As I continue to ‘weave my way’ (pun intended 😉 ) through skeins of yarn, I find that I am always learning new weaving tricks and techniques that stretch me – which I am happy to share with all of you. From An Introduction to Weaving to showing you how to DIY a Mini Framed Weave to posting an Interview with the very talented fibre artist, Kate from The Weaving Loom blog, I’ve loved passing along bits of creativity to all of you lovely readers. But, of course, some of the best lessons of all have come from my missteps, too! This is no less true for today’s post: 3 Mini Weavings, 2 Techniques. While these mini weavings are easy to make, there is one crucial step that I initially missed (and later corrected) that you’ll want to pay attention to when you try this too. Below, I’ll take you through my initial mistake, how I fixed it, and then the final – super cute – results 🙂
Without further ado, let’s get started!
MATERIALS
- lap loom
- tapestry needle & scissors
- cotton or hemp yarn (to create the warp)
- choice of coloured yarn (to create the weft)
- shed stick (or cardboard of equivalent size – about 1 inch by 10 inches) (not pictured)
- kitchen fork (not pictured)
- 3 dowels for hanging your weavings (not pictured)
STEPS
Step 1: Create Your Warp
I’ve already discussed how to do this in a previous post, but in brief: Make a loop knot at one end of your cotton or hemp yarn and place over your starting peg along the bottom. Pull the yarn up toward the opposite peg along the top, looping around the peg from left to right and back down again.
Continue in this fashion until you are satisfied with the width of your weaving. End with another loop knot. (Both my loop knots start and end along the bottom extreme pegs, pictured below).
Before you begin your first row of weaving, take your shed stick (or a long piece of cardboard) and feed it over and under the warp strands, as shown above. This will provide a base to your weaving and help maintain a straighter edge along the bottom.
Step 2: Technique 1 – Plain (“Tabby”) Weave
Using your tapestry needle and chosen yarn, begin creating your ‘weft’ (i.e., the actual weaving) using the most basic weaving technique, called a plain (or ‘tabby’) weave. A plain weave is the simple technique of weaving your yarn over and under the warp strands, as shown in the picture below.
Once you reach the right side of the warp, pull the remaining yarn through, leaving a few inches of ‘tail’ on the far left side.
The tail can be woven back into the weaving at the end of your project OR right away using your fingers.
Next, taking your fork, gently push that first row (including the tail that’s been woven in on the far left) down towards the shed stick to create a long, even line.
Now, going from right to left, go ahead and make a second row of plain weave. When you do, make sure that you weave on the opposing side of the warp strand. (In other words, if you ended under the last strand on the right, then begin going over it when heading towards the left).
Continue creating rows in this way, making your way up the warp.
Step 3: Technique 2 – The Rya Knot
For the textural portion in the middle of these weavings you will be using the “rya knot.” Rya knots are simple to create and add a lot of visual appeal. In this case, they will be taking center stage – quite literally! Here is how to create them:
First begin by cutting a large bundle of smaller pieces of yarn about 3 inches long. To increase the speed of this part, simply wrap the yarn around two of your fingers and snip along one side.
Do this a few times or until you have enough yarn to create the middle portion of your weaving.
Now onto your rya knots. To ensure these rya knots are thick, I gathered 3 strands together and placed them on top of the warp. (If you are using a thicker yarn, you may only need to use one strand).
Tuck the ends down around 2 warp strands.
Then pull the ends back up through the middle, between the 2 warp strands.
Pull upwards and tighten to create your first knot.
Gently slide the knot downwards. The tail should lie flat, covering a portion of the rows of weaving below.
Continue creating as many rya knots as you need for your first row.
Since you are creating a circular shape, each subsequent row will get wider as you move up the warp. For this weaving, I added two extra rya knots – one on either end – per row. I also staggered (instead of stacking) each knot so that they would not be sitting directly above one another. This will create a sturdy, more integrated weaving.
When you reach the widest point of your circle, add two (or more) rows of the same width. This time stack these rows (instead of staggering them) one on top of the other. This will create a smoother transition when creating the upper half of the circle. You can see how I’ve stacked the three rows of rya knots below.
For the upper half of the circle, continue staggering the rya knots the rest of the way, this time creating one less knot on either end of each row as you work your way up to close the circle.
Tip: When creating the bottom half of the knots, continue creating rows of plain weave at the same time on either side. In other words, as you finish off a row of rya knots, pick up your tapestry needle and fill in a few rows of plain weave on both the right and left sides of the rya knots. By doing this as you go, you will avoid having to lift those loose tail ends of the rya knots and risk getting things tangled up. For the upper half of your circle, however, since the tails will not be hanging over the plain weave, you can always wait to complete the circle before weaving in the negative space left (as I did in the photo above).
A LESSON LEARNED
Okay, so this is the part where I made a small ‘boo-boo’ in the first weaving that I corrected after the fact. I was able to learn from this and ensured not to repeat the mistake for the next two.
You wanna know what it is?
It’s simply this: This is a small weaving with the rya knots taking up much of the interior space. Without reinforcing the center in some way, the weaving will bulge out in the middle once removed from the loom. Here is how it looked, ‘boo-boo’ and all:
Not bad, but definitely misshapen with the middle portion bulging out.
I decided this cute little guy was worth saving. If you find yourself in a similar predicament, you may be able to to do the same. To correct this, I created space between rows of rya knots and filled this in with plain weaving, making sure to weave end to end to pull the bulges in.
Here is a view from the back side after the correction. You can see how the bulge has been pulled in a bit. Not perfect, but looking better.
I learned my lesson from this and made sure to weave extra rows of plain weaving between the three stacked rows of rya knots in the middle to prevent excessive bulging.
The view from the back of the second weave shows it to be neater and tighter than the first weaving.
Step 4: Removing Your Weaving
Once you’ve completed your weaving (hopefully, without any missteps 🙂 ), to remove it start by taking a dowel and weaving it through the warp strands along the top end of your weaving. Snip the warp strands two at a time and tie a double knot onto the dowel. Move across the dowel, snipping and tying until you’ve snipped the whole weaving off the upper half of the loom.
Then snip along the bottom.
Carefully tie double knots along the bottom edge as well. For additional security, you can always apply clear nail polish to prevent unraveling.
At this point, feel free to shape the circular portion of your weaving, taking care not to cut into it too much.
Follow these steps for the next two weavings and you’ve got the makings of a super cute trio of wall art!
Once you are satisfied with how they look, hang them up and enjoy!
I loved creating these mini weavings! The rya knots are a lovely way of adding a dose of texture and visual appeal. I hope you give them a try.
Happy weaving:)
For more creative crafts and DIY’s from around the web check out these link parties: Turn It Up Tuesday, Monday Funday, Link Party Palooza, Peace.Love.Link Up, The Handmade Hangout, Tutorials & Tips, Project Inspired Link Party, Meet Up Monday, The DIY Link Party, Craft Schooling Sunday, Home Matters, Create It Thursday, Creative Spark Link Party, The Wednesday Roundup, Show and Tell, Mad Skills, The Creative Corner, Merry Monday, Meet Up Monday, That DIY Party, Submarine Sunday, Happiness is Homemade, Snickerdoodle Sunday, Share It One More Time, Dare to Share, Best of the Weekend, Saturday Sparks, The Handmade Hangout, Saturday Sharefest, Flaunt It Friday, Sweet Inspiration, Pretty Pintastic Party, Bloggers Spotlight, Funtastic Friday, BFF Open House Link Party, No Rules Weekend Blog Party, Creativity Unleashed, The DIY Collective, The Creative Exchange, Welcome Home Wednesdays, Creative Spark Link Party.
This is so neat! What a beautiful way to add some color to your home. Your weavings are just gorgeous!
Thanks Celeste! That’s so sweet of you to say. I certainly enjoyed the process of making them and learned a few things along the way 🙂
This is so pretty! 🙂 Thanks for sharing the how-to ♥
Thanks so much! I was glad to share the process of making this sweet little trio 🙂
These are so beautiful! Thanks for sharing at Creativity Unleashed Link Party.
Thanks Anita! Always happy to share 🙂
Looks like fun. I bet it would make a fun fine motor activity for the kids.
Definitely a great little project for the kiddos to do!
I wondered how these darling wall hangings were done. Thanks for sharing. They are lovely.
Amalia
xo
Thanks Amalia!
So sweet, thanks for sharing your boo boo and fix too. It’s nice to know all is not lost if a mistake occurs in the experimental stages of a project!
Sometimes sharing a misstep is as valuable as the tutorial itself. I was initially disappointed, but then thought I’d save that first little weaving. So glad I did 🙂
These are the prettiest little wall hangings I’ve seen! OMG, I love the colours you chose ! So so lovely!
Thanks Katrin! That’s so sweet 🙂
Jelica, these weavings are so cool! The blue, red and yellow make a lovely trio. You’re very talented!
Awww. That’s so sweet of you to say Keri 🙂 Thank you 🙂
I love these! One of these days I want to try my hand at weaving. Thanks for linking up with Creative Spark last week; I selected your mini weavings as one of my Feature picks for this week. Hope you’ll come by and link up again!
Thanks Emily! Such a treat 🙂
Thank you for the mention Jelica! I love how you saved the blue weave, what a smart idea. It’s probably a cliche, but I learn the most when I make mistakes.
Thanks Kate! It was a great learning opportunity that I was happy to share on the blog. And I feel the same way about the cliche about learning from our mistakes! Take care 🙂
Thank you so much for your carefully step by step instruction. This is so precious, i really appreciate. Love !
You are very welcome!
What a lovely post filled with lovely photos and such clear instructions. I think I just might need to make myself a few looms. So happy I discovered your lovely blog.
Thanks for the compliment Kim 🙂 It’s definitely worth it to make (even purchase) a lap loom to get you started weaving. Amazon and Etsy are good places to start, but if the budget does not allow it, then try my DIY loom here: https://aprettyfix.com/how-to-make-a-basic-loom/. Happy weaving Kim 🙂
You are so crafty! I wish I have your talent. Thank you for linking up at #bloggerspotlight link party. Pinned! Hope to see you again!
That’s so sweet Cristina 🙂 Thank you! I simply love to learn and share what I’ve learned with all of you lovely readers 🙂
I am so glad you posted this because I have been wanting to learn how. I love that people are starting to do these crafts again.
It’s definitely an old craft that’s been gaining popularity again. I love the modern take on it, too. For more tips, feel free to check out An Introduction To Weaving here: https://aprettyfix.com/introduction-to-weaving-part-1-of-2/. Another great resource is The Weaving Loom blog: http://www.theweavingloom.com/. I hope you give weaving a try!
Your weavings are beautiful! Lovely colors!
Navy Wifey Peters @ The Submarine Sunday Link Party
Thank you!
What a fun project! It’s looks great as wall art. Pinned and Tweeted. Thanks for sharing your tutorial at Snickerdoodle Sunday,
So glad you liked it Beverly! And thanks for sharing 🙂
I adore these Jelica! Pinned, tweeted and stumbled 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing with us! I’m looking forward to trying this!
~Laurie
Thanks so much Laurie!
I love this so much! I’ve wanted to try weaving for a while … I think the last time I did it was grade school … and this looks like the perfect project! Thanks for sharing at Best of the Weekend. 🙂
Thanks Ginnie! It’s definitely a great project to start with as it only requires a couple of techniques. You can even start simpler by focusing on doing a very basic weaving using the plain weave (or tabby method), which is the over and under weaving I describe above. You can mix all sorts of beautiful colours and textures using this one weaving technique. Hope you give weaving a try! It’s so much fun 🙂
I took a weaving in class in college and did it on a big loom. This looks like a lot of fun and less work too 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your project on Merry Monday.
Weaving is definitely one of my favourite crafts. So many possibilities and applications. I can’t say enough about it!
this is so pretty! Your tutorial is so easy to follow 🙂 thank you so much for sharing!
Congratulations! You are one of my features 🙂
Joanita @ Snickerdoodle Sunday
Thanks so much Joanita! That’s nice to hear – such a treat 🙂
Fabulous, really love these little weavings! Thanks so much for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!
Thank you!
Your instructions are so easy to follow! Thanks for sharing on the Pleasures of the NW’s DIY party!
Thanks Helen!
Wow! Pinned this. Great idea and instruction. )
Thanks very much Sarah. It’s definitely challenging to provide clear photo instructions for weaving, but it is well worth it. Weaving is such a creative and relaxing craft to do. And there are so many applications! Hope you do give these a try 🙂
These are really cool. Love the simplicity – and fantastic tutorial!
Thanks AJ!
These are really beautiful! As a first time visitor, I love that you have so many projects with yarn. It’s such a fun way to add texture and color. 🙂
Thanks Jessica! Yarn is definitely one of my favourite craft materials to work with 🙂 Thanks for stopping by 🙂
It was great seeing you at Peace, Love, Linkup #013! The next party goes live tomorrow at 6. Hope to see you there!
Thanks Ashleigh – take care 🙂
Trying this out now. I’m kind of into getting and using different needles and scissors. Where did you purchase yours?
Hi Judy! I purchased them at my local craft store, Michaels. Any of the larger craft places will carry these. However, if you are having trouble finding them, try going to a store that specializes in weaving/knitting/crochet. If that fails, Amazon has a surprising array of products, including blunt end needles like this one (Jumbo Bent Needles): http://amzn.to/2cWfXXY. Happy weaving 🙂
Thanks, I have Michaels here so I’ll look there.
Thanks so much for this wonderful tutorial 👌 ✨ It’s really a gorgeous DIY summer project in a very nice color range. I’ve pinned! 👌 Have a lovely Sunday, dear! 💕 🍃🌸🍃
Thanks very much! These cute mini weavings are definitely a great little project for the summer. They’d really add some cute hits of colour when you need to brighten a space. Take care!