Loom is a machine used for weaving fabric by interlacing warp and weft threads. Looms have evolved over thousands of years from simple wooden hand looms to modern power looms driven by electricity. Key developments include the fly shuttle in 1733, Cartwright's power loom in 1785, individual electric motor drives in the 1930s, and modern automated looms with features like projectile, rapier, and air jet weft insertion systems. The complete weaving process involves preparing warp threads, designing the pattern, dyeing yarn, winding the warp, threading the loom, weaving, and finishing the fabric.

1. Loom:
Loom is a very necessary part for weaving. Loom is a machine or device which is used for
producing woven fabric. Loom is driven by two ways. These are manual system and automatic
system.
Evolution of Weaving
1. Egyptians made woven fabrics some 6000years ago.
2. Chinese made fine fabrics from silk over 4000 years ago.
3. A shedding mechanism was originally invented in China in the 3rd century and
introduced in Europe.
4. In 12th century, completely wooden hand looms were used as standard designs in
England.
5. The developments in the design and performance of looms have taken place during the
past 850 years.
6. The fly shuttle, invented in 1733 by John Kay, was hand operated.
7. It was an important cornerstone to improve the productivity.
8. This shuttle, running on four wheels, was moving over the lower side of the warp sheet.
9. Two wooden tenders connected to a small cord commanded by the hand were used to
propel the shuttle. The weaver sitting in the middle of the loom threw the shuttle by
pulling the cord very easily.
Hand loom

2. Power Looms
1. E.Cartwright invented the power loom in 1785
2. In the early 1800s, looms made of cast iron were operated by power .
3. In the 1830s, there were some 100,000 shuttle looms operating in England.
4. In 1895, many looms, all driven by an electric engine were invented and then became
spread.
5. At the beginning of 1930's, eventually, each weaving machine driven individually by an
electric motor was developed; this loom drive concept has remained in use until the
present.
Automation
1. The automatic loom stopping system was invented by R.Miller in England in 1796. The
loom was automatically stopped when a short pick occurred.
2. In 1894 Northrop devised a means for automatic weft replenishment without stopping
the loom which was called automatic loom.
Shedding Mechanisms
1. The first dobby operated by a punched card was invented by B. Bouchone in 1725.
2. A machine controlling bundles of harness cords with healds was constructed by J.M.
Jacquard in 1801.
3. The first shuttle change motion enabling weft threads of different colors to be inserted
was constructed by J.P. Reid and T. Johnson in 1835.
4. One significant invention in the field of design was that of Keighley dobby by Hattersley
and Smith in 1867 .
5. Rotary dobbies are manufactured in 1990s.
Weft Insertion Systems
1. Projectile w.m. was invented in 1924by an engineer named Rossmann became
commercial in 1953.
2. The first patent for the rapier w.m.was granted in 1898, then followed the Gabler
system in 1925 and the Dewas system in 1930. Production of rapier w. m. started in
1972.
3. The first air-jet system was invented in 1914 but it became important commercially
after 1980’s.
4. Continuous weft insertion on a circular w.m. was proposed before the end of the 19th
century.
5. After mid 90s, multi phase w.m. has showed new developments.

3. Types of Loom Motion:
Different Motion of the Loom
Loom has three types of motion:
1. Primary motion
2. Secondary motion
3. Tertiary motion
Primary motion
Primary motion has three types. They are:
A. Shedding:- The process of making shed is called shedding. it is the process of separating
the warp yarn into two layers to form a tunnel which is called shed, is known as shedding.
B. Picking: - The method of passing the weft threads traversely through warp yarn is called
picking.
C. Beat up: - The process in which yarns are sent to the fell of the cloth is called beat up.
Secondary motion
Secondary motion is in two types:
1. Take up motion
2. Let off motion

4. Tertiary motion
Tertiary motion is not necessary for fabric production. The tertiary motions are:
1. Warp stop motion.
2. Weft stop motion.
3. Reed stop motion.
Loom motion controls the fabric production. by using these motion weavers can produce
different types of fabrics.
List of Different kind of Hand Loom:
1. Primitive loom
2. Pit loom
3. Frame loom
4. Chittaranjan loom
5. Hatersley loom
In the textile sector present time is the time of modern & new era. Man has invented a lot of
modern loom using with modern weft insertion system. So the comparison of conventional
loom & modern loom indicates how much the conventional loom is modified within the passing
of time.
Hand Loom:
It is still not certain when the weaving process was introduced to human society. It is clear
from many historical records that weaving originated long before the time of Jesus Christ. In
England the major shift from agriculture to woolen industry came in the 14th century.
Earlier version of power loom was run by two men. After the steam engine and cast iron in
early 1800, great attention was paid to increasing productivity of the machine. To help achieve
the increase in productivity, William Radeliffe patented a dressing frame in 1803 for sizing and
drying the warp threads prior to winding on to a weavers beam.
Figure: Conventional loom

5. Shuttle Loom with Features:
The shuttle loom is the oldest type of weaving loom which uses a shuttle which contains a
bobbin of filling yarn that appears through a hole situated in the side. The shuttle is batted
across the loom and during this process; it leaves a trail of the filling at the rate of about 110 to
225 picks per minute (ppm). Although very effective and versatile, the shuttle looms are slow
and noisy. Also the shuttle sometimes leads to abrasion on the warp yarns and at other times
causes thread breaks. As a result the machine has to be stopped for tying the broken yarns.
Salient Feature of Shuttle Less Looms:
1. Shuttleless weave 2 to 4 times as much as conventional looms per unit time.
2. The cost of pirn winding is eliminated
3. Strain upon the warp threads is reduced due to smaller depth of shed
4. Heavy cost of repairs and replenishment of worn out parts is reduced They can
produce simpler tubes of fabrics on a large scale and provide opportunities for
profitable exploitation in the long run.
5. The physical and mental strain upon the weaver is reduced
6. There is no risk of shuttle fly out owing to the absence of conventional shuttle
and packing being positive
7. Quality of the fabric gets enhanced because of a positive control over the
weaving process
8. The looms are easier to work and manipulate
9. Efficiency of the shuttle weaving shed is comparatively higher
10. 5% reduction in value loss for a Rs. 60/- Metre fabric would ensure an additional profit
of Rs. 3/- meter
11. Higher production per loom
12. Speed is not the only criterion for the selection of shuttleless looms. Efficiency is also an
important criterion. Efficiency advantage of 10-15% due to shuttle changes, Un weaving
of damages, reduced time for warp changes canbe obtained from shuttleless looms. 5%
higher efficiency would provide an additional profit of Rs. 1/- per metre.
13. 14 minutes stoppage per 24 hours.
14. Ex works cost is less due to less mending and inspection charges and no pirn
winding charges.
15. Projectile and Air-jet looms suitable for Mass fabrics Rapier for fashion fabrics
Loom Timing
Loom timing is defined as relative chronological sequences of various primary and
secondary motions are expressed in terms of degree of crank shaft rotation. The loom
timing is presented by a diagram termed as “Loom Timing Diagram”. The diagram
depicts the start and end of each primary event of different weaving motions. The start
and end of events are influenced by loom type, fabric width and fabric type. The loom
timing is shown in the Figure.

6. Loom Timing Diagram
16. The timings of most of the events in the loom cycle are governed by the position of the
reed and thus the sley. For example, the reed must be on its way towards the back of the
loom before the shed is large enough to admit the shuttle. This determines the timing of
the picking mechanism which is directly related to the position of the reed and sley.
Some others are related to it indirectly. For example. the timing of the weft break stop
motion is related to the flight of the weft carrier, which is governed by the position of
the reed. The timings on the weaving machine are stated in relation to the angular
position of the crankshaft (main shaft) which operates the sley.

7. 17. The path traced out by the axis of the crank pin is called the ‘crank circle’. The arrow on
the crank circle shows the usual direction of rotation of the crankshaft. When the crank
and crank arm are in line and the sley is in its most forward position.
The crank circle is graduated in degrees from this point in the direction of rotation of
the crankshaft. Any timing can be stated in degrees, as, for example, ‘healds level at
3000’
Looms are provided with a graduated disc on the crankshaft and a fixed pointer to make
settings in relation to the angular position of the crankshaft. With the reed in its most
forward position, the disc is adjusted so that the pointer is opposite to 00 on the
graduated scale. The loom may then be turned to any desired position manually, the
disc turning with it and the pointer remaining vertical and indicating the angular
position of the crank shaft. In modern looms with microprocessors, the main
shaft position is displayed on a screen, but the setting principle remains same.
The Complete Process From Thread to Cloth
The first step in any weaving project is to decide what the cloth’s purpose in life will be.
The intended function of the cloth guides the weaver in choosing the appropriate thread
or yarn. For example, the yarn use to weave a rug needs to be thick and hard-wearing,
and the cloth must be stiff and flat. It must not roll up at the edges and trip everyone
who walks on it, or if it is to be hung as decorative art, it must lie flat against the wall. A
scarf, on the other hand, or any cloth worn next to the skin, should be smooth, soft, and
very drapey so it conforms to the body.
Because weave primarily scarves and shawls, and personal preference is for fine rather
than bulky cloth, choose very thin thread in natural fibers that are comfortable to wear
next to the skin. Silk, lyocell, rayon, cotton, and fine soft wool such as Merino are good
choices.
There is no set standard for the size of a scarf - some people prefer long and narrow,
others prefer a shorter, wider shape. The size of the wearer makes a difference, too. At
six feet tall, likely to wear a longer, wider shawl than a woman five feet tall. Some
women like to do the Isadora Duncan fling, with a dramatically long scarf wrapped
around the neck once or twice. Some scarves look best simply draped over the
shoulders. Some scarves have long, twisted fringe, others have short, straight fringe or
just a simple hem.
In any case, must make decisions about length and width and end treatment before
starting to weave, because these factors determine the amount of thread I’ll need. The
design, or pattern, of the cloth also has an impact. What’s the scale of the pattern? Do It
choose a nonrepeating pattern? Two repeats? Ten repeats? Fifty repeats?
Once we’ve decided what thread to use, I use two kinds of software to help in the
planning and design phase: • A spreadsheet helps me calculate the amount of yarn we’ll
need. You’ll see an example in Figure1 on the facing page. • Weaving software lets me

8. program the design of the cloth into the computer. Later, this same software will send
the finished design to another computer attached to the loom. This means we don’t have
to remember each step of the design - which can be more than 2,000 threads long - the
computer remembers it for me. Hey, this is why God made computers! Figure2 shows an
example of a design that you will see throughout this document in various stages.
Dyeing the Thread
I usually buy undyed thread that is wound onto large cardboard cones. I must measure
off the number of yards I’ll need, based on the spreadsheet (with a bit extra just in case)
and make skeins for dyeing.

9. Then we get to play in the dye-pot! The pictures on the next page show the dye process
at various stages. For the project we are planning, there will be two colors of warp
threads, alternating thread by thread, so we’ll dye half the warp yardage on one color,
and half in the other. In this case, the colors are medium blue and deep blue-green

10. Winding the Warp Threads
The warp, that is, the lengthwise threads in the cloth, must be measured out to the
correct length for my project, and the threads must be kept in order so that they can be
wound onto the loom properly. Since it’s awkward to wind a warp with fine threads
directly from a skein, we must first wind the thread back onto a cardboard cone. Then
we begin winding the warp using a warping mill. Each thread follows the same path
(based on a guide thread that is the same length as the warp will be) and is kept in order
through the whole process.
Once all the threads are measured out to the right length, and in the right order, we put
a rod through the loop at one end of the warp and spread the threads out in a toothed
board called a raddle. This allows me to get the warp onto the loom at the width of the
finished project. Then we begin winding the warp onto the loom

11. The two sticks in Figure 12 maintain the threading cross, which helps keep those warp
threads in the same order as I placed them on the warping mill.
Here’s a simplified drawing of the loom, so you can see the essential parts of the loom,
and the path of the warp threads.

12. Now we begin what is for me one of the most tedious (but most important) parts of the
whole process: threading the warp through the heddles on the shafts. Each warp thread
must go through the eye of a heddle attached to the appropriate shaft, according to the
pattern design. If we make a mistake here, there will be an unsightly break in the
pattern.
The pictures on the next page show threading the heddles, drawing the threads through
the reed, and tying the warp threads onto the apron rod. (The apron is a sheet of canvas
that initially follows the path shown in green above. As weaving progresses, the apron
and then the woven cloth wind onto the cloth storage beam at the back of the loom.)
After tying on, we weave a few rows of waste yarn to check that the threading is correct
and to space the warp threads evenly.

13. Weaving
Okay, now we’ve almost gotten to the fun part - weaving! First, we wind weft yarn onto
a pirn, which fits into the fly-shuttle. The shuttle will carry the weft yarn across the
loom, in the space created between threads that are raised and threads that are not.
By the way, we never warp the loom for a single scarf. we always make the warp long
enough for at least 3 and sometimes 8 or more items. We leave enough length unwoven
at the beginning of the warp for the fringe of the first scarf, weave the first scarf, leave
enough warp unwoven for the second fringe of the first scarf plus the first fringe of the
second scarf, weave the second scarf, and so on, one after another. This particular
project used a technique we’d never woven before, so we only wove 3 scarves on the
warp - some weavers call this “full-sized samples.” Even though all items woven on that

14. warp share the same warp threads, the weft color and the design can be different for
each one, so each is unique.
Here’s a simplified drawing that shows the raised warp threads and the space through
which the shuttle travels.
Finishing
After weaving, we cut the warp from the loom. If the scarf will have a plied fringe, we
twist the fringe before washing and pressing the finished scarf. To twist the fringe, we
make two little bundles of warp threads, one bundle in each hand. we twist both
bundles in the same direction while letting them twist back on each other in the
opposite direction. Sort of like patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same
time. It takes practice, and is hard on the hands, but it makes a lovely fringe for a silk or
lyocell scarf. After the scarf is washed and ironed, we’ll even out any group that is too
short or too long.

15. We do use the washing machine and dryer on most of our scarves, to remove any excess
dye and ensure that the article is pre-shrunk, so you don’t have any surprises after you
purchase it.
Here are some close-ups of the finished scarves woven on this warp, made by placing
the cloth directly on the scanner bed.

16. Here are some close-ups of the finished scarves woven on this warp, made by placing
the cloth directly on the scanner bed.
References:
http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2013/07/different-types-of-loom-
conventional.html#ixzz3covCXB4E
http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2012/02/list-of-weaving-machineries-list-
of.html#ixzz3couiiepC
http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2014/11/description-of-the-different-motions-of-
loom.html#ixzz3cou46u6j
http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2012/06/history-of-weaving-in-according-
with.html#ixzz3cowAM4OC
Sandra Rude, Textile Artist Three Springs Handworks www.3springshandworks.com