How to Weave a Pot Holder
Weaving a pot holder is easy if you have a loom and a bag of cotton loops. You can buy these in a bag of assorted colors or in bags where all the loops are the same color. After setting up the loom, you can weave a pot holder in less than 30 minutes. The trickiest part is taking the woven piece off of the loom, but once you know how, even this becomes fast. This is a wonderful craft to use as a kid's introduction to weaving. The pot holders are practical hand-made Mother's Day and holiday gifts.
Instructions
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Stretch 17 cotton pot holder loops across the loom beginning at the farthest left peg that is at the top of the loom. Pull the first loop across to end at the peg that is at the farthest left position at the bottom of the loom. Work from left to right, stretching each loop from the top to the bottom. Your loom could have a different number of pegs so, if it does, adjust the number of loops you need to match.
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Begin weaving. Put one end of a pot holder loop on the bottom left peg that is on the left side of the loom. Allow it to stretch over the first vertical loop but push it under the second vertical loop, again proceeding from the left to the right. Bring the loop up at the right side of the second loop. Pull it over the third loop, under the fourth loop, alternating in this way until the loop reaches the right side of the loom. Securely place it over the bottom peg on the right side of the loom. While some people use a long crochet or wire hook to grab and pull the loops through the array of vertical loops, you can do this by grabbing and pulling with your fingers.
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Choose a new loop. Start it at the peg on the left side of the loom that is the second from the bottom. However, instead of pulling it over the first vertical loop, pull it under and then push it over the second loop. This loop will be stretched in the opposite direction in relationship to the first one. It makes a basket-weave pattern, in and out. Secure the loop on the right side of the loom at the peg that is the second from the bottom. Continue weaving loops working from the bottom of the loom up so that every other loop goes over a vertical loop alternating with a loop that goes under the same vertical loop.
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Push down on the woven fabric to tighten the pot holder after weaving each loop through the loom. You are done weaving when a loop stretches between each peg both horizontally and vertically. Next, remove the woven pot holder from the loom.
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Remove the pot holder from the loom using a crochet hook or your fingers. Start at the top peg on the right side of the loom. Pull the end of the loop off the peg and place it on top of the peg immediately beneath it. Pull the end of the loop that ended on this peg through the hole in the loop from the first peg. Put it down over the peg below it. Repeat until the pot holder is attached to the loom on the last peg, which will have two loops over it. Pull the bottom (original) loop through the top one that came from the peg to the left. Tie a knot to keep the pot holder from unraveling. The loop that remains is perfect for hanging the pot holder on a cup hook near the stove where you want to use it.
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