I have been weaving on the Schacht Arras tapestry loom for several years now (see my original review HERE). They have released a stand and treadle assembly for the loom which I have been using for most of a year now and I really love it.
Schacht Arras tapestry loom with stand and treadle plus tool trap.
The treadles don’t work without the stand so you do have to purchase both the stand and the treadle assembly. The treadles are manual meaning that they work with a pulley system and don’t need to be plugged in. They glide easily and are very quiet.
In the photo you’ll also see that I have attached a tool tray below the warp. I have another one that can be attached at the top of the loom but I’ve not yet put it on. I like this one at the bottom as it easily holds the tools I’m using and I always know where they are.
The video below shows the stand and treadle assembly in action. If you get the blog via email, you can watch the video right on my website HERE.
Summary
Schacht Arras loom being warped with the treadle assembly attached
I love these treadles. I also like the stand. It means the loom doesn’t take up any table space in my studio and it can have a permanent and fairly small footprint in the room. The treadles are easy to use, they are adjustable, and they are mechanical and not electric.
The treadle assembly does add some complication to the shedding bar and this means that the loom is a little trickier to warp. I don’t take my shedding mechanism off when I warp the loom any more because setting up the treadle every time would be too cumbersome. Fortunately the space behind the shedding bar is plenty big enough to allow a full cone of cotton seine twine warp to pass through.
I’ll be adding a warping video about this loom to the Warp and Weft course as well as my Patreon page if you’d like more information about how this loom is warped especially with the treadle assembly attached. If you join my Patreon you’ll get lots of behind the scenes looks at my work for Change the Shed as well as my personal work. Find more information about how to join and what it includes HERE.
Have you tried the Arras stand and treadle yourself? If you’ve never woven tapestry on a loom that allows you to shift the shed with your feet, what do you think of that aspect of it?
If you’re interested in learning what sorts of looms for tapestry are out there and how to choose a loom for yourself, I have a class about that! It is called Tapestry Looms Simplified and you can find more information HERE.