The boom loom boss was a winner of the 2025 Core77 Design Award for Toys and Play.
It's like an analog computer of weaving.
If you have any experience with weaving you will understand the importance of shed formation. The key innovation is the heddle mechanism which affords great efficiency with weft pattern making through rotation of a pattern bar allowing the weaver to focus on other variables like yarn selection or design sequence. There is even a web app pattern picker to plan out designs developed with the help of a mathematician [1]
Perhaps other similar ideas might be something like tablet weaving [2] or Der Weberknecht [3]
The primary difference is the quick prep and setup time with the boom loom and it's near instant to develop modular samplers [4]
If anyone knows of any other hacking mechanical weaving machines like the boom loom; please share!
In primary school, we did this with a piece of cardboard by cutting /\/\/\ at the top and bottom and inserting a knitting needle as the cylinder comb for doing a batch of alternate lines at the same time.
It was 40 years ago but clear as day because I really enjoyed it. I made a coastal landscape with boats and it was very programmery to build up a real image from scan-lines. Making an abstract repeating pattern like the examples wouldn't be half as engaging.
I'm not sure I understand the title, does looming help you think or something? I don't really have much inherent interest in looming, but I would have a lot of interest in that
Is that specific to looming? I already do a bit of miniature painting which feels like it'd be similar but that takes too much focus to be running background processes, but maybe I'm just not good enough at it yet
There's something to this. A lot of ideas that feel fuzzy in your head get clearer the moment you have to physically arrange them. Not sure an app captures that but worth trying.
tl;dr This is a project page describing a small hand woven loom. Small, means a little wider than a palm and maybe half the length of a forearm (depending on which you buy). Basically, you will run a string between two circular combs along the length of the stand and weave a separate thread or yarn horizontally many times to make a piece of fabric. These seem to cost at least 100$.
It's like an analog computer of weaving.
If you have any experience with weaving you will understand the importance of shed formation. The key innovation is the heddle mechanism which affords great efficiency with weft pattern making through rotation of a pattern bar allowing the weaver to focus on other variables like yarn selection or design sequence. There is even a web app pattern picker to plan out designs developed with the help of a mathematician [1]
Perhaps other similar ideas might be something like tablet weaving [2] or Der Weberknecht [3]
The primary difference is the quick prep and setup time with the boom loom and it's near instant to develop modular samplers [4]
If anyone knows of any other hacking mechanical weaving machines like the boom loom; please share!
[1] https://www.theboomloom.com/krokbragd-picker
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablet_weaving
[3] https://weberknecht.notion.site/Projekt-Weberknecht-Project-...
[4] https://www.youtube.com/@janethughes8151
It was 40 years ago but clear as day because I really enjoyed it. I made a coastal landscape with boats and it was very programmery to build up a real image from scan-lines. Making an abstract repeating pattern like the examples wouldn't be half as engaging.
Once you get the hang of it, it’s the sort of task you can do and run deep mental processes in the background.
Edit: Never mind. I always find it after asking a question.