Harrisville Designs A-Series 4/8-Shaft

The compact floor loom from Harrisville with 55 cm weaving width

Scarves, table runners, cushion covers, baby blankets, your first garment fabrics. If you want to take the next step and keep both hands free, a floor loom is the answer. The A-Series from Harrisville Designs is the entry into treadle weaving: compact, solid, made in New Hampshire, and delivered in a box that fits into any home. You build it yourself, and afterwards you know every screw.

The A-Series has a weaving width of 55 cm, which makes it the ideal first or second floor loom. If you want to weave blankets or yardage for garments regularly and need more width, the T-Series with 91 cm weaving width is the next step up. What both have in common: the same craftsmanship in hard rock maple, the same snap-chain tie-up, the same friction brake.

What makes the A-Series different

The snap-chain tie-up is what sets the Harrisville apart from older looms with cords and knots. Each treadle clips onto each shaft with a snap chain. You change your tie-up in minutes instead of half an hour. Once you have done it, you will never want to go back.

The suspended harnesses keep treadling light and even. The shafts swing with your rhythm instead of against it. The friction brake keeps the warp under constant tension, and the adjustable beater takes reeds of different heights and widths. The loom folds up while warped: project on the loom, tie-up intact, loom pushed against the wall.

Which version suits which plans:

A4: if you are starting out on a floor loom or weave classic structures. Four shafts and six treadles are enough for plain weave, twill, huck, herringbone and all the basic structures for scarves, cushion covers, table runners and simple garment fabrics. The A4 is one of the best-selling workshop looms worldwide.

A8: if you want to explore multi-shaft weaving or design your own drafts. Eight shafts and ten treadles open up damask, double weave and all twill variations. Planning your own designs and want to explore weave structures on your own loom? The A8 will stay with you long after your first scarf is finished.

Top shelf for weaving tools

The shelf is a flat maple tray that hooks onto the top of the castle posts. You can put shuttles, weaving needles, drafts or pattern sheets there without getting up. Anyone who works a lot with pattern notes or several shuttles will appreciate the shelf after the first project. You can order the loom with or without the shelf; the price difference is €100. The shelf can also be added later if you don't take it now.

Construction in detail

Every wooden part is made of hard rock maple, the sugar maple that grows in the forests of New England and has been the material of choice for furniture and tool making for generations. Maple is hard, dense-grained, does not warp easily and carries loads evenly. Harrisville Designs makes all parts in its own workshop in the village of Harrisville, New Hampshire.

The snap-chain tie-up replaces the classic cord-and-knot mechanism with a system of snap chains. Each treadle clicks onto each shaft, so you can change complex treadling sequences in minutes. The friction brake keeps the warp under constant tension. The adjustable beater takes reeds of different heights and widths. The suspended harnesses make the jack action quiet and smooth.

Technical data

What's in the box:

When your delivery arrives, the kit contains everything you need for the finished loom:

• the cut and sanded wooden parts in hard rock maple
• four or eight shafts as components to assemble
• 400 (A4) or 600 (A8) steel heddles
• a reed in the dent size of your choice
• the snap chains for the treadle-to-shaft connection
• casters for the finished loom
• two lease sticks
• the English assembly instructions, with every step illustrated

Advice & ordering

Before you decide, a phone call is worth it. Floor looms are a long-term investment, and the choice between A4 and A8 depends more on your plans than on your experience. We are happy to take the time for you at +49 30 23257079 or kundenservice@webstuhl.shop

You will find weaving yarns in suitable weights in our weaving yarns category. For the A-Series, many weavers choose Maurice Brassard 8/2 cotton. Shuttles, bobbins and bobbin winders are in our accessories section.

Questions & answers

A-Series or T-Series: what's the difference? The A-Series has a weaving width of 55 cm and is the ideal first floor loom: more compact, easier to store, good for scarves, cushion covers and smaller fabrics. The T-Series has a weaving width of 91 cm and the floating lamm system for hours of multi-shaft weaving. If you want to weave blankets, table linen or yardage regularly, go straight for the T-Series. If you want to get to know treadle weaving first or stay compact, the A-Series is the right choice.

A4 or A8: which version is right for me? Write down what you want to weave over the next two years. Mostly simple structures, scarves and accessories? Then the A4 is enough. Do damask, your own drafts or multi-layer fabrics come up? Then take the A8. Switching later is possible but rarely worth it financially.

Can I weave rugs on the A-Series? That is not what it is made for. The A-Series is a light, quiet loom for fine to medium fabrics such as scarves, table linen, cushion covers and garment fabrics. For rugs and other fabrics that need a very firm beat, you need a heavier loom with a solid beater. Give us a call and we will show you suitable models.

Why do I buy a kit here and not a ready-assembled loom? We import the Harrisville looms directly from New Hampshire and deliver them as a kit. That way you don't pay unnecessary freight costs for an assembled loom. And anyone who has built a Harrisville themselves can later do adjustments, maintenance and small repairs on their own.

Table loom or floor loom? Table looms (e.g. the Louët Jane) are compact and good for learning, but you operate the shafts by hand. On a floor loom you control them with your feet, leaving both hands free for the shuttle and beater. That is faster, more even and more relaxed. If you regularly weave longer fabrics, a floor loom is a real upgrade.

How much floor space do I need? Unfolded, the loom measures about 71 × 81 cm (A4) or 71 × 86 cm (A8). Allow at least 80 cm of free space in front of the loom for the bench. When folded, the depth shrinks to 33 cm (A4) or 46 cm (A8). You can roll it against the wall, even with a warp on.

How does the kit reach me? Direct import from Harrisville, New Hampshire. We bundle orders so you don't pay individual freight costs. You receive tracking as soon as the shipment leaves our warehouse.

Do I need a professional toolbox? No. A screwdriver, Allen key, hammer and a little patience are enough. What you really need: a clear table or floor, good light and ideally an afternoon. Tip: it's more relaxed with two people.

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Questions and answers: delivery, assembly & care

What language are the assembly instructions in? Harrisville Designs supplies the instructions in English, illustrated step by step, with clearly labelled parts. There is also a detailed assembly video that takes you through it step by step. If you would like support by phone during assembly, just arrange it with us.

How do I care for the loom so it lasts? Hard rock maple is a forgiving wood: dust it with a dry cloth once a year and refresh it with a thin coat of wood oil every few years. Moving parts such as the friction brake benefit from a touch of pure beeswax now and then. Steel heddles and the reed should be kept dry.

How loud is the loom in a living room? Quieter than most people expect. The suspended harnesses take the typical clattering and knocking out of the movement. While weaving you mainly hear the shuttle gliding across the warp and the soft beat of the beater. In an apartment building this is no problem during the day.

Can I upgrade from an A4 to an A8 later? In theory, yes. In practice it is rarely worth it: you replace shafts, treadles and tie-up, and in the end it costs about the same as buying an A8 outright. If you expect to weave multi-shaft structures, it is smarter to go for the A8 straight away. The A4 holds its resale value very well.

Which shuttles fit the A model? You need boat shuttles with a length of about 20 to 40 cm. We stock suitable shuttles and bobbins.

Do I need a weaving bench, and which one? Yes, an ergonomic weaving bench makes the difference between an hour of relaxed weaving and a sore back. Seat height and depth should match the height of your breast beam (66 cm on the A-Series). We are happy to advise you on suitable benches.