w and then through
the warp-strings at any detail that is in progress.

Smaller looms can be made, suitable for placing upon a table; these,
standing about two feet in height, must in some way be firmly fixed to
the table, in order to be properly rigid for work.

[Illustration: Fig. 174.]

The thread composing the woof is wound upon a wooden bobbin or shuttle,
such as that shown in fig. 174. The chief point about this is, that it
may not have sharp angles that might catch in the warp whilst passing to
and fro. The pointed end is sometimes made use of to poke between the
warp-threads and press down the weft. A fresh bobbin is employed for
each colour, and the wool is wound upon it two or three strands
together, just as may happen to be required for the work. Large
blunt-pointed needles about three inches long (fig. 175) are often used
in place of bobbins, for with small pieces of work sometimes so little
of a colour is required as to make it unnecessary to wind a quantity on
a bobbin, which is, after all, only a needle with an extra long thread.

[Illustration: Fig. 175.]

[Illustration: Fig. 176.]

A comb is necessary for pressing down the weft whilst the work is in
progress. Combs vary in size and shape; fig. 176 shows one suitable for
this type of work; it is 1-1/2 inches square, slightly wedge-shaped, and
about one-eighth of an inch thick. Boxwood is the most suitable wood to
make them from, since it is particularly hard and fine in the grain.
They are sometimes made of metal, ivory, or bone; for large work, metal
combs of a heavier type are used.

[Illustration: Fig. 177.]

An embroidery frame, which has been already mentioned as a possible
substitute for the loom, is oftentimes an article more easily procured.
Fig. 177 illustrates how a frame of this kind may be prepared with
warp-threads for weaving. One with the screw side pieces is the best,
for these enable the tension of the warp to be slightly adjusted if the
working shows any tendency to slacken the thread.

To prepare the frame for weaving--Place the parts together at the
required distance from each other; secure the end of some warp-thread to
some part of the frame, and then commence to wind it round and round
over the two rollers, placing the threads at approximately the right
distance apart, taking into account when doing this that the two leaves
thus formed will eventually be brought into the same plane. When the
required width of warp-thread