WEAVING ON THE SCHOOL LOOM
Welcome to weaving with the School Loom. Weaving is the process of interlacing two sets of
threads to make a fabric. One set, the warp, is held taut by the loom; the other set, the
weft, is woven across the warp threads. There is no limit to the possibilities that can be
explored by changing colors, sizes, and textures of the weaving materials.
Learning to weave on the School Loom is easy and fun. The simple instructions in this
booklet explain how to assemble the loom, put on the warp, and how to weave.
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Diagram 3: The School Loom
Materials Required
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School
Loom with 2 pick-up sticks and 1 weaving needle, included
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Cotton yarn or string for warp
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Several soft, thick yarns in lots
of colors for weft
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Scissors
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Fork or tapestry beater (optional)
Weaving Terms
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Beam Teeth: the plastic “combs” attached to the top and bottom beams.
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Beams (top and bottom): the cross pieces of the frame.
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Plain Weave: the most basic weave, in which the threads weave over, under, over, under.
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Shed: the space between raised and lowered warp threads in which the weft passes through.
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Shuttle: a tool for holding and carrying weft.
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Warp: the weaving threads which are held taut on the loom.
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Warping the loom: putting the warp threads on the loom.
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Weft: the weaving threads which are woven crosswise through the warp threads.
Warping the Loom
Step 1: (Diagram 4)
Tie the warp string onto a tooth of the bottom beam near the side of the loom.
Step 2:
Bring the string from this point straight to the top beam and place it around a tooth on
the top beam. Now bring the string back to the bottom beam and around the next tooth.
Step 3:
Repeat steps one and two until the entire width of your warp is
placed onto the loom, and end by tying the warp string onto the
bottom beam.
Diagram 4: Warping
the Loom
Beginning to Weave
Cut a length of weft yarn about 2 to 3 yards long, and thread the
weaving needle.
Row 1: (Diagram 5)
Step 1: Weave one of the pick-up sticks under every other warp thread as
follows: place the stick over the first warp thread, under the second warp thread, over
the third, under the fourth, and so on, across the loom.
Step 2: Turn the stick on its side to create an opening (called the
shed).
Step 3: Place the threaded needle through this open shed and pull the
thread through until only a 2” tail of yarn remains.
Step 4: Turn the pick-up stick back to its flat position and slide it up
to the top of the loom. Leave this stick in place while you work row 2. You will need it
again for Row 3.
Diagram 5: Weaving
Row 1
Row 2: (Diagram 6)
Step 1: Weave the other pick-up stick under all the threads of the warp
as follows: beginning at the edge, place the stick under the first warp thread, over the
second warp thread, under the third, over the fourth, etc. across the loom. (It’s a
good idea to check at this point that both pick-up sticks are correctly woven. Simply
slide the second stick up to the first stick at
the top of the loom, and check to see if the sticks hold alternate threads, all across the
warp.)
Step 2: Turn the second stick on its side to create the new shed. Tuck
the 2” tail from row 1 into this shed.
Step 3: Run the threaded needle back through this open shed and pull the
thread until it turns and fits close to the edge warp thread. Do not pull the weft thread
so tight at the edge that it forces the outer warps to pull in toward the center.
Diagram 6: Weaving Row 2
Step 4: Use your fingers or a fork to push the second row of weaving down
next to the first row.
Step 5: Remove the second pick-up stick from the loom, but leave the
first pick-up stick in place at the top of the loom for row 3.
Row 3:
Slide the first pick-up stick down and repeat row 1, steps
2 - 4. Pull the weft thread through the shed until it turns and fits close to the edge
warp thread, and use your fingers or a fork to push this row next to the previous row.
Row 4: Repeat row 2, steps 1-5.
Continue to weave in this manner, repeating rows 3 and 4 until your weaving is
done.
Remove the weaving from the loom:
Cut the warp ends at the top of the weaving as close to the top of the loom as possible.
Lift the warp loops from the bottom beam teeth. Tie small groups of warp ends with an
overhand knot along the top edge of the weaving to prevent the weaving from loosening. If
the bottom edge of the weaving is close to the loops, you may leave it as is, or if there
is enough yarn to tie overhand knots at the bottom, tie knots there as well.
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Further Reading About Weaving
Charlie Needs a Cloak, by Tomie DePaola
The Goat in the Rug, by Charles Blood and Martin Link
Hands on Weaving, by Barbara Liebler
Learning to Weave, by Deborah Chandler
A New Coat for Anna, by Harriet Ziefert
The Tapestry Handbook, by Carol K. Russell
Weaving, by Susan O’Reilly
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