Loom & Weave
My husband pokes fun at me, but weaving has come to be a very simple and relaxing hobby for me. It is a creative outlet that I can enjoy on the couch on a rainy day or even in the car. I'm actually writing from a weekend away and I did some road trip weaving. I asked my husband, "would you like me to drive some?" He said, "no, I got it." To which I replied, "good, cause I was just being polite." [Insert laughs] So, here is a list of supplies you will need and a guide to get started with some basic techniques - Happy weaving!
I want to see pics of your work, so email them in!
SUPPLIES
1.) CANVAS
2.) HALF INCH NAILS
3.) SCISSORS
4.) YARN
5.) CURVED WEAVING NEEDLE
6.) CARDBOARD
7.) HAIR COMB
8.) HAMMER - TO SMACK NAILS AND FINGERS...
Making Your Loom
Strip your painting canvas of the white fabric cover. Slashing with scissors and pulling the fabric is easier than plucking each staple off the back. Once your canvas is just the exposed wooden frame, you will place your nails 1/4 or 1/2 inch apart on both the top and bottom of the frame.
** My loom has 2 rows each offset at 1/2 inch spacing allowing me to alter my spacing as small as 1/4 gaps. This is on both top & bottom of the loom.
WARNING: No matter how much you avoid your finger, it will make contact with your hammer... best of luck finger & thumb. :)
Once this redundant and potentially painful step is complete, you are ready to load your loom.
Loading The Loom
You will tie a knot around the bottom right nail and space your loom according to preference. For beginners, I would make the spacing wider apart. As you wrap from top to bottom, make sure the string is being pulled tight.
How do I know if it is tight enough?? Pat the strings, there should be a little bounce off.
Once you come to the last nail, terminate with a knot and cut off the excess string. Now you are almost ready to start!
Insert Cardboard Guide
Cut a piece of cardboard the length of your loom frame and 2 inches wide. This will allow you enough string to tie off your ends once you compete your piece. You will then proceed to weave it in and out of each string pushing it down to rest upon the nails. This also allows you to create straight lines.
Now let's t to weaving!
What Does A Curved Weaving Needle Even Look Like?
Let's Weave
You will begin with a few simple lines sstart your first line on the opposite string the cardboard guide starts. You will have a tail, just tuck that or weave tail into the backside.
NOTE: The back will be messy, it's ok.
When you finish a line, make sure you pull it into an arc as you see below. I take the point of my comb and push the center of the arc down and then I will brush down the rest of the line keeping it loose. Loose lines are very important, because you don't want to pull the lines in. Your borders will look funky if you are tightly weaving.
I am assuming you know the concept of 'weave' but each line will alternate. Up & down on one line will have you going Down & Up on the net line. So on and so forth...
Make sure your tails end in the back.
Here I have used regular yarn, but I have added in some gold trimmings from Hobby Lobby and some wool roving (which is my favorite medium). I also cut up a blue curtain that I am not using (and now will never use again...).
Adding fringe is also fun for creating texture and mixing up.
*I am utilizing an adjustable easel which is optional, however it really helps avoid back aches and shoulder cramps. This one here is found at Hobby Lobby for right at $20.
Fringe isn't just for the 70's !
I really think it looks best when long fringe is at the bottom of each piece. It makes the bottom look very clean once you tie it off at the finish, but it also is an easy way to almost double the size in length. Once you weave a few lines, then you would work in the fringe.
THIS IS CUTE, BUT I DONT HAVE THE TIME. WHERE CAN I BUY ONE?
Visit my Etsy shop THE LOVELY FIG via the tab at the top. I am always adding new weavings, handmade goods and taking custom orders.