Structo Artcraft Loom

Patented sometime around the turn of the century, this pressed metal loom has four frames that can be used to create patterns in the weave. Small levers on the far side of the 12"x18" toy manipulate up to 12 warp threads at a time, with a total warp thread count of up to 200!

This is one of those things that I looked for every time I went to an antique show - they were always too expensive, or too rusty, when I could find them at all. This one is good enough, and it was cheap. It makes me think of 1930's toys on the East coast, for some reason.

Perhaps it's because I know my grandfather wove a blanket while my grandmother was pregnant with my Mom. I think that was the only time he ever took up weaving - I think it was on Cape Cod, though they lived in Philadelphia at the time. They must have been visiting my Great-Grandparents.