Bank Holiday Crafting – Weaving on a Simple Frame Loom

Hello crafters,

I hope everyone is enjoying their bank holiday! I’ve got lots of crafty fun planned, starting with a go on my new frame loom. As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, I spent a few years living and travelling in Southeast Asia and China, and as a result I developed quite an obsession with woven fabric. Whilst I had a go on a few of the amazing looms I met on my travels, I never really had the chance to pick it up properly when I came back to the UK. However, that all changed after my trip to Japan, and more specifically to the amazing Ananda Store in Tokyo.

As you can see from these pics from their blog, it was a wool lovers dream with the most amazingly friendly and helpful staff. There were baskets of wool everywhere and when I arrived there were several people spinning yarn. I had a little nose around and was intrigued by some cute little frame looms. Naturally I just had to buy one. After a small demonstration and some catch ups online (tutorials for this were surprisingly thin on the ground), I got started and here is what I have so far (please don’t laugh!)

Here are a few pictures of the very basic technique I’m using (yes that is a chopstick, I’m so professional):

I’m using the chopstick to pick up every other warp thread (the thread on the frame) and then threading the yarn through. I’m doing a striped pattern so I’m using two colours of yarn.

To change colour you just lift the second over the first to interlock the yarn like in the last picture, use the chopstick to pick up the warp threads (the opposite of before, so if you picked up “even numbers” first, pick up “odd numbers”) and then thread the second colour through.

I have to say I’m having a lot of fun learning a completely new skill from scratch, and I love bank holidays because that extra day gives you the time you need to progress. I’m going for a picnic tomorrow (weather permitting) so I may well take my portable little loom with me. Watch this space for woven coasters, bookmarks and other super small items!

– Danni

About hedanni (Danni Haughan)

Hey! I'm the Danni half of the craft blog Danni and Charlie Do Craft. Maker, knitter, traveller who loves a good story & keeping it natural. I have one foot in Europe and the other in E Asia. 我会说一点汉语

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