Mirrix Loom in my future!

I love weaving.  I enjoy weaving on my Harrisville Design 8 Harness loom and try to weave at least 1 hour a day.  Weaving is very relaxing, it gives me a chance to concentrate on something fun while being creative.  I try to limit my weaving to 1 hour at a time because my muscles start to get tight if I go much longer than that.  It also gives me time to start planning my next project or warping or hand sewing the last project.  There is always some weaving activity to fill my time.

I have been saving my thrums, the left over warp when the back rod hits the heddles, with the thought that someday I will weave a tapestry with them.

The other day, I decided to see how I could make a tapestry loom.  They look simple enough.  I found everything from just using a picture frame to a copper pipe loom.  I did not want to purchase a loom because I don't know if I will like tapestry weaving and I purchased my HD loom only a few months ago along with lots of yarn to use with it.

The copper pipe loom looked like something I could make.  I researched plans to make one and printed them out.  That evening my husband got the plans from the printer and asked what it was.  I told him I was thinking of making one.  I could cut and fit all the pipe and have a friend solder it together.  The next question was, why don't you buy one.  I told my husband that it would be fun to build and I could save money and could test if I would like tapestry weaving.  He said, you know you will like it, just purchase the loom you want and don't play around.

So, I was pretty sure I knew what I wanted.  I have been interested in bead work for many years and looked into the Mirrix looms at that time.  Now I could weave both beads and tapestry and have my HD loom available for other weaving projects.

I considered many types of looms before making up my mind.  Mirrix. http://www.mirrixlooms.com,  Ashford tapestry loom  and Harrisville Designs http://www.harrisville.com/product-p/ftl.htm

The Mirrix loom won the comparisons.  It looks like a very well made and durable loom.  There were  many sizes from which to choose and I could weave beads and tapestry with it.  The price was a little more than similar sized looms, but I have learned to choose quality and not chintz on price.  It never fails,  when I try to save money by getting "the next best thing"  it never works and I always have regrets or eventually buy what I should have in the first place.

My next decision was what size to choose.  The Mirrix looms come as small as 5" wide at $145.00 to a massive 38" for $540.00.  Since I want to weave tapestries, I decided on the 28″ MCKINLEY LOOM.  (All the looms have names, like  Zeus, Joni, Zach, etc.).  I think this size will be best for the size tapestries I would weave.


Now, what accessories should I get?  The McKinley comes with:  Included: Four coils: 8, 12, 14, 18 dents, shedding device and handle, two  wooden clips, warping bar, flat wrench, Allen wrench, coil bar and written instructions.   The additional selections are an extra warping bar, another beam, extra coils for the bottom of the warp, a stand, Texslov heddles, and a treadle to switch the shed with your foot instead of your hand with the handle.


I decided to get the extra warping bar and the coils for the bottom.  I have learned that keeping the warp straight and tensioned well are most important.  Mirrix offers a combination package that includes the loom and bottom coils at a savings.  

So I placed my order.  It can't come soon enough, I can't wait to start weaving on it.  I have so many ideas swirling through my mind I can hardly sleep.  I ordered it Monday night and it is scheduled to arrive Saturday.