Loop of the Loom - Dumbo — Local services in New York

What a lovely place! My husband and I stopped here for our anniversary wanting to try something new together, and we came away with some beautiful tapestries thanks to our instructor, who was very patient as we asked questions and got to know the equipment used in the studio. (We visited for the 2-hour introductory class.) I really enjoyed the calming feel of the space and the music helped us relax and get into our work a little more; as someone who helps run a makerspace, I also appreciated the variety of fibers available for use and the open-endedness of the class - I'm a big proponent of process art and showing people how to enjoy the journey of making, which I felt was a big takeaway from this session. It's nice that a space like this exists, and I felt that the process of weaving on a loom was meditative in its own way - we could all use more of that!

One thing I felt could be improved was the amount of instruction versus the amount of open-ended, self-guided studio time. I loved being able to guide myself in what I created, but I felt like it could have been helpful having a little more guidance from the instructor in terms of special techniques/methods in creating some of the samples and swatches we saw hanging on the wall. She briefly addressed some of the ways in which we could deviate from the back-and-forth stripes we were taught to make, but once I had made enough of those, I was hoping for more - and I wasn't quite sure where to go from there. I found myself asking quite a few questions, some of which led other classmates to come to my loom as she demonstrated, but I still came away feeling somewhat unsure of myself in the brevity of it. (I'm sure this has something to do with how new it felt getting used to the machine.) I would have liked having more structure in the way the basics and techniques were taught, before moving on to open weaving. After some time, it was just my loom and I for the bulk of the class while the instructor stayed in the corner, which felt a bit awkward at times.

While I did like the openness the format afforded me, I would have liked a little more direction as a first-timer in this sort of craft, and clearer options for how we might branch out if we choose to; however, we were impressed with how many materials were available to us and enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere of the studio - this was a memorable date night for us and it was great having finished pieces to walk away with immediately! Thank you to Loop of the Loom for offering a unique and relaxing experience, a welcome respite from the hustle-and-bustle we're...

TL;DR - Make sure your expectations are set before you take the intro course! It’s more like art therapy rather than an actual class.

My friend and I came to this place and took a 2-hour introductory class. I loved the cleanliness (no shoes inside!) and the overall aesthetic of the place, and the instructors were very friendly. If you are just trying to have a chill time with friends with no expectations, this might be a fun experience for you! However, I am personally more nitpicky with the creation I ended up with so I felt unsatisfied. I felt that the class itself was lacking in main components: 1) structure, and 2) time allocation.

Structure: While I understand this class is supposed to be more free-flowing, it is still a CLASS (especially at a price of $75), not just studio time. When I got to the studio, I asked more about the class since the online description was pretty vague but I didn’t get many details on what to expect. At the beginning of class, there was little to no introduction to the art form or the purpose of the session, and no overview of what the structure of the class would be like. Over the course of the two hours, the actual teaching was not timed well: the techniques we were taught were fragmented instead of being taught all at once, and we didn’t have any chance to practice. How to use two colors in the same row, for example, was not taught until more than halfway through the class. I was frustrated that we also did not receive enough tips on things to watch out for (e.g. yarn tension, the various effects of working with different yarn weights and types) unless we explicitly asked, and usually by then the mistakes were already made. Finally, when they trimmed the end product, it was messy and uneven and made my project look worse.

Time: 2 hours was definitely not enough time! I would have much preferred a 2-3 hour range, where people can stop at the 2 hour mark if they feel done and other people can continue for longer if they wish.

Ultimately it was an ok experience and the space and people are both so nice so I can’t knock off too many stars. However, I did feel that it was lacking in what I needed from a class. I think it more accurately is art therapy instead of a class, which is ironic because the whole time I felt pretty stressed out by the lack of teaching which impeded the execution of...

I will preface this by saying I had low expectations of Loop of the Loom, assuming it was another overpriced craft place. I signed up for the 2-hour introductory session with my friend, which was $75/person. My friend told me there will be a price increase, so know it is even more expensive. For me, $75 is a lot of money. I've seen their responses to other reviews about how this is about having a zen experience, not about learning how to make something. I am your stereotypical, uptight, non-creative person who doesn't dive into things to "play around" or pay $75 for "a zen experience." Therefore, I would prefer if they offered samplers, so people who are interested in learning different techniques during this intro session can see what the options even are. Yes, I know they offer classes for specific products, but my friend has been here twice before and said the instructors did show her different techniques (this is evident in the differences between our final products). Therefore, I know it is within the realm of possibility for all instructors to do this.

That being said, I was surprised how easy it was to pick up the techniques for the loom. The reason for the 4 stars is because I would go back. Now that I know how to work the loom generally, I can research what is possible and ask specific questions. That would be my advice to any newbies who share my personality, since you can't guarantee you will have an instructor who is...