While our newest loom, The Saffron Pocket Loom, was designed for tapestry, many of you want to know if you can weave beads on it. The answer is yes, but it comes with some caveats.
First, because there is a fixed sett you can't weave any bead size. We have experimented with 11/0 Delicas and 11/0 seed beads with the loom double warped (explained below) but not other bead sizes.
Second, you need to weave a row at the top of the loom to sett your warp sett (shown below).
Third, you cannot weave no warp-ends pieces on this loom with just beads (you can with bead/fiber combination pieces).
Here's the process:
First, set the size you want your loom to be by adjusting the wing-nuts around the top beam of the loom.
Second, warp your loom by tying onto one tine, zig-zagging your warp from comb to comb and then, when you've reached the tine you intend to end on, zig-zag back the other way and tie back onto the first tine. This will, essentially, double warp your loom.
You will have one fewer bead than the number of warp threads (counting every warp) on your loom, so keep that in mind when deciding how far across you want to warp.
Next, tighten your tension with the wing-nuts on the loom.
There is one final step before you begin weaving: Weave a row of beads at the top of the loom and tie a knot on the edge of the row to keep it tight. This will set your sett.
Finally, begin to weave as you normally would, starting with a row an inch or so above the bottom beam. Easy, right?
