FLOOR LOOM TRACKING SHEET (google docs)
Please read the following for procedures and booking instructions.
LOOM USE AND BOOKING PROCEDURES IN THE WEAVING STUDIO
Loom Allocation and Fair Access
In recent years, our guild has experienced significant growth, welcoming many enthusiastic new members eager to use the equipment available in our weaving studio. To ensure all members have fair access to the looms, it is important to review and refine our current allocation procedures.
Inventory of Weaving Equipment
Our studio currently houses the following looms:
Floor looms: 10 looms
100” counterbalance loom
27” 8-shaft Baby Wolf
45” 12-shaft Leclerc Jack loom
36” 8-shaft Leclerc back hinge
45” 4-shaft sectional back beam/Jack loom
Five 4-shaft counterbalance looms of various widths
Table looms (available for borrowing and used for classes):
Five 15” Leclerc 4-shaft table looms
Additional wider table looms with 4 or 8 shafts (not very portable)
Six 20” rigid heddle looms
Current Tracking Challenges
At present, floor loom usage is tracked via both an online Google spreadsheet available through the members’ area on our website and paper documents kept at the guild. Maintaining synchrony between these records is challenging and often leads to confusion. Additionally, members typically record the start of a project but rarely indicate when it has been completed.
Occasionally, warps remain on looms for extended periods, either due to overly long warps,
diminishing interest among participants, and/or other extenuating circumstances. This situation
is unfair to those who have completed their work and wish to collect their pieces, as well as to
others waiting to use the equipment.
Table looms and rigid heddle looms continue to be booked using physical logbooks at the guild.
These looms may be recalled for scheduled classes as needed.
Floor Loom Booking Procedures
1) Project Planning: Prior to submitting a booking, clearly define the project and identify all
participants. Determine the number of participants and their names, estimate the warp
length, specify the yarn and the pattern to be used. Based on these details, estimate the
duration for which the loom will be required. Ensure all necessary yarn is available before
beginning the project.
2) Project Review: The project should be reviewed by the Weaving Coordinator or another
experienced guild member. A blank form will be available on the website to describe the
project, the participants and other relevant information. This review will confirm the
appropriate type of loom for the project and ensure the correct equipment is chosen.
3) Booking and Documentation: The weaving coordinator will post the booking details on the
website, including start and expected end dates, participant names, and main contact
person. At the guild, post a project summary on the assigned loom. A hard copy of the
project summary form should be posted on the loom at the guild. Any changes to the
original booking must be communicated to the weaving coordinator and reflected on the
loom posting. This form will also be stored online. The paper forms in the booking folder at
the guild indicating the loom’s status will be removed.
4) Participant Guidelines: Limit the number of participants to a maximum of six, with
exceptions considered as needed (such as the tea towels for the holiday sale). Designate
one participant to oversee project progress and ensure timely completion.
5) Sampling and Consultation: Whenever possible, conduct sampling on a table loom.
Consult with fellow guild members who have experience with similar projects for guidance
and support.
6) Project finish: remove the work from the loom. Clean up the equipment to be ready for the
next user. Notify the Weaving coordinator that the loom is available for the next user.
Remove the project description page from the loom. Butterfly the yarn that remains on
bobbins and return empty bobbins to the bobbin container at the guild.
Other considerations
1) Each member may book one loom for an individual at a time, and may participate at the
most in 2 projects concurrently
2) Members who commit to joining a group project should be upfront about travel plans. It is
recognized that illness and/or family issues tend to be unplanned and should be
communicated to the project coordinator.
3) In the case of a stagnating individual project, the Weaving Coordinator reserves the right to
determine what the next steps should be. The studio reserves the right to remove a project
from a floor loom.
LOOM BOOKING STEPS
STEP 1: PLAN YOUR PROJECT AND FILL OUT THE BOOKING FORM
- Ensure you have fully planned your project before submitting the form.
- Fill out this form and send it to the weaving coordinator for review. The weaving coordinator is currently Kathy Lakatos, send to: kathy.lakatos@gmail.com
STEP 2: LOOM IS ASSIGNED
- Once you have heard back from the weaving coordinator, a loom will be assigned to you.
- The weaving coordinator will update the Floor Loom Tracking Sheet (google docs)
STEP 3: ATTACH FLOOR LOOM PROJECT SUMMARY TO YOUR LOOM
- Print out your floor loom project summary.
- Attach it to your assigned loom at the guild.
STEP 4: MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR PROJECT
- If details of your project change, such as participants and end dates, please update the printed floor loom summary on your loom and notify the weaving coordinator (Kathy Lakatos, kathy.lakatos@gmail.com).