Crafts for kids: how to make a loom for weaving

Weaving is an art that can be easily taught to our children:  the weaving of the strands and the repetitive motion required is very interesting for little kids and can be turned into a game.   An educative game because it helps increase hand eye coordination and their overall knowledge!  In this post, you will find all the steps required to make a loom out of cardboard with your kids which you can then use to produce colorful and precious woven pieces!  

You will need

1 piece of cardboard
Wool or cotton yarn
4 wooden sticks (for sale at Funlab)
Scissors

How to do it

The loom

Using a ruler, draw lines 1 cm from the other along both sides of the cardboard. Cut the cardboard along these lines stopping around 1/2 cm in from the edge.
Your finished loom should look like this:

The warp

The warp of the loom will be created by vertical strands which we will then use to weave our design.

String the yarn through the first slit in the cardboard (top left), remember to leave a long enough piece behind (you will need this to tie off your work at the end).

Once you have inserted the yarn in the first slit on the top, move down to the bottom of the cardboard and pass the yarn through the first slit on the left.

Continue this process by passing the yarn through the second slit on the bottom and then bring the yarn to the top of the cardboard and pass it through the second upper slit.  This should be repeated until you have reached the desired width of your warp.

The front side of your cardboard should look like the picture below (many tight vertical strands) and the back should be empty except for the loops between the slits.

Insert one craft stick on the top and the other on the bottom of your loom under the warp.  We will use them to ease the weaving process and to leave the appropriate edge for the project.

Take a long piece of yarn and tie it onto a craft stick.  The craft stick will act like a needle and help us move the piece of yarn through the warp.

The weft

Start to move the craft stick through the warp. Remember to go over and under the warp strands until you have reached the other side.

With another craft stick, move the weft up towards the top so that there is no room between the strands.

Adding more yarn!

Your weft can be made of many different colors! All you have to do is make a small knot with a new strand of yarn when you reach the edge.

Finishing the project

Once you have finished the weft, remove the two craft sticks from the ends of your loom. Start to slide the warp off of the cardboard piece. Make sure that you do slip any stitches.

Cut the loops and tie off.

You are done! Our project has become a blanket for a little bear. What will yours become?

Linda di Pane, amore e creatività