Weaving Unit: Hard until it's easy

WEAVING ON A CARDBOARD LOOM!



Cheap, Fast, and Quality... You can only pick 2. 

When it comes to teaching, I want to add an "easy" category. Which it's either easy for me or easy for the students. My amount of PREP also lowers the number of variables the students have to encounter. I can control so many aspects with stencils and pre-cut shapes or pre-mixed color palettes. With weaving, there are similar options. Man, everyone in the social media pedagogy makes this look a lot easier to teach than it has been for me. There are so many frustrating aspects BUT THERE IS HOPE! 

Weaving is one of the oldest traditions practiced by many cultures and it can communicate TONS of ideas. From Unity and Variety to PRoportion and Scale! Words to remember: LOOM WARP and WEFT

I've learned that making the looms is HARD, but possible. 









From left to right: came with a set of 12, handmade, class set, straws(which come with their own environmental concerns)

Store-bought cardboard class sets of looms:

Pros: Buy a loom and you can start your project quickly. Easy setup.

Cons: Expensive-ish, they don't learn how to do 

Homemade:

Pros: Customizable options, cheap

Cons: Easy to mess up, frustrating for everyone to make, need additional materials and time to make looms with a class OR (GASP) you make all the looms for your students EeEK. If you're teaching multiple classes, each student needs his or her OWN loom! 

Straws:

Pros: No looms. Looks Pretty in the end.

Cons: VERY Limited uses, and a little more challenging to teach.

Whatever route you go, it's part of a solid fiber arts and traditions background. Some people even find it relaxing so here we go.


Materials:

Cardboard Loom

Yarn in different colors

"Needle" of some sort

tape 

pencil



I chose to use a purchased loom because my arthritis can't handle cutting heavy duty cardboard by hand. I would rather be able to do the fiber portion than hurt my hands. 

1: Warping I like to use linen or a THIN and ULTRA strong material for my warps. Thin because the cuts in the cardboard are thin and strong because if your warp breaks, you're really in a pickle. There will be some complicated knots at that point.

If you're making your own loom, use sturdy cardboard from the back of a sketchbook. Use a ruler and make 1/4 to 1/2 inch marks on the top and bottom edges. Trim and warp.

Pick your yarn and tie it to the warp. I like to tie mine but you can weave the tail backward through the weaving it looks tidy but it's complicated for new weavers. Here's the tail of the WARP! Tape this down so it doesn't get in your way.



Weave yarn over and under the warp then weave Under over. Keep your weft close together by beating it with a comb, fork, or even your fingers. 


WEave and tie another color when you're ready. DONT DRAW IN THE SIDES by pulling too tight on the weft! It shouldn't be an Hourglass or triangle shape.


MY favorite tip from class was using a POST-IT note to help thread the oversized needles. Thanks Cassie Stephens! 

THE HARDEST PART IS ORGANIZING YARN!


I like my teacher's method of having pre cut strings in knots but my preferred method is pulling it out of a crate or laundry basket. I even like to use the little disinfectant towel plastic things. Those work as well. This yarn was donated in balls. BALLS OF YARN ARE A HOT MESS.


You can alsonuse scotch tape over a paperclip if you drop your needle through the slats of the deck. 🙃


I now have a stunning Barbie carpet or MASSIVE bookmark! Muahhaahah! Maybe its a coaster for multiple cups? 

Also, here's my new pup. She helped out a lot! 


Cheers!



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