Diane recently led a class of Independent Living and Assisted Living residents at 10 Wilmington place in a weaving project.. She used mat board for the loom. Many frame shops have a few scraps that they may let you have. Cardboard from a cereal box or a packing box can also be used.
The pictures are from the ladies at 10 Wilmington Place. Diane had the warp thread all wound so the residents just started weaving with the yarn. They had worked an hour and 15 minutes when the pictures were taken.
1. For the looms, Diane used a 12x9" piece of mat board. Especially for kids, the card board loom can be smaller. Mat Board is easily cut on a paper cutter.
2. On each end, Diane cut a one inch slit with scissors around every inch. Make an even number of slits. She said that she would cut the slits every 1/2 - 2/3" next time for a denser warp. She used Aunt Lydia's crochet string. Any non stretch string will work.
3. The string is started on the back and taped down. It will be straight on the front and look diagonal across the back. Tape down the end of the string on the back. For the seniors, she use medium to dark board for contrast to the white string.4. To make the whole weaving process easier, Diane used tongue depressor with a hole drilled in one end. The yarn goes into the hole and is knotted. The wide tongue depressor is easy to move through the warp strings.
5. On the front, the weaving is started at the bottom. tie on the string to the first warp thread.
6. The tongue depressor then goes over a string and under the next string then over the next repeating until the row is done.
7. All the thread is pulled through, then the next row is started with the opposite motion. If the last string went over the last thread, the next row is started by going under the same thread, over the next thread and so on. If the last string went under the last thread, it will go over the same thread, then under the next following the pattern of over, under, over, under.
8. To make it easier for your students, when wrapping the warp ( up and down string) you can wrap a light thread on every other slit, then a dark thread on the remaining slits. then the students could be told to put the tongue depressor under all the dark threads on one row, then over the dark threads on the next row.
9. To prevent the warp threads from binding in, the yarn can be pulled through at an angle, then brought down to the next row using the fingers. This concept is usually hard for specials needs so the weaving will most likely be drawn in at the sides which is fine.
10. Be sure at the end of the row, the student use their fingers to bring the rows of yarn together.
11. Diane used yarn to weave through the warp. The weaving is made interesting with different colors and thicknesses of yarn. Be sure the hole in the tongue depressor is big enough to easily put the yarn through.
12. When a different color or more yarn is needed, tie the end of the old yarn to the new yarn. Cut the old yarn from the tongue depressor and replace it with the new yarn. Diane usually cuts around 1 yard lengths.
13. Have the students keep weaving until the top of the loom is reached. Remember that thicker yarn will make the weaving go much faster! The weaving can be continued in other class periods or extra yarn can be given to the student to work on their own.14. To finish the weaving cut the warp strings on the back of the cardboard across the middle. Carefully take the strings off the weaving in twos. The first two strings are tied together next to the weaving, then strings 3 and 4, 5 and 6, and so on till the end is reached. The loom is then turned around for the other side.
15. If you want to put a twig or dowel rod through the top to hold it, leave some room when you tie the strings. Or the twig can be placed next to weaving when you are in the process of tying it.
16. Realize that mistakes will be made and many times will not be seen when all the rows are done. Instead of tearing out rows, it is better to just have the student continue weaving.
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