Ask the Experts Beading Loom Q&A

What should I consider when buying a beading loom?

- Celeste, NH

First, assess the needs of your project. What type of beads will you be using? What are the dimensions of your project? The answers to these questions will lead you to the style of loom to buy. Second, consider the investment you are willing to make, your future craft project needs and the quality you would like in your bead loom. Using this information, you can choose from the different types of looms:

A plastic loom is an economical choice for large classes and anyone who is interested in purchasing large quantities of looms. This may not be your best option if you are working with Delica® beads, because the grooves on the cross bars may be inaccurate and pins that you use to tie off are not as durable as other options.

A metal loom tends to be sturdier than a plastic loom. This is also a good choice for classes and someone who is just getting started. You can also continuously warp this loom, giving you a longer working area.

A popular choice is the precision wood loom because of its versatility and ease of use. It has a wider work area than other looms and you can warp this loom continuously, so you can work longer pieces than the actual work area. The grooves in the top of the cross pieces are accurate for seed bead sizes, and the loom is sturdy and easy to warp using the instructions included in the package.

The professional loom is an excellent product that gives you more width in the working areas than the other looms. The golf tees on the ends give you more wrap area for your warp threads and all the thread gives you accurate grooves to line them up. This loom is easy to assemble and work with. You can also continuously warp this loom for a longer work area.

- Marlynn McNutt, Exclusively for Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®