This is a fun and easy way to make a loom that works just spiffy! I found a wooden spatula at the local thrift store for $1 and instantly thought “drill a few holes and I have a loom!” Amazing, right?
Take a ruler and mark across the center of the slots in the spatula. Mark (I used a pencil) where to drill the holes and using a drill bit that isn’t so big as to cut into the slots… begin drilling.
I ended up with 5 drilled holes on each side of the slots (4 slots) in the spatula. Giving me room for a total of 9 strands of yarn. I’m using some Aunt Lydia’s brand rug yarn that I found at the thrift store. I then took a small round stick file to file down the inside of the drilled holes… just to make sure the yarn wouldn’t catch as it slides thru.
I then cut 9 strands of equal length yarn (about 1 to 2 yards in length). This is called the warp yarn (I’m using grey for my warp strands). Place one strand thru each drilled hole* and slot and the using a surgeons knot I secured the ends to a square scrap piece of wood. You could use a pencil or a round piece of wood… but I’ve found square works better than round so you can wind your woven work around the stick as you progress. It doesn’t come unrolled from a square stick as easily as it does from a round one making it more difficult to manipulate the weaving.
*You can use a large eye needle to place the strands thru the drilled hole, but I just use a long piece of thin jewelry wire, folded in half, the same way you would use a needle threader.
Using another scrap piece of wood we cut a “V” in each end to make a shuttle to wrap the pink weft yarn around the shuttle. It’s best to use a figure 8 to wrap the pink weft yarn so it doesn’t become too thick around the shuttle making it difficult to put thru the warp strands.
To weave:
1. place the handle of the spatula between your knees or thighs in a comfortable position so the spatula stands upright. I like to do this while sitting on the couch with the foot rest (recliner) out so that the handle is further braced by the seat of the chair. The recliner also helps with the next step lol
2. Take the far end of the grey warp yarn (the one not tied to the stick) and tie the end in a knot. “Split” the strands in half (give or take) right before the knot …so for mine there should be 4 strings on one side and 5 strings on the other side… and slip this over your big toe. You will be using your big toe to place tension on the strands as you weave. You could also just tie it to something but I just use my big toe because that way I can use my loom in the car on road trips etc and it is completely portable!
3. Place some tension on the warp strands using your foot… and using the stick you tied on to the front of the warp strands… lift the stick up and then slide the shuttle thru the strands (right to left). The strands in the slots will lift up while the strands in the drilled holes will stay in place. (Note: Leave a couple inches worth of tail of the pink weft yarn hanging loose so you can weave it in using a needle later).
4. Now alternate the warp stick up and down using the shuttle to go back and forth (right to left on the up and then left to right on the down) between the strands. As you progress you can roll your woven product onto the warp stick so it is not in your way.
This is a different tape/belt loom that a friend made for me (a bit fancier and holds more strands) but I include these photos so you can see how the strings should look as you lift the warp stick up and down.
To finish your work you will need to tie the warp ends into square knots (2 strands tied together), trim the ends short, and then hem tucking the loose strands under the hem.
My spatula makes about a 2″ wide woven piece… which is perfect for making belts, guitar straps, purse straps, and other trim. The length is determined by how long you cut the original warp strands. The woven pieces can also be sewn together along the edges to make a striped effect piece of cloth perfect for making a backpack!
Happy crafting, happy weaving and feel proud that you repurposed something that you probably already have stuff in the back of a kitchen drawer and don’t use! Lol
Conestoga Chuck 