How to Use Your Boomerang Bead Loom

Quick Start Directions

General Orientation
The picture to the right shows a standard Boomerang Bead Loom 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.

Getting Started

Spring Coil mounted on Dowel 3

Spring Coil mounted on Dowel 2

Decide what size beads you will use for your project: Czech 11/o or 8/o seed beads, or Delica™ 11/o or 8/o beads. Select the set of Spring Coils labeled for that size bead.

Stretch one Spring Coil across each of the upper dowels of the bead loom. Hook the loop on the end of the coil over a brass peg at each end of the dowel.

Warping the Beadloom
Loosen the Wing Nuts on the Warp Slide and move 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 screw at one end of the Warp Slide. With moderate tension pull the warp thread across the bottom of the loom and pass underneath Dowel 1.

Keeping the tension even, pull the thread over the top of Dowel 2 and pass it through one of the spaces between coils in the Coil Spring that spans the dowel. Cross the upper length of the loom, passing the thread through the space in the Coil Spring spanning Dowel 3 that lies directly opposite the space you used in the Spring on Dowel 2.

Pull the thread down and under Dowel 4 and across the bottom length of the loom back to the Warp Slide. Wrap the thread around a Brass Screw on the Warp Slide, reversing course and pulling another length of warp thread back to Dowel 4, up to Dowel 3 and around through the next space over on the Coil Spring. Continue across the loom to the corresponding space in the coil on Dowel 2, then down and under Dowel 1 and back to the Warp Slide.

Continue in this way, moving over one space in the Coil Spring for each length of Warp thread. Note: For Delica™ size 8/o beads, use every other space in the Coil Spring set that is labeled for Delicas.

You need one more Warp thread than the number of beads in the widest part of your finished project.

Knot the last warp thread to the last Screw on the Warp Slide. Loosen the Wing Nuts on the Warp Slide and slide it all the way to Dowel 1. Adjust the Legs as desired and tighten the Wing Nuts. You're ready to start weaving!

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.

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.

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.

Alternate Methods:
If the regular working length of the Boomerang Pro 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. This method works but makes it harder to maintain even tension.