Handweaving, from the first warp to the last pick.

Every loom does the same basic job. What changes between them is how wide you can weave, how many structures you can make and how much room the thing takes up in your house.

Almost every woven fabric you own is one of three structures, or a variation on one. Knowing them helps you read cloth as well as weave it.

A draft is a four-part diagram that tells you how the loom is threaded, which shafts are tied to which pedals, the order you press them in and what the cloth will look like.

Weaving is counting. Planning a project means fitting whole repeats into a width, balancing a pattern at both edges and knowing when two cycles will line up again.

Weaving can be done cheaply or expensively. A simple budget, worked out per project rather than per impulse, keeps the hobby enjoyable and the yarn cupboard under control.

Choosing yarn for weaving is about fibre, twist and strength first and price second. Bulk deals and clubs can help, as long as you read what you are agreeing to.