|
Boomerang Bead Loom Manual - Parts List & Diagram |
|
|
|
|
Frame
The Frame consists of two boomerang-shaped cherry hardwood pieces that determine
the length of the bead loom.
|
|
Dowels 1 - 4
These four copper tubes determine the width of the beadloom.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coil Springs
The Coil Springs provide proper spacing of the Warp threads. The Warp
fibers are placed in the spaces between the coils
which are designed for use with specific sizes of beads.
Each Coil Spring has a loop at both ends which is slipped over
the brass pegs on the upper Dowels (Dowels 2 and 3).
|
|
Your Boomerang Beadloom comes with 3 sets of Coil Springs,
sized for weaving with Czech 11/o or 8/o seed beads, or with
Delica™ 11/o or 8/o beads. For 8/o Delicas™, use every
other space, not every space in the Coil Spring.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Warp Slide
This black wooden dowel spans the width of the loom and slides within the
slot at the bottom of each frame piece. The Warp threads are attached to it
by wrapping them around the Brass screws on the underside of the Warp Slide.
This unique feature lets you increase the working area from the loom's bed
length of 11" up to a total length of 21". Move the Warp Slide away
from you (away from Dowel 1, towards Dowel 4) while sliding the completed
section of your project towards you (over Dowel 2).
|
|
Brass Screws
Warp threads are tied to or wound around the Brass Screws on the bottom of the
Warp Slide. This allows them to be moved in order to increase the working space
of the beadloom, and it helps to maintain tension of the Warp.
|
|
|
Legs
There are two legs, one on the outside of each frame piece. Adjust the legs
(by loosening the Wing Nuts) to tilt the frame up to any angle desired. If
you prefer to work with the weaving surface parallel to the tabletop or the
floor, leave the legs even with the bottom of the frame.
Wing Nuts
The Wing Nuts are located on the outside of the legs and frame. They may be
loosened or tightened by hand, without tools. Loosen the Wing Nuts to move the
Warp Slide and/or to change the angle of the legs. Tighten the Wing Nuts to hold
the Legs and the Warp Slide in the desired position.
|
|
Remember: Righty-tighty, Lefty-loosey. In other words, turn the Wing Nut
towards the right, or clockwise, to tighten it. Turn it to the left, or
counter-clockwise, to loosen it when you want to move the Warp Slide or adjust
the Legs.
 |
|
Wing Nuts
Legs tilt frame as desired.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Getting Started
The picture to the right shows a standard Boomerang Pro Beadloom in the
position most people choose to use it. You might want to position
it in a different way of course. This photo gives us a common starting point.
Your Boomerang Beadloom comes with three sets of Coil Springs, labeled for
use with either Czech size 11/o or 8/o seed beads, or with Delica™ size
11/o or 8/o beads. For 8/o Delicas™, place the Warp thread through every
other space in the Spring, not through every space.
|
|
|
|
|
Coil Spring mounted on Dowel 3
Coil Spring mounted on Dowel 2
|
|
|
Decide what size beads you will use for your project, and
choose the set of Coil Springs that match the size of the
beads, Czech 11/o or 8/o seed beads, or Delica™ 11/o or
8/o beads.
|
|
The Warp fibers go in the spaces between the Coils. When
the Coil Spring matches your bead size, the Warp fibers will be the correct
distance apart for even placement of the beads in your weaving.
|
|
|
Stretch one Coil Spring across each of the two upper dowels
of the bead loom. The Spring has a
loop of wire at each of end. Slip one loop
over a brass peg at the end of Dowel 2 or of Dowel 3,
catching the loop in the groove on the peg.
|
|
Gently pull the Spring toward the other end of the same Dowel, and catch
the loop at the other end of the Coil Spring on the peg at the other end of
the Dowel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How to Warp Your Boomerang Professional Bead Loom
|
Place the loom on a flat surface. You should be able to read
the ‘Boomerang’ logo on Dowel 4. Loosen the wing
nuts on the Warp Slide and slide it in the grooves on the frame
until it is about in the center of the loom. Tighten the Wing Nuts.
Tie the Warp thread onto a Brass Screw at one end of the Warp
Slide. If you are right-handed you will likely find it easier to
string from left to right, and if you are left-handed you will probably
prefer working from right to left.
First and odd-numbered Warp Threads:
Maintaining even tension, pull the thread across the bottom of the
loom and pass underneath Dowel 1. Proceed over the top of
Dowel 2, passing it through one of the spaces or Dents
in the Coil that spans the Dowel. Continue across the upper work area
of the bead loom, passing the Warp thread through the space in the Coil
Spring spanning Dowel 3 that lies directly opposite the one you
used in the Spring on Dowel 2.
Pull the thread down and under Dowel 4 and across to the
Warp Slide, wrapping it around a screw on the bottom of the Warp
Slide.
Second and even-numbered Warp Threads:
Reverse course, pulling the Warp back to Dowel 4, up to
Dowel 3 and passing it through the next Dent in the
Spring Coil. Cross the loom to Dowel 2, passing the thread
through the space between coils opposite the one just used in the Spring
on Dowel 3. Continue guiding the Warp down to Dowel 1, across to
the Warp Slide and wind the Warp around one of the Brass Screws on
the underside of the Warp Slide. See figure on next page.
Continue in this manner, moving over one space for each length of Warp
up to the chosen width of your finished piece. You will use one more Warp
thread than the number of beads that will go across the width of your
project. For example, if your design is 18 beads across, you will have 19
Warp threads. As you string the Warp threads, distribute them evenly
across the screws on the Warp Slide.
Knot the last Warp length to the screw on the Warp Slide nearest
to its position. Loosen the Wing Nuts on the Warp Slide and
slide it all the way to Dowel 1, rotating the attached Warp threads
to follow. Adjust the Legs as desired and tighten the Wing
Nuts. You're ready to start weaving!
Please keep in mind it is much harder to describe how to Warp
the Boomerang Beadloom than it is to actually do it! With this in
mind we are working on a video of the process, which you will be able to
see at www.boomerangpro.com. In the meantime, we hope you will take
our word for it.
|
You need 1 more warp thread than the number of beads across
the widest part of your design. For example, if you want
rows of 8 beads across, you need 9 warp threads.
|
|
|
|
Knot 1st warp thread around screw at one end of Warp Slide.
Space other warp threads between screws depending on project width.
For 1st & all odd-numbered warp threads:
from warp slide pass thread under Dowel 1, around & up to Dowel 2,
through next space in coil on Dowel 2, up to opposite space in coil on
Dowel 3, around Dowel 3, down & under Dowel 4, cross back to Warp Slide
& wrap thread around screw.
Loops on the outside threads represent knots on the screws at the Warp
Slide and loops in the center indicate the thread looped around screws
without knotting.
For 2nd & all even-numbered Warp threads:
from Warp Slide pass thread under Dowel 4, up to Dowel 3, through
next space in coil on Dowel 3, across to opposite space in coil on
Dowel 2, around Dowel 2, down & under Dowel 1, back to Warp Slide
& wrap thread around screw.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Warp Slide in Action
The Warp Slide on the Boomerang Beadloom (patent pending) is a black wooden
dowel that slides in a slot in the lower frame of the Beadloom. It is held
in position by a pair of Wing Nuts fastened to it through the frame.
Brass Screws on the bottom of the Warp Slide are used
to anchor the Warp threads of your weaving. You tie or wrap the Warp fibers
around the Screws, and when you move the Warp Slide you will rotate your
weaving around the Dowels of the bead loom frame as well.
|
|
The working area of the Boomerang Beadloom is about 11 inches in length. The Warp
Slide allows you to extend this working area up to a total of 21 inches without
changing the length of the Bead Loom itself.
Following are a series of photos showing a weaving in progress and how the
Warp Slide is used.
|
|
|
|
Figure 1
Jan began weaving from the bottom of her design and from the bottom of the
work area on this Standard Beadloom. Note the Warp Slide, the black
wooden bar under the work surface, is near the front/bottom of the loom,
near Dowel 1.
|
|
|
|
Figure 2
As Jan continued working and her design extended beyond the work area, she
loosened the Wing Nuts on the outside of the Warp Slide and
pushed the Warp Slide away from her and towards Dowel 4. She removed
the Coil Spring from Dowel 2 and rotated the woven beadwork
towards her, over and around Dowel 2 and partly over and under
Dowel 1. This gives her more room to continue weaving, and she will
not need to sew different sections together to complete her long design.
|
|
|
|
Figure 3
We've tilted the legs to show the underside of the beadloom, which is not a
position you would normally use when weaving. You can see the warp threads tied
and wound around the brass screws underneath the Warp Slide. This helps
maintains the spacing of the warp fibers and the tension on them when you rotate
the weaving around to free up more work space.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Why's and Wherefore's
Passing the Weft both below and above the Warp is what keeps the beads in place.
This fabric of fiber and beads gives loom-woven pieces their unique drape
and suppleness. While pictorial patterns and complex designs can be woven with
needle and thread alone, most people find it is faster overall to use a
loom, and mistakes in the pattern are less likely to happen.
|
|
This weaving method differs from a traditional
fiber loom in which the Weft is woven above and below the Warp fibers alternately
in a single pass. This would be nearly impossible to do with beads unless the
Warp fibers themselves can be separated as they are on a fiber loom. The Boomerang
Beadloom keeps the Warp fibers stationery, making the process of
warping the bead loom simple and fast to do.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Your Boomerang Beadloom comes with three sets of Coil Springs
for weaving with Czech 11/o and 8/o seed beads, and for Delica™ 11/o
and 8/o beads. The spaces between the coils in the spring are where the warp
fibers rest, making the Coils equivalent to a reed on a traditional
fiber loom. Likewise the spaces between the loops in the Coil Springs
correspond to the dents in a reed.
The space/dent between each of the loops in the Spring Coil is the same size
as the corresponding beads for which it is labeled. This space determines how
far apart the warp threads are spaced, allowing for even placement of the beads
in your weaving.
|
|
If the warp threads are too close together,
the beads will bunch up and the surface of your weaving will look wavy,
not flat. If the warp threads are too far apart, there will be empty
space between the beads and the warp and weft threads will be noticeably
visible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alternate Warping Methods:
When the regular working length of the Boomerang Bead Loom, about 11 inches,
is more than the length of your finished weaving, you may choose to attach and wind
your Warp threads directly to the lower Dowels, Dowel 1 and Dowel 4, rather
than to the Warp Slide.
|
|
You could also wrap your Warp around the screws on the Warp Slide, and loop
around in the same direction, rather than reversing course for each length of Warp.
These methods work but it is easier to maintain even tension when you wrap the Warp
thread around the screws on the Warp Slide as we recommend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
THANK YOU for buying a Boomerang Bead Loom!!
We appreciate your business and we wish you Happy
Bead Weaving!
|
|
|
