Frequently asked questions

What is Loom & Thread?

Loom & Thread is a project planner and keeper built specifically for weavers. Tell it what you want to weave and it helps keep you organized, math included: warp ends, yarn amounts by color, time estimates, and cost, all calculated correctly. Beyond the calculator, it's built to be the one place you keep your whole weaving life: every project, every yarn and your stash, every loom and tool, your drafts and PDFs, plus a growing library of weaving books, a glossary of terms, and a directory of yarn shops.

Who is it for?

Weavers at every level. If you've just gotten your first loom, the free tier gets your math right from day one with no learning curve. If you're weaving to sell, the paid tiers handle multi-piece production warps, real cost and pricing, and the record-keeping that comes with running a small weaving business.

What can it actually do for me?

• Calculates warp ends, yarn needed by color, weaving and finishing time, and cost, using structure-aware math for sett, shrinkage, and take-up.
• Keeps a database of verified yarns with real specs, and can pull from your own yarn stash automatically as you plan.
• Tracks your looms, reeds, and equipment so their specs flow into every project without re-entering them.
• Stores every project you've ever planned, with printable project sheets and an archive.
• Includes a curated library of weaving books, videos, and magazines; a plain-English glossary of weaving terms; and a directory of yarn shops.

Can I sign up right now?

Not yet. Loom & Thread is in beta and I'm putting the final touches on it before I open it up to new accounts. You can join the waitlist from the sign-up screen and I'll email you the moment it's ready to weave with.

What can I do while I wait?

Look around. The Library, Lexicon, and Yarn Database are all open to browse right now, no account needed. These are just a taste, though: the previews show a limited slice (about 25 of 200+ books, a few dozen of 240+ Lexicon terms, and a sampling of the full verified yarn database), so once you're in, there's a lot more waiting for you.

How much does it cost?

Free proves the math works. Maker organizes your whole practice. Production turns it into a business tool. Maker works out to less than a single specialty drink at Starbucks each month, for a tool you'll use on every project.

Is there really a free version?

Yes. Hobbyist isn't a trial; it's free permanently. It includes one loom profile, one warp yarn and one weft yarn per project, the full calculator, and browsing of the entire yarn database.

What's the difference between the tiers?

Each tier is a real step up, not a slightly nicer version of the last one.

• Hobbyist (free): 1 loom, 1 warp yarn + 1 weft yarn per project, the full calculator, and browsing (not picking from) the yarn database. Room for 1 project photo and 1 PDF. Everything a first project needs, correctly calculated, for nothing.
• Maker ($7.99/mo): that same calculator, thrown wide open. As many warp and weft yarns as a project actually calls for, full yarn database picking with your stash tracked automatically as you plan, fringe and planning-time tools, and 5 project photos, 5 PDFs, and 5 WIFs. Multi-piece projects too, for weaving a matched set off one warp.
• Production ($12.99/mo): everything in Maker, built out for weaving to sell. Multiple different pieces off a single warp (towels, scarves, and runners all from one 100-yard warp, each priced and timed on its own), per-yarn cost, suggested retail pricing, per-piece finishing times, and full time overrides. Storage grows with your work too: 10 project photos, 10 PDFs, and 5 WIFs, plus 3 more photos, 3 more PDFs, and 2 more WIFs for every piece you add, so a five-piece production run comfortably reaches 25 photos and 25 PDFs across the project.

Why isn't everything free? Why does the free tier have limits?

I'll be straightforward about it. Loom & Thread isn't a hobby project running on nothing: hosting a growing app, storing everyone's projects and files securely, and researching and maintaining several large databases (yarns, looms, equipment, shops, and a book library) take real time and real money, and that work never really stops; new yarns, gear, and shops get added on an ongoing basis. The free Hobbyist tier is generous enough to plan and track real projects with correct math, at no cost, permanently. What the paid tiers fund is everything behind the scenes: keeping the databases accurate and growing, building new features, and keeping the app running well. And Maker, the tier most weavers land on, costs less per month than one specialty drink at Starbucks.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. Cancel from your account settings whenever you like; your plan stays active until the end of the period you've already paid for, and your weaving data is always kept. See the refund policy for details.