Glimakra Freja Tapestry Loom

13 Comments

Did another loom join my ever-growing loom family? Well, yes.

Blocky Tapestry

The Glimakra Freja is a tapestry frame loom, best used while being held or propped on a table. I first ordered the larger size that has an 18″ weaving width, but it’s just big enough that I found I wanted a smaller loom. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I sent it back. And they turned around and sent me this one, the Freja with a 12″ weaving width.

Blocky Tapestry

Because I’m a tapestry novice and this is the only tapestry loom I own, I can’t say whether or not this would be a good choice for someone else. I can tell you that I like it. I find it to be a nice size to hold onto and weave with while sitting on the couch. I’ve also propped it on the table, and that works fine, too. (It’s probably better on my back that way.) The hooks that run on the top and bottom edges are spaced at approximately 7 per inch. This means if you warp every peg, you have a 13-14 epi sett. Every other peg is about 6-7 epi. I’m assuming this is probably a metric-sized loom, and so the spacing makes more sense when measuring with centimeters rather than inches, but it all ends up the same in the end.

There’s a tensioning bar on the top, which keeps your warp nice and tight. One feature this little loom has that’s saved me some cursing is a fitted piece of wood that covers the bottom pegs. No yarn snagging. How nice!

With this size of a loom, I’ve been using a heddle bar to keep one shed open but skipping using string heddles. I did successfully add string heddles, but I found them difficult to maneuver. If I figure out a better method to get the second shed, I’ll post about it on another day. I’ve been using a needle to weave. Along with the loom, I bought a spool of cotton seine twine to use as a warp. I think I prefer wool, but I need to spend more time weaving to figure that out.

Blocky Tapestry

I‘ve been enjoying using embroidery floss, doubled, and some startlingly bright colors. I wanted to weave something wintery, but I couldn’t quite do it. It’s March, it’s cold, it’s snowing. I know, I know! I don’t really need to weave it, too. Colorful blocks. That’s the way to go.

 

13 Replies to “Glimakra Freja Tapestry Loom”

  1. did you figure out how to successfully add string heddles? I was disappointed with mine because the picture showed that it could change sheds but did not. I put it away for 2 years. reviving interest now. hope you see this. thanks, Jo

    1. Yes, I was able to add them, but I never used them. With such a small loom, it was easier to add a shed stick for one set of warps, and simply weave over/under for the other. Hope you have better luck than I did.

  2. Hi, yes I tried adding string heddles. It was taking forever to put them on and I was wondering how they would raise up (no beam or park mechanism). I was halfway through then decided to try something else but that didn’t work. That was kind of my one window of opportunity to work on it, but I will try again. The nice folks at Woolery sent me a Glimakra PDF on how to do the string heddles for the Freja. I can email it to you if you don’t have it, just send me your email address. Next I’ll try texsolve or the permanent string heddles they make for the Schact, I have a PDF on that too. May need to modify the loom a bit…my husband is good at modifying stuff. I wish I’d gotten the Schacht loom but didn’t do my research… Let’s keep in touch. Thanks, ~ Jo

    1. Good morning! a few years later I have the same problem as you I think! Can send me the Glimakra PDF for the Freja? I hope so and thank you in advance! I specify that I am using google to translate my question and I hope you will be able to understand me;) Sincerely,

    2. I just received my Freja small loom. Could you please email me the Pdf from Glimakra on how to string the 2nd heddles?
      Thank you

    3. I cannot thank you enough for putting this picture up. I was having a difficult time figuring out how to stand this upright and use the bottom wooden bar to cover the thread hooks. There was not even a picture of it fully assembled and standing on their site (or not that I could find) or in the instructions. Thanks!!! Victoria

      1. You’re welcome. I have to admit, I never did use this loom all that much. It’s so nice—I should take it out again.

  3. I so appreciate your post. I just received my loom. I’m wondering about three of the pieces and what to do with them. There is a large, flat piece that looks like a shed stick. Then there are two other long, thin wood strips with holes at both ends. Can you tell me what these are used for????? Thanks, Patty

    1. I think one is a shed stick, and the others I also used for shed sticks. I tied a string through one hole and brought it over the top of the warp and tied it on the other side/hole. That way, I didn’t lose it if it slipped out.

  4. I am just starting to use a smaller version of this loom. Thank you for the post. Do you go around every other hook when warping? If so, why?
    Thank you.

    1. I haven’t used the loom in several years. I think I warped every other to have a wider space between warp threads.

    2. I was using a wider warp thread so I wanted to space it out a little more. Good luck with your loom!

    3. I have to admit that out of all my looms, I’ve used this one the least. I believe I wanted to space it out on purpose. I do recall that I traded this version in for a smaller size, so I didn’t complete this weaving.

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