Instructions on How To Build & Weave on a Standing Loom
by- Robyn Lynn Smith

List of Supplies
  • 12 pieces of 3foot Bamboo (I purchase 6 pieces of 6foot  Bamboo , and have a friend cut it in half to size with a skill saw, a hand saw will work but it is a long hard job. It is hard to find 3 foot bamboo in a 5/8 diameter.) The 6 ft Bamboo stake pictured below can be found at Harmony Garden supply in Sebastopol, and at most garden supply stores.
  • One 0.5 roll of 2 or 3 ply Jute Twine this can also be found at the Garden Store, Hardware Stores, and most craft stores.
  • ​One 3 ft 5/8 inch steel rebar stake for driving holes, you can purchase these at Friedmans Home Supply in Santa Rosa or most Home Depot’s also on Line
  • A large head Hammer
Instructions
  • Step 1 - Cut six, 6ft Bamboo Stakes in half to make 12 3ft pieces of bamboo.
  • Step 2 - Find a level ground space, keeping in mind, a softer dry ground is good for holding the stakes, but not too soft, do a trial with your driver, we are going to drive about 1/2foot with the steel rod, also avoiding Rocky ground is a good idea.
  • Step 3 - Lay out 3 pieces as a guide of where you want your loom the open end will be where the tension rod will be working usually two to three children work this loom.
  • Step 4 - Measure your horizontal piece at 36 inches and make sure there is a lip of 3 inches on each end, place your remaining two on that 33 mark. Then place your tape in between the two and measure the 30 inches in between.
  • Step 5- Drive your first hole about half a foot with hammer and steel driver in the middle at your 15inch mark. I have learned It is always good to start from the middle and work out. Then drive your first pice of Bamboo in straight, I drive it a little further on its own to push the dirt up into the bamboo, this is what increases stability.
  • Step 6- Working out drive all your holes and then stake them there are 9 total entering the ground so four on each side of the center. Divide the center 30inches by eight to get your pole placements.
  • Step 7- We lay another piece of bamboo to measure the length from the set bamboo stakes to the Creating a cross pole on the other end. We drive the two diagonal poles at that end to match up the outer poles 30 inches apart. Then we connect the foundation rod with a Japanese square knot on either side. (Refer to the drawing at the end for a basic guide, it helps.)
  • Step 8- Tie your twine from bar to each bamboo pole if you want you can make a little notch with a saw to hold better in place but if you wrap it around and knot it twice it can work the knot he’s do help with keeping the twine in place.
  • Step 9- Create the tension bar and tie the jute in the middle spaces left to the tension bar. (Refer to drawing at the end. The bar should reach a few inches beyond the stakes so that it may move freely up and down to weave in the weft usually grass or fiber.)
Refer to this drawing of the whole project-