Weave On!

When Beep is stressed or bored, he can spend hours weaving! (He can also spend hours eating, but that’s another story.) By weaving you can make cloth (or little blankets for Mini-Beep!)

If you want to weave, you’re going to need a few things: Yarn (don’t pull apart your mother’s sweater without permission), cardboard, tape and scissors. If you don’t have yarn, you can order a skein (oblong ball) of yarn for only about three dollars at many craft stores. It may seem complicated at first, and you may need some help (I recommend this for 3rd graders and up, though younger can try), but you’ll totally get the hang of it, I promise!

Step 1: Cut a piece of cardboard to become your simple loom. The one Beep is using is 4 and a half inches by 7 and a half inches, but you can vary the size (if you don’t have a ruler, make it about as long as a pencil). Measure and mark 8 short marks at a half inch (or about the width of your finger tip) on the top and 8 on the bottom using a marker or pencil, like this:

Step 2: Cut on the lines, making 8 notches on each end.

Step 3: Cut a long piece of yarn (any color, it will disappear as you go), about six feet long (as tall as your parents plus probably some more). Note: For longer cardboard, you’ll need longer yarn.

Step 4: Tape one end of the yarn to any corner on back of the cardboard. You can use clear tape too, or any kind.

Step 5: Now stick the yarn into the notch on any corner (like flossing a tooth) and string all the way down to the opposite notch on the front.

Step 6: On the back, pull the yarn into the notch next door (again, like going around a tooth).

Step 7: Pull down again on the front, into the opposite notch.

Step 8: Keep repeating until you have eight tight “guitar” strings on the front and stiches around the notches on the back.

Step 9: Cut the extra yarn and tape the end on back, like so:

Step 10: Your loom is done and you’re ready to weave! (Note: Playing air guitar at this point is optional, but fun.) Now cut another piece of yarn, anywhere from 3 to 5 feet long. This will be the first color of your cloth!

Step 11: Tape the yarn end on back (any corner). Note: This is the last time you’ll have to use tape.

Step 12: Now to begin the actual weaving. Weaving is an under/over/under/over pattern. Think of the end of the yarn as an inchworm or snake, and make it crawl under the first guitar string (technically called a warp, but you get my point.) Then have it crawl over the next string. Then under the next. That’s weaving! You’ll be slow at first, but believe me, you’re going to get fast!

Step 13: When you get to the end, pull the piece of yarn all the way through until it tightens (that’s why there’s tape on the back, to hold in place) then go back the other way, in the same under/over/under pattern.

Step 14: Keep going until you only have a few inches of yarn left.

Step 15: It may look like you’ve weaved a lot, but that’s because you haven’t yet combed or, as I call it, smooshed the yarn down so the warp isn’t showing. Do this with your fingers:

Step 16: To add the next piece, tie in a square knot and trim near the knot. You may need help if you don’t know how to tie knots. Or you can just start weaving the next color without tying, and just trim the ends later. Note: it’s perfectly okay to make your cloth one single color.

Step 17: Even though it’s a new piece of yarn, it’s the same under/over/under pattern. Weave until it runs out, smoosh it down, and add your next piece.

Getting the hang of it? You will! These were a lot of steps, so I’m going to wait until the next post to share some tips and tell you how to remove the cloth from the loom once you’re at the end. Weave on!

Always Be Creative and Have a Blast!

Beep Says Yay to You!

More soon…