Children's Hotpads Weaving Loom Directions

Weaving helps develop fine motor skills

Potholder looms are a popular introduction to weaving and an easy way for children to make hotpads and improve their fine motor skills. A child can make several potholders with a bag of multicolor cotton or wool loops. A potholder loom isn't limited to loops. A ball of yarn will work just as well. There is no limit to the color combinations or designs that a child can create. These woven pads can be given as gifts or used in the home.

Things You'll Need

• Potholder loom
• 1 bag of cotton or wool loops
• 1 crochet needle or hook

Instructions

1. 

   Experiment with color cominations.

   Select the loops you want to use. Decide to make a specific pattern by alternating colors. Use colors from the same color family or holiday colors, like red and green for Christmas or black and orange for Halloween.

2. 

   The warp is the vertical loops, and the weft is the horizontal.

   Fasten loops vertically (up and down) across the loom on the pegs provided. These loops will be the warp, or the loops through which the horizontal loops (left to right), or weft, will be woven.

3. Insert hook or crochet needle through the warp loops, alternating over and under. Attach a weft loop to the hook or needle, securing one end to a peg. Pull the loop through with the hook or needle and secure it to the peg on the opposite end.

4. Repeat step three on the next row. Go under the warp where you went over it in the previous row to create a woven pattern.

5. Continue weaving loops in this manner until there are no more empty pegs left.

6. 

   A crochet needle or hook helps finish your project.

   To finish the potholder, start at one corner and detach a loop from the peg. Put a crotchet needle or hook through the loop and hook the next loop, pulling it through. Continue this around the entire hotpad. This will keep the potholder from unraveling. Leave the last loop hanging, securing it with a knot, so it will hang on a hook.

References

• Weavezine: Potholder Loom: Basics and Beyond