Make a simple weaving loom
Use a home made weaving loom to craft scarves, iPod and cellphone covers, hats, doll clothes and more.
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Weaving is a fun craft for kids and you don't need a lot of expensive equipment to take up weaving. Here's how to build a simple loom on a piece of cardboard. I like to re-use cardboard shipping envelopes for my simple looms. They're very sturdy, yet easy to cut with a pair of strong scissors.
You can also use a sheet of cardboard, but I don't recommend corrugated for this project. Use a pair of strong scissors to cut a series of slits in the edge of the envelope, 1 centimetres apart. Use a ruler as a guide for marking. Repeat these steps on the opposite edge of the cardboard.
To start weaving, begin by wedging the end of the yarn into the first slit in the cardboard. Leave about a 10 centimetre-long tail, as you see here.
Draw the yarn across the surface of the cardboard, and then wedge it into the first slit on the opposite side. On the back side of the cardboard, wrap the yarn around and wedge it into the second slit, as shown.
CONTINUES BELOW
If you decide to change colours while stringing, be sure to leave a 10 centimetre tail of each colour yarn hanging at the back.
Cut about 1 metre of yarn. Thread one end on a tapestry needle. Pass the needle over and under the warp yarns, pulling the strand through as you go. Leave a 30 centimetre tail of yarn at the end of the first row of weaving.
Weave your needle under and over the warp yarns again to create your second row of weaving. Make sure that your weaving in this new row is opposite to the weaving you did in the first row. Continue to reverse the starting point with every new row.
Keep the edges a little loose so they stay nice and straight.
If you want to change colours while you weave, just leave a tail of the old colour, and then start a new colour, leaving a tail of this as well. Keep loose ends out of your way by taping them to the cardboard.
When you're done weaving it's time to weave in those loose ends. One at a time, thread each one on your needle and pass it under the edge of your weaving. Then, cut the remainder of the loose end close to your work.
Once all the loose ends along the sides of your weaving are tidied up, you can remove your weaving from the loom. Carefully pull the warp threads off the cardboard. You may have to bend the tabs in order to do this, as shown.
To finish off the top and bottom edges of your weaving, it's best to have loops of yarn at each end that are at least 2 centimetres long. The loops at the top of your weaving will likely be shorter than this because you've been pushing your work upward as you wove.
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No problem—just take each loop in your fingers and pull it firmly. The warp will slide through the weaving and the loop will lengthen. Next, cut each loop, and tie the two ends into a double knot. Once you've knotted all the loops, you have a secure edge. Do the same thing on the opposite end of your weaving. This edge can act as a fringe, or you can sew this edge to the inside of your work, like a selvage.
Use this weaving method to make gifts for Mother's Day. Ask around to see if anyone has any spare wool for you to use.
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