Build Your Own
Build Your Own Salish Loom
It’s a Rag Rug Loom
and a whole lot more!
Rag rugs are more than just rugs made from rags – they can be exquisitely beautiful and they can instill great joy when using fabrics that hold fond memories. Furthermore, they don’t just have to be rugs. Try making table mats or seat pads or even wall-hangings.
Build Your Own
Download the plans now
The downloadable plans package includes two versions of the Salish Loom, together with a floor stand to make the loom even more versatile. The plans also include full drawings to make a multi-functional easel that will not only place the loom at the perfect working height, but serve all of your art and craft projects. The loom can be built for as little as fifteen dollars. It is small enough to slide behind a chair or sofa for storage and yet large enough to make a six foot long rug. A wide range of instructional videos can be found on our YouTube and Curious video channels. so you won’t be left out in the cold. Rags have been converted into rugs, probably for centuries. In fact, rag-rugging might even qualify as one of the earliest deliberate recycling efforts. Rags are plentiful and cheap and with very little effort, they can be converted into attractive and hardwearing floor-covering.
Learn more about the Salish Loom and Rag Rug Making
History of Salish Weaving
The Salish are coastal people indigenous to the Pacific Northwest, extending from Washington State up to Bella Coola in British Columbia. The Salish people have a long history of fiber working and are renowned for their beautiful weaving. Weavers were highly revered for their craft., as well as the necessary dyes and paints. Just harvesting and converting the raw materials, whether from plant, tree, Mountain Goat or the specially bred woolly coastal dog into useable fiber took great skill and much time. A Salish woven blanket would become a treasured item, with tremendous spiritual and tribal significance. These blankets were woven on a very simple loom, consisting of two upright poles and two cross members, lashed together to create the desired size blanket.
Plans include this highly versatile artists easel that will hold your loom for display or workIt is this extremely simple design that attracted me to the loom. I have known several would-be weavers who splashed out thousands of dollars on looms, only to have them sit dormant in their homes, sometimes occupying an entire room and yet producing nothing. Why? Complexity! Modern looms have become so complicated that without training and persistence, they become mechanical follies; destined to gather dust for years. I have no doubt whatsoever that I lack the perseverance to sit at one of these all-singing, all-dancing looms for hours on end, if I managed to fathom out how to warp the thing in the first place!
It’s time to get started!
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