Boye Bloom Loom

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Reported by Susie Ziegler

I am a sucker for anything that makes flowers. This Bloom Loom by Boye is probably one of the very tools that my grandma used back in the 70's to make that fun yarn flower afghan we used in the front room for years. I found this tool back in the craft store by the yarn and crochet hooks. There were a bunch of other round looms with hooks on them to use with yarns on the display case, but I picked this one since it had the most vintage tool style, and it has two rings of posts, so I thought maybe I can make various sizes of flowers.

The package comes with the loom, a large eyed plastic needle, and an instruction sheet. The loom has posts around the center hole on both sides.

The posts on the backside are for double sided flowers and it is optional to use them:

Okay, I found the instruction sheet confusing, but I did manage to figure it out. You need to start with a long length hanging down which will be used to stitch the flower together at the end. Begin by anchoring the yarn in the little notch by space number 7 and then bring the yarn across to space 1 and do four figure eight loops around opposing posts:

When you finish with four loops, pull the yarn over into space 2 and do the same figure 8 loops around the next opposing set of posts:
Keep going until you get all the way around and then secure the end in the little notch at space 6.
It takes a little finesse to keep the loops on the posts. I found that they really wanted to pop off, so I held them down in the middle to keep it together.

Do the same thing with another color of yarn, but just use the center circle of posts. Instead of four figure eights, just do two around the center. It all gets pretty thick!

Now you take the plastic yarn needle provided and bring that length you left at the beginning up in space 7 and backstitch all the way around the center: Up in space 7, down in 5, up in 8, down in 6, up in 9, down in 7, and so on until you get all the way around and overlap the first stitch. Pull tight! Pull toward the center!

Secure the yarn on the backside by stitching back and forth. Clip the stray ends close to the center.

Pop the flower off the loops. This part is the funnest! It sure looks cute!

I'm not as excited about flowers made around the center group of loops, although a group of them in coordinating colors would look nice.


My yarn blossoms are about 3 1/4 inches in diameter. The smaller flower is 2 1/4 inches. You can use a variety of materials on the Bloom Loom including colorful raffia, wire edged ribbon, or even wire and beads. I saw a tutorial for making beaded snowflakes, but frankly, I am so sick of winter at this point, you are just going to have to take my word for it that those snowflakes are lovely.

Pros:

• Simple, inexpensive tool creates vintage charm! I love these flowers!
• Embossed numbers really help keep me on track.
• Extremely satisfying and quick to make.
  

Cons:

• Plastic needle doesn't hold up to the strong yanking of yarn needed to keep the center tight.
  
• Yarn pops off posts too easily.
• Confusing instructions do not have enough diagrams.
  

I purchased my Bloom Loom myself for $3.50 at my local large fabric retailer. I love how my flowers look in a big colorful pile! I'm probably going to use them in our Easter baskets. There seem to be lots of looms on the market. Which ones have you tried?


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