Schwarz, 40 cm, in another thread, found it really easy to set up, with a larger shed than her older table loom.
- Katherine Q, in the same thread, is very happy overall, though she calls the light wooden shaft frames a weak point. Her boat shuttle dived through the lower threads, and she and Barbara each improvised a shuttle race.
Jane details
| Louet Jane | |
|---|---|
| Type | Table loom, folds |
| Shafts | 8 or 16 (8-shaft expandable to 16) |
| Models | Jane 40, 50, 70, 90 (8 shaft); Jane 16 50, Jane 16 70 |
| Reed | Metric reed 40-10 |
| Raddle | Built in |
| Material | Lacquered solid beech |
FAQ
Is the Louet Jane worth it?
If you want 8 shafts in a folding table loom, it’s a good fit, and the owner comments above show why size matters. The cost depends on the size and setup, so ask a Louet dealer.
How much does the Louet Jane cost?
It varies with the size and setup. Ask a Louet dealer for today’s price on the model you want.
How much does the Louet Jane weigh?
8 kg (Jane 40), 10.5 kg (Jane 50), 13.5 kg (Jane 70) and 16.5 kg (Jane 90). For a 16-shaft model, ask your dealer.
Does the Louet Jane fold?
Yes. Cheryl Schwarz, on the School of Weaving forum, says her 40 cm Jane folds into a carrying case.
How many shafts does the Jane have?
8 or 16. The 8-shaft model is expandable to 16, and Louet also makes dedicated 16-shaft models, the Jane 16 50 and Jane 16 70.
Which Jane model should I choose?
The Jane 40 or 50 for travel, the Jane 70 or 90 for a larger loom, at 13.5 to 16.5 kg. Barbara Olson, who owns a 70, says she’d have been happier with the 50 for portability.
Related
Your path
These are stages of what you might want to make, not a ranking. Each step is a different kind of project, and every one is a good place to be.
Step 1
Small pieces
Tapestry panels, narrow bands and trims.
Step 2
Scarves and cloth
Plain-weave cloth such as scarves and runners.
Step 3
Patterned cloth
Cloth with patterns, on a loom that sits on a table or stand.
This one. Table looms.
Step 4
Longer, wider cloth
Yardage and wider cloth, woven with treadles.
Close alternatives
Louet
Erica Table Loom
Ashford
Brooklyn Four Shaft Loom
Ashford
Eight Shaft Table Loom
Most watched: looms
Start making
Guide
Guide
Guide