How to Weave With Cardboard

A simple weaving pattern like this one can make a striking impression on your walls.

From tapestries to rugs to wall art and wearables, weaving creates a variable and colorful fabric. Most weaving looms are expensive and require a significant amount of space. If you want to try weaving on a smaller scale, you can learn how to weave with cardboard as your loom. Use some cardboard you might have lying around your house to make art to adorn your walls. Yarn is a versatile weaving medium; choose yarn in a variety of textures and colors to create a unique woven piece.

Things You'll Need

• Corrugated cardboard from a packing box
• Ruler
• Box cutter
• Masking tape
• Yarn in various colors and thicknesses
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Trim a piece of heavy cardboard to the size you would like your woven piece to be.The dimensions of the cardboard loom will determine the dimensions of your finished hanging. A traditional wall hanging would be rectangular. You can trim the cardboard to match the size of a standard wall frame if you desire, then frame your finished piece.

2. Measure across the top and bottom edges of the cardboard and make a pencil mark every 1/4 inch. Make sure the marks on the top and bottom edges align with each other. Use a box cutter to cut notches about 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep at each mark.

3. Tape the end of a strand from a ball of yarn to the back of the cardboard loom to anchor it. Begin to wrap the yarn vertically around the cardboard: Anchor it in the top leftmost notch from back to front, bring it down the front side of the cardboard to the bottom left notch, and anchor it from front to back. Move the yarn to the next notch to the right on the bottom, anchor it from back to front through the notch, bring it up the front side of the cardboard and anchor it in the corresponding top notch from front to back. Continue to wrap the yarn in this pattern, moving from left to right across the cardboard. Keep the yarn taut but not so tight that it bends or warps the cardboard. When you have wrapped the whole piece, cut the yarn strand and tape the tail to the back of the cardboard. The yarn you've just wrapped on the loom is the warp thread.

4. Cut a long strand, approximately 36 inches, from a second ball of yarn and thread it onto a tapestry needle. Start in the top left corner of the cardboard piece and tie the yarn to the warp thread, taping its tail to the back of the cardboard. Using the needle, weave the yarn alternatively over and under the warp threads, working from left to right. The yarn you're weaving with is the weft thread. When you reach the last warp thread on the right edge of the loom, weave over or under it as required, turn the needle back to the left and bring the weft thread around the last warp thread, either over or under. Pull gently on the yarn to tighten it, but not so much that you pull the last warp thread to the left. Weave back across the warp threads from right to left.

5. After you make one complete pass across the loom, use your fingers or a hair comb to push the weft thread up to lie against the previously woven weft thread. This makes a more dense woven fabric. If you want a more open fabric, you can skip this step, but try to keep an equal distance between each new weft row. Change colors every few rows to make stripes or change colors in the middle of a row to create a pattern.

6. If your yarn runs out, tie on a new ball of yarn and continue weaving, tucking the knot beneath the woven threads. When you finish weaving the whole piece, tie the end of the yarn to the last warp thread, taping the tail to the back of the cardboard. You can leave the woven piece on the cardboard, which will give it a sturdy backing. If you prefer, you can pull the weaving off the cardboard. Cut the loops of yarn from the warp thread at the top and bottom, then tie them off to secure the piece.

Tips & Warnings

• Once you master the basic weaving process, you can learn new patterns and styles for weaving the weft thread to create visual interest in your pieces.

• Alternating thinner and thicker weft yarns will alter the thickness of your stripes and add texture to your weaving.

• String buttons or beads on your yarn as you weave if you would like a three-dimensional look.

References

• Incredible Art Lessons: Weaving Project