Textile Term: Loom
Looms, within the realm of textiles, are machines that are employed in weaving yarns or threads into fabric. It consists of two basic components: the warp beam, which holds the lengthwise threads under tension, and the cloth beam, which rolls up the woven fabric. Looms may also have other components such as heddles, reeds, and shuttles, which aid in the weaving process.
Having been utilized for several millennia, these apparatuses have birthed an array of fabrics, from simple cotton cloths to intricate brocades and tapestries. From small hand-held looms used for making small pieces of fabric to massive automated machines used in textile factories, looms come in numerous sizes and styles.
In traditional hand weaving, the weaver manually lifts and lowers a series of heddles, which are small frames through which the warp threads are threaded. This creates an opening or 'shed' through which the weft thread can be passed back and forth by hand or with a shuttle. The reed, a comb-like device, is used to push the weft threads tightly together after each pass, creating a solid fabric.
Modern looms, such as power looms and computerized jacquard looms, use automation to speed up and streamline the weaving process. Power looms use a mechanical system to lift and lower the heddles and insert the weft thread, while jacquard looms use computerized controls to precisely manipulate the heddles and create intricate patterns.
