About the Glimakra Loom
The Glimakra loom factory is located in Oxberg Sweden. It is a town known for many centuries for making beautiful and functional looms and reeds. It is also an area of forests which provide the wood for the looms. The weaving traditions are very strong in this area and looms have been made here for many centuries. Here weaving traditions have never been broken and the knowledge of the past has been continually passed on in the families and communities.
The company started as a reed making business and then became a loom making company. Their looms are made with all the fine craftsmanship and features of traditional Swedish looms. Swedish pine and birch trees are specially chosen for each part of the loom. Only the lower bole of the tree is used and the factory rejects about 90% of the wood as they select the best pieces. Birch is well known as a fine hard wood. The Swedish pine which grows in this area of Sweden has very close growth rings, making it a very hard, strong wood. Pine is the traditional wood used in Sweden for making the frames of the looms. The wood is very carefully finished with a fine film lacquer to give a smooth surface, which is necessary for the movement of threads on the beams.
For a description of the frame and features of the Glimakra loom, see Swedish Looms
Comments from weavers
We have been selling Glimakra Swedish looms and our students who are experienced weavers have been very happy with them. Here are comments from a couple of them.
Recently we received a message from a woman who ordered a Glimakra Standard loom. We sent the loom with instructions and with them and also sent her the first warp for towels. She was a beginner and had woven a few scarves on a table loom. By herself in less than 5 days, she assembled the loom, put the warp on, started weaving and sent this message:
"All has gone well. I have 10 inches of the first towel woven. I love the loom! It is great! Better than I imagined! Thank you so much for helping me do this!" Linda
She had done a lot of research on types of looms and asked a lot of questions. She had borrowed a table loom to weave her first scarf and learn some basic information about weaving and looms. She wanted to purchase just one loom and not have to trade it in for something else after learning to weave.
She chose the 47" 10 shaft countermarch Glimakra Standard loom and is very pleased with how it works.
Here is another message from a weaver who purchased a 53" 10 shaft countermarch Glimakra Standard loom.
"After studying with Master Joanne for a glorious week last summer and trying each and every one of her looms, I realized I needed a Swedish Countermarch to do the type of weaving I want to do (complex overshot, many harness). I looked at Glimakra, and the Cranbrook, even thought about an AVL for a few minutes <wink>, and compared them to the Glimakra loom. If you compare features and price, you'll see why I chose what I did." Paula
The Glimakra Looms
There are two sizes of looms to choose from, the standard sized loom called "Standard" and the smaller loom called "Ideal". Both looms are made with the same quality workmanship.
Glimakra Standard and Ideal looms come with a bench which is adjustable in height. The looms can be ordered counterbalance, countermarch or both counterbalance and countermarch. The Ideal can be ordered as a 4 or 8 shaft and now as a 10 shaft loom and the Standard can be ordered as a 4, 8, 10 or 12 shaft loom. The four shaft loom has six treadles. The others have the same number of treadles as shafts.
When you order a loom, counterbalance or countermarch, from 4 to 10 shafts, delivery is usually less than two weeks. Special order looms with up to 16 shafts can be made.
The instruction booklet that comes with the loom will show all the parts that are included, assembly, warping and tie up of four shafts and four treadles. We also send written instructions for tying up the shafts, lamms and treadles. If you are a beginner and live close enough, we will give you a one day class on weaving on your loom. If you are not close by, and a beginner, we can help you by by mail, email or telephone.
When you order a loom, you can purchase a video which shows you how to warp the loom and tie up the counterbalance and countermarch with four shafts and more than four shafts.
The Glimakra IDEAL
This loom comes in two weaving widths: 100 centimeters (39+") and a special order size, 70 centimeters (27+"). The Ideal loom is the smaller of the two sizes and is a good choice if you have little space for a loom.
For more information on the Ideal with photos and information on the countermarch, see Ideal Loom
The Glimakra STANDARD
There are three weaving widths: 120 centimeters (47") 150 centimeters (59") and 160 centimeters (63"). All three sizes are in stock and can be delivered in two weeks. The Standard loom is the larger of the two and is a standard sized loom. It's greater depth makes it a better choice for weaving rugs and linen warps. It's wider weaving width makes it suitable for weaving wide, but it will weave narrow warps as well.
To read about the standard loom and view photos of the countermarch and counterbalance, see Standard Loom top
Victoria Table Loom
The Victoria loom, pictured at the right, is the perfect loom where a small loom is needed. Easy to take to workshops or outside in the summer, this loom can be a table loom, or it can have legs and treadles added. It has four shafts,27 inch (70 cm) weaving width, and it comes with 500 Texsolv heddles, lease sticks, 24 warp sticks, Texsolv tie up kit and instructionsVictoria pricing.
Freja Tapestry Frame loom
A
nice tapestry frame loom, named after Freja, our sheep dog. The Freja comes with a built in tension
adjustment, "legs" to hold the frame at a slight angle
on a table top, and accessories like
tapestry bobbins are available. For prices visit
Freja
Glimakra Band Loom
Bands
are fun and easy to weave, especially with a loom that is
comfortable to sit at. Two treadles open the shed for you
so that your hands are free to weave. You can weave on
this loom as a two shaft loom with the Texsolv heddles,
or set it up as an inkle loom. This loom is very portable
and perfect for taking outside or for demonstrations.
prices
Susanna Rigid Heddle Loom
Rigid heddles looms are a good way to learn to weave. With a 31" weaving width, many different things can be woven on Susanna. It comes with lease sticks, two long flat shuttles, 15 beaming sticks, and a 12.5 ends per inch heddle. A 10 ends per inch heddle and a floor stand are also available.Click for prices.
Stadig Loom Feet
Stadig floor protectors are available. They will keep your loom from moving when you beat. If you have a wood or hard surface floor to protect, these feet do it better than anything else available. They are put under the four legs of the loom, which sit in a small cradle. The cradle moves slightly with each beat and this will keep the loom from moving, even with very hard beating. They protect the floor from scratches which might result from the vibrations of beating. They also keep noise levels down, a useful advantage if you weave upstairs. Stadig pricing
