Posted by Angela Ferber on Saturday, 25 January 2003, at 5:48 p.m.:
In Reply to: Dryad leicester, table loom by Craftools,inc New York posted by Jane Ruck on Friday, 11 October 2002, at 3:17 a.m.:
Jane,
While it might be nice to have the manual for the loom, if you look at a book for beginning weavers, you'll probably find that you can figure out what all the loom parts are for. A loom is essentially a device to hold warp (the lengthwise threads/yarns) at tension. Other parts of the loom (two or more shafts/harnesses) raise sets of warp threads/yarns up while you pass the weft (width-way yarns)between the raised warp threads and the lower warp threads. The beater is the pivoting arm which, with the reed set into it, packs the weft threads onto the warp. There are handles/latches front and back to move the warp and the fabric forward.
As to learning how to weave, classes are good, (I've had one class in my life - the rest learning from books,magazines, and personal experience) but you can learn a great deal from books. I like Mary E. Black's The New Key to Weaving, but your local public library may have other weaving books available.
One can get weaving materials many places. You may check your local telephone book for yarn shops, some of which may carry some yarns specifically for weaving, but you may also order yarns by phone, mail or via the internet. Mannings is a nice weaving yarn supply store with an internet presence, but if you find one near you, they may have classes to help you on your way.
Best wishes.