How to Make a Cardboard Loom

Learning to weave is entertaining for both adults and children. Follow these steps to make a disposable cardboard loom. You will cut your project off the loom at the end of your work, so it's a one-time tool, but a new one is so easy to make that you won't mind.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Square or rectangular cardboard
• Yardstick or straight edge
• Hole-punch, awl or ice-pick
• Yarn or other weaving material
• Scissors or craft knife
• Protected surface for cutting
• Large-eyed plastic needle or shuttle

Making a Loom

1. Cut your cardboard, using scissors or a craft knife, 1 inch larger than your planned project on each size. For example, to make a mat 6 x 8 inches, cut your cardboard 7 x 9 inches. The stiffer your cardboard is, the better your project will go. You can even use corrugated cardboard.

2. Punch or poke holes at 1/2-inch intervals all the way around the rim, using a hole-punch, awl or icepick. Place rows of holes 3/4 inch from the outer rim of your cardboard. It's a little easier if you can punch an even number of holes on two opposing sides, but not critical. Make certain that the holes are a bit bigger than your yarn or string, because you will be cutting away the cardboard edge when you finish and do not want to cut thread by accident.

3. Thread your loom. Begin at the top row of holes using the thread and needle. Anchor the thread at the first hole by running it through the hole twice. With the cardboard facing you, put the needle into the back side of hole and bring it through to the front. Pull the thread through and take it to the opposing (bottom) row of holes. Put the needle through the hole--this time, top to bottom.

4. Move the needle to the next hole and bring it from back to front. Go back to the top row, insert the needle top to bottom, move to the next hole, bring the needle bottom to top and return to the bottom row. Your finished result will show a line of parallel threads with a row of short stitches from one hole to another at each end. Secure the last thread as you did the first.

Using the Loom

5. Choose your weaving thread. In the setup, you used yard to create what weavers call the loom warp. The weaving thread is called the woof. Warp and woof together create cloth. Thread the needle with woof material.

6. Follow the stitching method you used to assemble your warp, at least for your first project. Your final work will be slightly loose, but you will have learned all the techniques you need to begin working with a free-standing warp on a larger loom, without worrying about which thread goes where or whether you are weaving too tightly.

7. Move your thread across the warp, going over the first thread, under the second, over the third and so on. On your second row, after you have put your thread through the hole, reverse what you did. Lay your thread over the thread that you wove under on the first pass and go under the threads you went over on your first pass. Keep going.

8. Use this example to help yourself keep track of what you are doing. Give each warp string an alphabet letter: a short example would run from A through J. Working from left to right, go over A, C, E, G, and I; go under B, D, F, H, and J. Coming back, you will go over J, H, F, D, and B; you will go under I, G, E, C, and A.

Finishing Up

9. Keep going over and under until you reach your last row. Secure the end of your woof, as you have other threads. Check your work for double rows or skipped warp threads. Either pull out work that follows the mistake, correct and redo, or decide you'll learn from your mistakes on your next project..

10. Cut along the rows of holes to free your project from your cardboard loom. Work slowly so that you do not damage warp or woof threads in the process (this is hard to repair). If using a craft knife, you can use a yardstick or other straight edge to protect threads as you cut.

11. Dispose of your loom and admire your project. Pull gently on corners, if necessary, to square if off. Thread loose ends from each corner on needle; knot and tuck loose ends into your weaving. Start planning your next creation.