Beginner’s Guide to Weaving: How to Use a Weaving Loom

Weaving is a centuries-old practice of interlacing yarn or thread together to make woven pieces of fabric. You can weave textiles and home decor projects such as DIY wall hangings, tapestries, rugs, baskets, and even jewelry.

Weaving differs from other fiber arts such as knitting, crocheting, and macrame because it requires a loom. There are a few tools and materials needed for weaving:

1. 1. Loom: A weaving loom, also called a frame loom, is a piece of wood that has notches/pegs at the top and bottom that keep your fiber in place as you’re weaving. Frame looms can be the size of your lap for small projects, and larger looms are for larger projects, such as wall tapestries. You can make a loom using a piece of cardboard with nails or tape to keep the warp in place.
2. 2. Warp: This is the first set of yarn you will fasten onto the loom vertically, which you will use to weave the other strands of yarn through. The warp yarn needs to be strong, smooth, and have a consistent thickness since it will endure constant friction during the weaving process. It should be a neutral color, in case it shows through in between your working yarn, also called the weft.
3. 3. Weft: This is the yarn you will weave through the warp to create a design. Weft can vary in color and thickness, and the more types of weft yarn you use, the more intricate your designs will be. Usually, you weave the weft through the warp horizontally, with the warp fastened onto the loom vertically.
4. 4. Tapestry needle: A large needle made of steel or wood with a large eye, so you can easily pull the weft yarn through the warp.
5. 5. Shed stick: A shed stick separates every other warp strand to create an opening where you can pass through your weft threads. It’s turned on its edge to create a tent-like shape to separate the warp. A shed stick should be an inch or two longer than the loom, so you can easily push it up and down during the weaving process.
6. 6. Shuttle: Some weavers use a shuttle instead of a needle to hold the weft yarn. You can run a yarn-wound shuttle through the warp instead of constantly pulling from a ball of yarn. Shuttles are especially useful if you’re weaving a large section with one color.
7. 7. Weaving comb: This is also called a tapestry beater. It’s used to push the woven weft threads together and ensures that the tension is even. This tool is optional, and you can also use a fork, a regular hair comb, or your fingers.

You can learn many different weaving techniques, and once you master the basics, you will tackle your next weaving project with ease. Follow these steps to begin weaving for the first time:

1. 1. Fasten the warp onto the loom. Tie the end of the warp threads to the top left corner tooth of the loom using a slipknot. Then pull the yarn until it’s tight, wrap it through the corresponding tooth at the bottom of the loom, then pull it back up to the top. Keep the tension of the warp threads taut. Repeat this back-and-forth wrapping process until the row of warps is the width that you desire in your weave. At the end, tie off the warp with another slipknot.
2. 2. Prepare the weft yarn. A simple weaving typically uses one long continuous piece of fiber material. Tie the weft yarn to the first warp string, leaving a tail of a few inches at the end to tie on the backside upon completion.
3. 3. Insert your shed stick into the warp thread. Insert your shed stick between every other warp thread and turn the shed stick on its side every other row, so you have an easier time running the yarn back over.
4. 4. Create a basic weaving pattern. A basic weave is also called a tabby weave. Using a needle, run the weft yarn through the warp, alternating the weft above and below the warp threads to make a basic weave. When you get to the last warp on your first row, it is time to run the weft back to the opposite side. Go under the warp where the previous yarn went over and vice versa across the length of the warp threads.
5. 5. Push each new row of weft thread down. Push each completed row of weft yarn down to meet the previous row using a weaving comb, a fork, or your hands to create a denser design, so the warp threads aren’t visible. Leaving them further apart will create a looser design—this is the difference between loose and close-woven fabrics.
6. 6. Keep an even tension. Make sure you’re not pulling so hard on the rows of weft threads that the warp threads distort and ripple down the side of your weave.
7. 7. Add colors and textures with additional weft materials. On the underside of your weave, cut off the end of your working yarn and leave a few inches of tail yarn to stitch into the project after completion. Tie the new thread to the underside of the warp and run it through to the top where the previous yarn left off.
8. 8. Leave a few inches of unwoven warp at the end of your work. When your weaving design is complete, leave a few inches of unwoven warp and tie off the final weft yarn in the back of the loom. You can tie the unwoven warp threads into a rya knot and leave them hanging as decoration, or attach them to a dowel for hanging.
9. 9. Clean up any loose ends. You can tuck or sew any loose ends into the back of the weave.

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