SCHACHT INKLE LOOM
Assembly,
WArping & WeAving
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Schacht Spindle Company 6101 Ben Place Boulder, CO 80301
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© 2020 Schacht Spindle Company, Inc. 10.20
SL2502
– 2 –
WEAVING TERMS
Beat: packing the weft threads into place with the tapered edge of a belt shuttle.
Belt shuttle: a at stick that carries the weft, notched at both ends. It has one tapered edge
for beating the weft.
Header: weft, not part of the main weaving, worked at each end of the band and removed
when the weaving is complete.
Heddles: string loops that are used to control the warp threads.
Pattern draft: a graphic description of the warp threading, showing dierent colors of yarns
used for the warp pattern.
Pick-up stick: a smooth stick with a pointed end, also called a shed stick.
Shed: the space through which the shuttle passes.
Warp: (noun) the lengthwise threads that are stretched on the loom and lifted or lowered
for weaving; (verb) the process of putting warp thread on the loom for weaving.
Weft: the crosswise threads that are woven through the warp yarns.
PARTS
1X inkle loom
1X tension peg
ASSEMBLY
Remove the plastic knob and fender
washer from the end of the tension
peg A. Insert the bolt on the peg
through the slot in the loom, orienting
the peg to match the other dowels.
Place the fender washer on the end of
the bolt and re-attach the plastic knob
to hold the tension peg in place.
base
LOOM ASSEMBLY
FIGURE 1: INKLE LOOM ASSEMBLY
A
B
12
34
5
C
tension peg loom side
– 3 –
INKLE WEAVING
by nAomi binsfeld
heddle: d d x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x d d (20 ends)
open (no heddle): d d x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x d d (19 ends)
heddles required = 20
total ends = 39
total dark ends (d) = 8
total light ends (x) = 31
FIGURE 2: SAMPLE PATTERN DRAFT
SELECTING YARNS
The best yarns for weaving are
smooth, strong, and relatively
inelastic. Perle cotton (also known
as mercerized cotton) in size 3/2 or
size 5/2, embroidery oss, cotton rug
warp, linen, or rmly twisted wools
are all suitable.
INKLE WEAVING PATTERN DRAFT
Before you warp your loom, choose
a pattern draft to follow. This manual
uses the sample pattern draft in
Figure 2. There are additional drafts
on page 8.
The top row of a pattern draft shows
the warp threads that will be strung
through heddles. The bottom row
shows the warp threads that will not
pass through heddles. Read the draft
starting at the left of the top row, as
follows:
■Warp the rst thread in the top row.
Warp rst thread in the bottom row.
■Warp the second thread in the top
row and the second thread in the
bottom row.
Follow the draft, alternating between
the top row and the bottom row until
the pattern is complete.
USING HEDDLES
You will need a heddle for each warp
end listed on the top row of your
pattern draft. The pattern draft in
Figure 2 requires 20 heddles. String
heddles should be made of a sturdy
cotton string such as cotton rug
warp or seine twine. You can also use
8-5/8" Texsolv heddles. Both kinds of
heddles are reusable and are installed
during the warping process.
Measure a string heddle by tying the
string around pegs B, 1, and 5 (Figure
3). Tie the string with a square
knot and trim the ends to 1/2" long.
Remove the heddle and set it aside.
Repeat until you have made enough
string heddles for your pattern draft.
A
B
12
34
5
C
FIGURE 3: MAKING STRING HEDDLES
string heddle
– 4 –
FIGURE 4: MAKING A SLIP KNOT
WARPING THE LOOM
Place the loom on a table with the
pegs facing you. Move the tension peg
A to the middle of the slot and tighten
its plastic knob (Figure 5).
1. Make a slipped square knot with
the rst warp color (dark for the
sample draft; shown in white for
clarity in Figure 4). With the cut end
of the warp yarn at the right, make an
overhand knot and tighten it around
tension peg A (Figure 4A). Form a
4" loop with the cut end of the warp
yarn; pass it over, then under the
end coming from your yarn supply
(a skein or cone), as shown in Figure
4B. Tighten the knot by pulling on
the yarn supply end. When you nish
weaving, undo the knot by pulling on
the cut end.
2. The rst warp thread is wound
with a heddle. Pass the warp thread
over pegs B and C, and then down
to 4, under peg 5, and back to peg A
(Figure 5).
3. Fold a heddle over the rst warp
thread between peg A and peg B.
Loop both ends of the heddle onto peg
5. Push the warp thread and heddle
towards the loom side so they do not
fall off the pegs.
4. The second warp thread is wound
without a heddle. Pass it under peg
B, over peg C, and then around peg
4, under peg 5, and back to A (Figure
5). Push the warp thread towards the
loom side so it does not fall off the
pegs.
Repeat steps 2 to 4 until you have
nished with the rst warp color—the
sample draft uses four dark warp
threads.
Cut off the warp yarn about 2" beyond
peg A and tie this end to the cut end
of the next color required by the draft
(light for the sample draft). Check
that the knotted ends go around the
outside of peg A, and be careful not
to wind either end all the way around
peg A. Keep the tension even and
continue warping by repeating steps 2
to 4, tying each new warp color to the
previous color.
When all of the warp threads have
been wound onto the loom, untie the
beginning slip knot and tie the rst
(dark) thread to the end of the last
(dark) thread. Be sure the knotted
threads pass around the outside of
peg A.
A B C
tension peg A
yarn supply
loop
tighten knot
undo
knot
cut end
– 5 –
Tighten the tension of the entire
warp by loosening peg A and moving
it toward the front of the loom.
Tighten peg A rmly in place.
CHOOSING WEFT YARN
Inkle weaving is a warp-faced weave,
which means you will see the weft
only at the edges of the woven band.
If you use the same color for the
weft that you used for the outer warp
ends, the weft will run invisibly along
the outside. If you use a contrasting
color weft, it will show as small dots
on the edge of the band. Use a yarn
of the same size and type as the
warp, or use a thicker yarn if you
prefer a heavier woven band.
WINDING A SHUTTLE
Wind your weft yarn in a gure 8 onto
the thick side of a belt shuttle (Figure
6). Leave the tapered side of the belt
shuttle free of yarn—you will beat the
weft into place with this edge.
In addition to your weft yarn, you will
need a 6" length of yarn or a few small
craft sticks to weave a header. If you
use yarn, wind it onto the shuttle over
the regular weft.
You are now ready to weave!
FIGURE 6: WINDING THE BELT SHUTTLE
thick side
tapered side
cut end of
weft yarn
FIGURE 5: WARPING THE LOOM
rst warp (heddled)
heddle
second warp (open)
A
B
C
12
3
4
5
– 6 –
BEGINNING TO WEAVE
The inkle loom is capable of creating
two sheds, or openings, between the
warp ends. To weave, you will pass the
weft yarn through rst one and then
the other of these two sheds. Weave
a header rst to practice making the
sheds and to prepare the warp for
weaving the actual inkle band.
WEAVING A HEADER
Make the rst shed: place your hand
just behind the heddles and push
down rmly on the open warp ends
(Figure 7A). Pushing down will make
an opening below the heddled warp
ends. Pass the shuttle through this
shed to weave in the header yarn or
insert one craft stick. Beat header
yarn with the tapered end of the belt
shuttle, or force the craft stick as far
forward as possible.
Make the second shed: just behind
the heddles, push up on the open
threads. Pushing up will create a
space above the heddled warp ends
(Figure 7B). Insert the header yarn
or a second craft stick, beating it into
place. Work two more header rows
in this manner. Cut off the header
yarn, leaving a short tail. Remove
any remaining header weft from the
shuttle.
WEAVING THE INKLE BAND
Weave the rst row: push down the
open threads to create the rst shed.
Pass the shuttle with your weft yarn
halfway through the warp so that it
extends on both sides of the warp,
keeping the shed open. (You can let
go of the shed.) Use both hands to
pull the shuttle rmly toward you.
Now pass the shuttle the rest of the
way through the warp, leaving a 2" tail
of weft on the starting side.
Weave the second row: push up the
open threads to create the second
shed. Tuck the tail of weft from the
rst row into the shed, then insert
FIGURE 7: INKLE LOOM SHEDS
A
A
B
12
34
5
C
A
B
12
34
5
C
A
B
12
34
5
C
push down open threads
rst shed
A
B
12
34
5
C
A
B
12
34
5
C
A
B
12
34
5
C
B
push up open threads
second shed
– 7 –
the shuttle halfway through the warp
and use both hands to pull the shuttle
rmly toward you. This action will
beat in the previous row and the tail of
weft, creating a neat opening for the
current row. Pass the shuttle all the
way through and tug the weft rmly
to the edge of the inkle band. The
warp ends should be pulled closely
together so as to cover the weft. The
weft should turn from one row to
the next without leaving loops at the
edges.
Continue to weave in this manner,
alternating between the rst and
second sheds: open a shed, beat with
the shuttle, and pass the weft through
the shed.
ADVANCING THE WARP
After a few inches of weaving, you will
run out of space to weave. Advance
the warp by loosening the tension
peg. Firmly grasp the warp in two
places and pull the woven band
toward you. Be careful to move all the
threads the same distance in order to
avoid a shift in the warp. Retighten the
tension peg and resume weaving.
JOINING A NEW WEFT
The clasped weft technique makes a
seamless join when you begin a new
weft. Make a loop with the end of the
new weft. Lay in the next shed with
the loop sticking out the same side as
the short weft from the previous shed.
Make sure that both ends of the loop
extend beyond the band on the other
side. Thread the old weft through
the loop so that you have formed
interlocking loops. Pull on both ends
until the join is hidden inside the
band. Resume weaving with the new
weft. Trim off the excess ends when
the band is nished.
FINISHING THE INKLE BAND
When the band is as long as you want
or when there is no more room to
Peg Sequence Warp Length
A-C-1-2-3-4-5 8-1/2 feet
A-C-1-4-5 6-1/2 feet
A-C-4-5 5 feet
advance the warp, use a small piece
of weft thread to create an invisible
nish: weave a loop of the extra weft
thread into the next-to-last shed, so
that the two ends of the loop are on
the same side as the shuttle, and the
loop is on the opposite side from the
shuttle. Weave the last shed and cut
the weft, leaving a 6" tail. Then weave
a header to hold the last few rows of
your band in place. Remove the band
from the loom by cutting through the
warp in the center of the unwoven
section. Tuck the 6" tail of weft yarn
into the loop you created in the next-
to-last shed, pull the tail into the band,
and trim the loose ends.
Remove the heading yarns at either
end and then add a nishing touch to
your weaving by tying, braiding, or
twisting groups of warp together.
WEAVING VARIATIONS
The width of a band is determined
by the number and size of the warp
threads used. A 1" band would require
approximately 50 warp threads in
the yarns recommended in these
instructions. This loom can weave
bands up to 4" wide.
Longer bands can be made by
winding your warp back and forth
on the pegs between 1 and 4. You
can choose the length of your warp
by selecting one of the warp paths
described in the table below. Start
at peg A and proceed to peg C, then
from peg C go to the next peg on the
list for the warp length you want. For
example, the warp shown in Figure
7 follows the path for a 5-foot warp
(A-C-4-5). •
– 8 –
BLUE STRIPES
heddle: w w b b w w w w w w b b w w (14 ends)
open: w w b b w w w w w b b w w (13 ends)
heddles required = 14
total blue ends (b) = 8
total white ends (w) = 19
CHECKS
heddle: r r r r r p p p r r r p p p r r r p p p r r (22 ends)
open: r r p p p r r r p p p r r r p p p r r r r r (22 ends)
heddles required = 22
total red ends (r) = 26
total purple ends (p) = 18
CHAINS
heddle: w b x b w b b w b x b w (12 ends)
open: w b b w b x b w b b w (11 ends)
heddles required = 12
total blue ends (b) = 12
total white ends (w) = 8
total yellow ends (x) = 3
EGYPTIAN KEY
heddle: m m g g g g g g b b b m m (13 ends)
open: m m g g g b b b b b b m m (13 ends)
heddles required = 13
total blue ends (b) = 9
total maroon ends (m) = 8
total green ends (g) = 9
RESOURCES
Atwater, Mary Meigs. Byways in Handweaving. Macmillan, 1954.
Bress, Helene. Inkle Weaving. Flower Press, 1975.
Dixon, Anne. The Inkle Pattern Directory. Interweave, 2012.
MacHale, Annie. In Celeration of Plain Weave. www.aspinnerweaver.com, 2019.
Neher, Evelyn. Inkle. Neher, 1974.
Patrick, Jane. Inkle Weaving A to Z. Interweave, 2013 (DVD & video download).
Tidball, Harriet. Weaving Inkle Bands. HTH Publishers, 1969.
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