Online Weaving School

Troubleshooting Common Rigid Heddle Weaving Issues

Weaving on a rigid heddle loom is an incredibly rewarding craft, but it’s not without its challenges.

Like learning anything new, time and patience are necessary to achieve your goals.

Something I have observed in my years as a weaving teacher is that most new weavers will experience the same issues that require troubleshooting. This is actually a good thing!

From a teaching perspective, I can identify problems that weavers are having very quickly by just looking at their work. And from a learning perspective, many weavers have gone before you with the same mistakes cropping up and there are many resources available to learn from to figure out where you went wrong.

Weaving should be relaxing, but common issues can unravel your peace.

Whether it’s uneven edges or frustrating warp tension issues, these common hurdles can leave weavers scratching their heads and feeling a bit disillusioned with the whole thing! The good news is that many of these problems are preventable with a little extra care, preparation and experience.

In this guide, we’ll explore why starting with a well-tensioned warp is essential, how patience in the setup process can save you from headaches later, and why taking the time to learn and reflect will make you a more confident and skilled weaver. Let’s turn those troubleshooting moments into learning opportunities!

1. Why a Well-Tensioned Warp is Non-Negotiable

I have no data to qualify this statement, but I feel confident is saying that at least 90% of negative issues encountered in the weaving process are due to something being off with the warp.

Consistency is more important than firmness of tension.

By this I mean that in the warping process you should aim to have all of your warp threads under approximately the same amount of tension, or as near as you can get it.

It’s no good achieving great tension on your edge threads and poor tension in the middle. Or vice versa. The idea being that if your tension is consistent while warping you can then focus on the tightness of the tension afterwards and all the warp threads will be under the same amount of tension.

Uneven tension causes a huge range of headaches to the weaver. Skipped threads, inconsistent edges, uneven or wavy weft picks, snagged or diving shuttles, heddle positions not holding correctly… I could go on!

How to achieve great warp tension:

There are so many methods for warping your rigid heddle loom and it’s definitely not a “one size fits all” process. In my last article I discussed the importance of great warp tension in more detail, so be sure to check that out.

I also recommend that you check out this playlist on Youtube for a variety of methods to consider:

Quick tips for achieving good tension:
- Adjust tension gradually and evenly.
- Test warp tension by bouncing your hand across the warp once it’s tied on.
- Separate your warp prior to weaving
- Take your time and explore different methods to find one that works well for you.

2. The Virtue of Patience in Setting Up Your Loom – Don’t Rush!

There are many things in life that can be rushed and completed quickly. Weaving is not one of them 😆 Rushing will inevitably cause mistakes due to overlooking an important step or process, trust me on this one!

There is so much more to weaving than simply throwing a shuttle back and forth.

There is the planning of the project, sampling if necessary to ensure appropriate yarns and setts. There is the careful warping, threading and readying of the loom prior to weaving. There is the double checking to ensure correctness of threading and steps (especially important for newer weavers!) And that is all before we actually get to the weaving!

Embrace the process:

If you feel impatient initially, try to let the process envelop you and teach you to go slowly.
Setting up the loom is an integral part of the craft, enjoy it!
Take breaks if you feel frustrated—it helps avoid costly errors and gives you a breather.
Try to do your warping in a space where you can leave the loom if needed.

Tips for setup success:
Create a checklist for each setup stage so you don’t miss any steps.
It can be great to have a helper for your first project at least. They can hold the warp for you so you don’t have to focus on more than one thing at once. Another set of eyes can also help to pick up errors you may overlook.

3. Giving Yourself Time to Learn and Reflect

This ties in very closely with the last point on patience, but is less about the physical weaving and more about your learning journey.

We all learn in different ways and to be effective we need to give ourselves a lot of grace when learning something new. Perhaps you are the type of learner who just “get’s it” right away or perhaps you are more like me and need more time.

One thing that I do frequently, and have since I started weaving, is to grab one of my weaving books off the shelf and quietly flick through to see what strikes me that day.

Repetition is so good and necessary for learning. There have been many concepts that I had convinced myself I was not smart enough to learn, but it just takes persistence and not giving up on yourself.

Weaving is a journey, not a race:

Learning takes practice; each project builds skills. Start small and grow as you go.
Mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow.

Tips for cultivating a learning mindset:

Keep a weaving journal to note challenges and solutions.
Reflect on what worked and what didn’t after each project, and why.
Seek out advice and resources from weaving communities.
Have good quality books in your weaving library to refer to over and over.

4. Troubleshooting Common Issues (and How to Avoid Them)

These are what I see to be the most common issues that new rigid heddle weavers will encounter:

Uneven edges (selvedges):
- Causes: inconsistent tension, improper beating, fraying edge threads, inappropriate warp threads used.
- Solutions: Ensure proper warp tension to begin with, try to beat evenly, be sure to use a yarn that is suitable for warping. If edge threads are too loose, try using weights on those threads over the back of the loom. If they are too tight and middle threads are looser, try some wedging techniques as demonstrated in this video.
Broken warp threads:
- Causes: tension too tight or uneven (so some threads end up super tight while others are loose), friction from the heddle (some yarns are more susceptible to this than others).
- Warp yarn is not strong enough to be suitable for warping.
- Solutions: choose a suitable warping yarn, ensure warp tension is not exceedingly tight, angle your weft before beating so it has room to settle rather than drawing in too much at the edges.
Skipped threads:
- Causes: threading errors, uneven tension, incorrect angling of a stick shuttle as it travels through the thread. These problems will create floats and imperfections in your work.
- Solutions: check threading, rethread problem areas if needed. Be vigilant with how you use your shuttle so it’s not inadvertently picking up warp threads it shouldn’t.
Gaps, uneven and slightly scrapping weaving:
- Causes: uneven beat, inappropriate sett, slippery yarns.
- Solutions: Getting a feel for a correct beat takes time and practice. For a balanced weave, you want a balanced beat. Try to think of pressing your weft into place, we are not whacking here! Hop up and view your work from a few different angles every now and then. Take photos of your progress and review. (Why? For some reason, mistakes stick out like a sore thumb when viewed as a photo! 🤷‍♀️) Again, an uneven warp will impact how your weaving appears. An incorrect sett will have a big effect on your finished weaving, so make sure you figure out the ideal sett before commencing.

It’s good to remember that challenges are part of the weaving journey. I have never personally made a weaving mistake that I couldn’t fix, which is very encouraging!

Having a community to turn to when your weaving is not going so well is invaluable. If you can’t meet with other weavers in person, online groups like my free Facebook group are wonderful for networking and inspiration.

Perhaps you’re ready to level up your weaving in a really supportive atmosphere with a library of online classes at your fingertips? Check out the Online Weaving School!

I hope these tips have been helpful to you, feel free to share your favourites in the comments below.

I have also put together a downloadable Rigid Heddle Loom Setup Checklist as a free resource just for you, enjoy!

Rigid Heddle Loom Setup Checklist Download

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Lost your creative mojo? Read this!

by Kelly 10 Comments

Every creative person experiences a loss of mojo at some point.

You know that feeling when you really want to be creative but you either can’t figure out what to do, or you simply don’t have the mental or physical energy to begin?

Thankfully there are some concrete steps you can take to make your way out of this uninspiring headspace and regain that creative mojo.

Here are the tips that always get me back on track:

HEALTH FIRST

An absolute essential is to take stock of your current overall health status. Have you been looking after yourself physically and mentally? Are you getting adequate sleep? Is your loss of mojo a result of over tiredness? If you have a chronic illness are you getting correct treatment or doing all the things you know you should be doing to avoid flare ups?

Although it’s not something that you can necessarily get on top of right away, it’s something that needs your attention first. If you have been neglecting any aspect of your health, start taking steps right now to improve that situation!

MESS IS STRESS

Cleaning up your creative space when you’re lacking energy may not sound like the best advice, but for me this is one of the best ways for me to feel inspired again.

I find that a cluttered space can also make me feel cluttered mentally, which is stifling to creativity. I never regret having a good old fashioned clean up as it allows me start afresh and start to feel like so much is possible again!

Another side benefit of cleaning up your space is you often rediscover lost materials, ideas or even partially started projects. Sorting these things will help you to prioritise and decide on what to do next. Sometimes that will be working on a project to get it finished and sometimes it could be more ideal that you get your creativity flowing again by starting something brand new.

Once you start cleaning you may not feel like stopping. Perhaps you will come up with a new layout or more ways to organise your creative stuff for the future too.

RESOURCES FOR INSPIRATION

Inspiration is actually everywhere, we just don’t always see it.

When I’m lacking mojo I love to flip through some of my favourite books. It can remind me of ideas I’ve already had or weaving drafts I’ve been wanting to try, or it can give me an idea for a new project.

It can be helpful to search on Pinterest and grab some new pins for your inspiration boards.

Youtube is an amazing resource for learning and inspiration where you can find almost anything you want to learn. Did you know that I have almost 400 videos on my weaving channel now? I also have a second channel, Providence Ridge that is a great source of inspiration.

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You can find more online inspiration in the form of podcasts, Facebook groups and other online communities. When you have a membership with the Online Weaving School you gain access to a wonderful members only group.

GO AWAY

Here is another idea that seems counterproductive but actually works – get away from your familiar surroundings for a little while!

You know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. By removing yourself from what you’re accustomed to seeing and doing you can come back to it with fresh eyes and a new appreciation.

Not only that, but often you will find new inspirations in a different setting. Whether it’s a nature hike, a visit to the beach, a road trip, visiting galleries or so much more, you can be inspired by nature or things you don’t see everyday.

TRY SOMETHING NEW

Perhaps you’re feeling bogged down by your craft. How about trying something new? I have done this frequently over the years and what I have discovered is that, rather than take me away from my main craft (in my case – weaving!) the more skills you learn the more you can contribute to that chosen craft.

And if you do try something new and feel that is the right time for you to move away from what you have been doing into this new endeavour, that is also a good thing. As an artist/craftist/maker we often feel compelled to be creative and to use our hands to make things. We don’t need to restrict ourselves in this and there are so many ways to achieve artistic expression.

I hope this article has been helpful to you!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Weaving School Birthday Giveaway!

by Kelly

You know you’re busy when you completely miss important milestones, like I did this year!

The Online Weaving School turned 7 last week and yes, I totally forgot 🤦‍♀️

But it’s never too late for a celebration, right?!

One of my favourite ways to celebrate a milestone is with a giveaway, and from past experience I don’t think any of you object to the idea either.

Before I launch into the specifics, I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who has supported me these past 7 years. Kelly Casanova Weaving Lessons simply would not exist without you, nor would Kelly Casanova Designs. I am grateful for you!

OK, here is the deal. There will be one prize winner. The prize is:

A one year Premium membership to the Online Weaving School worth $157USD

If you already have a Premium membership, you will receive $157USD credited to your PayPal account. If you have a monthly or 6 monthly membership, you will be upgraded to a Premium membership for one year.

3 digital download patterns (your choice but patterns only, ebooks excluded) from my Shopify store worth $24 – $35AUD.

FOR A VALID ENTRY

Please ensure you have registered an account with the weaving school. It is free and easy to do, and will ensure that if you win I can enrol you in your membership without any problems.

2. Tell me in the comments below what winning this prize would mean to you.

Please note that all comments need to be approved manually (thanks spammers 🙄) so please be patient as you wait for approval.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO JANET, WHO HAS BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL.

Best of luck to all of you!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

You are a failure at weaving!

by Kelly 26 Comments

I don’t think I need to ask whether you have that little voice in your head that tells you negative things.

The one that, if you listen too much, will convince you that you are a failure. That you’re not smart enough. Not capable enough. Nope, sorry kid, you’re just not gonna make it!

I’ve heard a lot of people tell me they are a weaving failure. When I hear that, I inwardly sigh. I’ve been there, I know how it feels to be sure that you just can’t do it.

“But Kelly, how you can understand, you’re so good at weaving! You teach weaving to thousands of people all over the world! You’re so talented!“, I hear you thinking, even if you don’t say it.

What some people don’t realise is that I got to where I am today simply because I did not give up. I wanted to be a weaver and so I was determined to make it work.

“Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.” – C.S. Lewis

Sometimes it was really hard. Often I wanted to give up. I didn’t want to feel that I was failing over and over. Like most people, I wanted instant success. I still do – it’s a journey.

Oh, and by the way, about that talent thing? Hard work and persistence trump talent any day. Put in the work, do it consistently, learn from your mistakes and just keep going. That is the simple formula for weaving success.

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

What if we switch this failure thing on it’s head here for a minute? So, you’ve started to learn how to weave and it’s difficult, probably quite a bit more difficult than you envisioned. It’s frustrating, and the only time you’re having fun is at the occasional magic moment when it all comes together and works.

Here are some thoughts that might be running through your head in the moments of frustration:

“I’m not suited to this”.

“I’m not smart enough to do this”.

“I simply lack the ability to do this”.

“It’s too hard!”

Now we will turn those statements around so that we are still acknowledging the frustration, but in a positive rather than negative way:

“I’m not suited to this” – “This all feels so unfamiliar at the moment, but I will get past that”.
“I’m not smart enough to do this” – “Anyone can learn this, myself included”.
“I simply lack the ability to do this” – “I will keep practicing to learn the skills I need”.
“It’s too hard!” – “This sure is a challenge, but I know it won’t always feel that way”.

The first statements are what I think of as “giving up” statements. The second statements are you being your own little cheer squad 😀

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas A. Edison

I see a lot of newer weavers who are simply too hard on themselves. There is a plethora of reasons as to why we (myself included) put ourselves down and talk negatively to our inner selves. The power of the mind is huge and can work to our disadvantage or advantage.

There are so many common traits that I see, and so many of them can be easily remedied.

Impatience. Oh yeah, you know it. We are an impatient lot these days. We want what we want and we want it now! But does it make us happy? Indeed, it does not!

High expectations. As I’ve said before, it’s better to have high hopes than high expectations.

Unrealistic goals. Goals are great, I love setting personal goals. But setting goals that are waaaay beyond your current skill level with not always be beneficial. Be realistic about what you know now, what you want to learn next, and how you can use those skills in your next project.

Comparison. I’m sure that you’ve heard the quote “comparison is the thief of joy“. Don’t try to start at somebody else’s finish. There are so many different learning styles, levels of comprehension and learning paces. It’s OK to learn the way YOU learn!

Finally, I’d like to leave you with this most excellent quote:

“Remember that failure is an event, not a person” – Zig Ziglar

Your weaving project is just some yarn on a loom, if it’s not going well, don’t internalise it.

I hope this article was helpful to you!

If you feel that you would benefit from some help in your weaving, check out the Online Weaving School for a huge variety of classes for all skill levels.

If you sign up for a membership, you also receive access to the private member’s group. This wonderful community may be just what you need to boost your confidence.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving

5th Birthday Giveaway!

by Kelly 183 Comments

This month the Online Weaving School turns 5! 🥳

It’s hard to believe that the years have passed so swiftly and that the weaving school has come so far since it’s humble beginnings in 2017.

If you want to find out more about how the weaving school began, you can check out this post or this Youtube video.

Please note, this post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

To celebrate 5 wonderful years of learning, sharing and community, I’m having a giveaway! Are you ready to have some fun? 🥳

I’ve teamed up with Nicky from Thread Collective for some awesome prizes.

Here are the prizes, in no particular order:

$100AUD to spend on Ada Cotton Yarns. These beautiful cotton yarns are Australian grown and come in a range of vivid and happy colours. The winner can choose from Ada Cotton Laceweight or Ada Cotton Sock Yarn (8/4 weight).

$100AUD Gift Voucher for the Thread Collective. The winner can choose what to spend the voucher on. You could spend just the voucher amount or you could use the voucher towards a larger purchase, the winner gets to choose.

This is a fun one 😉 If you purchase a new membership during the month of May, 2022, you instantly go in the draw to win a membership refund. This applies to any membership (and yes, if you’ve already purchased in the month of May you are automatically entered). If the winner purchased a Premium or Basic membership, they would receive a full refund for their first year. A 6 monthly membership would receive a full refund for their first 6 months. And a monthly membership would receive a full refund for their first month.

If you purchase a membership this month, you are still free to enter the other prize draws!

How to enter:

Leave a comment underneath this post (comments posted elsewhere will not be accepted, sorry!) telling me how the Online Weaving School has impacted your life.

Two comments will be selected to win either the Ada Yarns or the Gift Voucher. One winner will be selected to receive the membership refund.

The giveaways will be drawn at the end of the month, May, 2022. Winners will be notified by email.

A big thank you to Nicky from Thread Collective for collaborating on this giveaway! And a massive thank you to all of you who support my work and make the Weaving School possible ❤️

P.S. If your comment does not show up right away, don’t panic! I have comment approval turned on to keep the spammers at bay and sometimes it may take a while for your comment to show.

If you want to see the companion video for this post, please watch here:

*THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW CLOSED, THANK YOU TO ALL ENTRANTS.

CONGRATULATIONS TO JOAN, HELEN AND LORI!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Herringbone on a Rigid Heddle Loom

by Kelly 202 Comments

I am really excited to be offering the Herringbone on a Rigid Heddle Loom class!

Not just because herringbone is such an enchanting weave, but also because this class is very unique.

Usually when I release a new class, I focus on a particular technique or means to set up the rigid heddle loom. This presents a problem. I’m always asked how to set up in other ways.

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

For example, if I use a single heddle, heddle rod and pick up stick to weave a particular project, students will ask how to weave it with two heddles. And vice versa.

For this class, I decided to spoil students by providing not just one, but three options for setting up the loom to weave herringbone.

This helps to cater for different learning styles and also differing budgets.

Method one uses two heddles, a pick up stick and a heddle rod.

Method two uses one heddle, 2 heddle rods and a pick up stick.

Method three uses three heddles.

Each method provided has step by step video instructions, visual threading charts and written instructions.

Students will complete a classic herringbone scarf as the class project.

To complete this class you will need:

A rigid heddle loom, 10″ or wider

10 dent heddle (number of heddle required depends on your method choice)

Also, depending on your set up choice, you may need:

Pick up stick

Heddle rod/s

Elastic bands

Tapestry needle

Full yarn requirements will be available upon enrolment.

The class will be available for single purchase, or, if you are a member of the Online Weaving School, this class will be included in your membership. Premium members currently have early access.

Now, for a little fun! As a pre-release celebration, I’m offering two of you the chance to win this class. The winners will be given access to the class upon it’s release shortly.

Here are the entry requirements:

You will need to be registered with the Online Weaving School. That way, I can enrol the winners in the class.
In the comments section below, tell me whether you would be most interested in method one, two or three to complete the class.

The winners will be announced at the end of this week.

Please note – if you don’t see your comment posted right away, don’t panic, I have to approve all comments first.

*UPDATE – THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS – ERIN MCGANN AND LYETTE MONGEON

What is art cloth?

by Kelly 10 Comments

I think of art cloth as a happy meeting of art and weaving.

It doesn’t have to be anything set or particular, art is a difficult topic to distinguish as it can be so incredibly broad.

Usually, when we plan a new woven piece, we start with calculating, sourcing materials, deciding on pattern and colour, and visualising how the finished project might look. It is already an artistic process by default.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

But when I think of art cloth, I think of a piece that is truly my own. I think of multi media techniques and the introduction of tools and materials that I might not ordinarily use in my weaving. I think of creating a piece that will not look like any other, it will be completely unique and original.

What an exciting concept!

I have just completed filming my new class, Art Cloth Workshop.

I’ve been spent a lot of time sampling and exploring, carefully considering what techniques I might like to share with students, testing to ensure quality control and choosing what I think gives great results and is achievable for anyone.

The curriculum plan includes some of the following techniques:

Warp painting
Inlaid overshot
Clasped weft
Sun printing
and more!

This workshop is a little different to many of my classes in that it is not specifically project based. I do provide project ideas along the way, but the focus is more on sampling to explore the techniques. Once you have learned how to implement them, you can decide whether to go ahead and use them in a project.

The class is filmed on my 24″ Ashford rigid heddle loom. We use a wide variety of materials, and details of these are provided in the class.

The workshop is completely pre-recorded so that you can learn in your own time.

If you are a member of the Online Weaving School, you will have free access to the workshop.

The class is also be available for single purchase.

To view the introduction video to the workshop, click below.

If you are ready to access the workshop, click on this link to enrol.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

The Heart Scarf Free Project

by Kelly 12 Comments

The Heart Scarf is my free project for the year of 2021. Let me give you a little bit of background as to why I’m doing this and how I came about designing this project.

Last year, when the pandemic hit, I released the Wash Your Hands Towels project, which was a hugely popular project. I know that all of you appreciated so much, having something concrete, beautiful and creative to be able to fix your minds on in a time where there was such uncertainty.

I loved doing that project so much for you that I wanted to do something similar this year. And something that has really been on my heart and in my mind for most of this year in particular, is that I know there are so many people out there that as a result of everything that’s been happening in the world are chronically lonely.

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

So I wanted to create a project whereby you as the weaver would be weaving this beautiful scarf called The Heart Scarf. And you’d be weaving it with someone in particular in mind, someone who may be struggling with loneliness, perhaps they’re not able to get out and see their family and friends like they normally would.

Or you might know someone who’s struggling, feeling down, perhaps they live alone, or they have some other difficulties that cause them to feel that loneliness, really, that’s one of the most heartbreaking things for me to think of is that there are people out there who are just desperately lonely.

If we, as the makers of beautiful things, can do anything to make someone’s day a little bit brighter, then that’s definitely something that I want to be a part of. And I know that many of you would want to as well.

I’ve written a short poem from my heart. This poem is available to print out in either cursive or print, along with the free pattern. Once you’ve finished your scarf, you can package it up with the poem if you so choose, or perhaps with something that you want to write yourself and send it off to the recipient.

Perhaps you’re feeling really lonely yourself, perhaps it’s been an awful year for you, perhaps you’re having a hard time for other reasons. If that’s the case, I would love for you to weave this scarf for yourself and you can consider the words of the poem from me to you.

Let’s get down to the nitty gritty and go over the project details, starting with what you need to complete this project:

A rigid heddle loom.

Now, the width of my scarf on the loom is 11″ and I used my 24″ rigid heddle loom. BUT, if you have a smaller loom, you can absolutely weave this scarf. If you have a 10″ Sampleit or a Cricket, just warp the full width of the loom for a slightly narrower, but equally lovely scarf.

A 7.5 dent heddle/reed.

Again, this doesn’t have to be sett in stone. (Get it? Sett in stone?) If you don’t have a 7.5 dent heddle, you can use your 8 dent. If you want to change the heddle size completely, yes, you can – but you would also need to change to a more appropriate yarn size, so just bear that in mind.

Pick up stick

We use a single pick up stick to create the beautiful, textural scarf pattern. The pattern is simple to pick up with your stick and also simple to weave with a 4 step repeating weaving sequence.

Stick shuttle

You only need one stick shuttle for this project, as we use the same weft yarn and colour throughout the project. As long as it’s wider than the width of the piece on the loom (11″), you’re good to go.

Tapestry needle

This is an essential for hemstitching. My favourite tapestry needle of all time is the Clover Gold Bent Tip Needle. I’ve talked about these needles before, but I love them for several reasons:

They slide through hand woven fabric beautifully
The bent tip makes it really easy to dive down and come up through the fabric without having to perform hand contortions!
They are affordable
They are gold! Who wouldn’t love that?! (And if you’re prone to, ahem… losing things, the gleam of the gold is quite helpful!)

Fringe Twister

Whether you twist your fringe or not is optional, but it is a beautiful way to finish your scarf. I talk about some other options for fringes in the finishing video if you want to choose a different way. There are many brands of fringe twisters available, I have had a LeCLerc Fringe Twister for many years and have been very happy with it.

Reed and threading hook

Most rigid heddle looms will come with one or both of these, but I would like to recommend the Ashford Doubled Ended Hook for it’s durability, ease of use and affordability. I have a whole bunch of these little hooks around my studio and my old metal threading hook that used to split all my threads doesn’t get a look in anymore.

Yarn

To see all the yarn details, please download the pattern. For the warp, I used Lion Brand Mandala yarn in Gnome, dk weight. This yarn is an acrylic, but I have some other suggestions in the pattern if you prefer to look at other options. My weft yarn was a super wash wool in dark grey in a fingering weight.

Weaving level

I designed this project to be achievable for beginners but interesting enough for more experienced weavers. If you are an absolute beginner, I recommend that you take my Woe to GO! Beginner’s class before attempting a project like this.

How to get the pattern

The file underneath has a “download” button at the bottom. Click on that to download, then choose either to print the file or view it on your screen. The pattern PDF includes all the details you need for the project, including yarn amounts, materials, pick and weaving sequences plus the poem in either cursive or print – your choice!

The-Heart-Scarf-Free-Pattern-1 Download

You can view the first of 6 videos on Youtube –

The full video lessons and printable pattern are also available all in one spot at the Online Weaving School if you would prefer to watch there.

I hope you love this project and bring joy to someone’s life (or to your own!) by taking part.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

My biggest ever mistake in weaving

by Kelly 29 Comments

Quite a few years ago now, we bought our first family DSLR camera. I loved photography when I was in high school and spent as much time doing it as I was allowed. I think one thing I loved about it was it was the only subject in which I felt free and unrestricted.

I could take one of the school’s SLR (pre- digital days!) cameras home when I wanted. I was given access to the school dark room in my spare time, and thankfully, my parents paid the bills for the photo paper and chemicals without grumbling.

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So, getting our first entry level DSLR was like reliving a bit of that favourable part of my teenage life. It wasn’t long before I decided I wanted to take a course to learn the camera inside out. I enrolled in an online course, which was quite an investment for our single income family at the time, and started learning.

I became completely engrossed. I lived and breathed photography for the best part of a year. I loved the assignment challenges and started making my own challenges. Thankfully, I had 4 beautiful children who were my willing subjects. I started to dream up themes for photos. I made costumes, visited beautiful locations and used interesting props.

So, what does all this have to do with weaving?

Well, I was already a weaver when I started the photography course. But I was in a “not so positive place” with it. I was trying to learn new and interesting techniques, but it was really hard. I was putting pressure on myself to make perfect, Instagram worthy pieces that I just wasn’t ready to undertake.

Homeschooling, mothering, attempting to supplement our income didn’t leave much time for creative pursuits. Photography fit well, because the children were very often my subjects and were always with me when I was doing it, so it fit well.

As time went on, I wondered whether weaving was really the right thing for me. My rigid heddle loom sat empty month after month. My husband had bought it for me as a gift. I felt guilty that I wasn’t using it.

Most of all, I felt that I wasn’t capable of learning all I wanted to on this loom, and so my motivation lagged completely.

The frustrations that I’d been having with weaving built up in my mind and sat upon my shoulders as a heavy burden. Guilt, annoyance, frustration, lack of motivation – all these negative emotions around weaving were just penned up. I didn’t share this with anyone, and so it went on, and so the loom continued to sit empty.

And this was my biggest mistake.

So, what happened? Well, eventually the novelty of lugging that somewhat heavy camera around, countless hours of making costumes and finding new locations began to wear off. I started to remember what had attracted me to weaving in the first place, and why I felt compelled to make my own cloth. I started to notice beautiful yarns again. Ideas began to bubble up in my mind.

But the most important thing that happened is that I just put a warp on the loom.

I took a step. I don’t remember what it was that I made. Maybe it was just a simple, fun, non committal, explorative weave. Maybe it was something to wear or something for my kids to use in their play house. I really don’t remember, and it doesn’t really matter. The point is that I just did it.

I do still get weaver’s block to this very day, especially when I’m challenging myself to learn something new, but the difference is in how I handle it. I ensure that whenever those negative weaving feeling start creeping back in, I do something about it!

I have many resources that can help you get past the frustrated weaver point and on to weaving beautiful things. Here are a few suggestions:

Keep a weaving journal. Document your projects and how far you’ve come. Add in your future weaving plans, include pictures, colours, snippets of yarn. Use your past projects to build on.

Make a creative space. This is not possible for everyone, but even just a corner of a room, somewhere you can set up your loom and some yarns can help. If you don’t have to lug out all your materials every time you want to weave, you will be more likely to do it.

Make time for regular weaving – even if it’s 15 minutes at a time. You will make progress if you keep at it.

Make a Pinterest board or a mood board for inspiration. This can be as loose or as planned as you like.

Immerse yourself in the weaving community. Join groups (online or face to face), watch Youtube videos, listen to podcasts. These will help keep you motivated and prevent feeling isolated.

Join the Online Weaving School. When you purchase a membership, not only do you get access to the class library full of courses for all different weaving levels, you also receive an invitation to join a wonderful weaving community.

You may also be interested in these relevant videos:

Have you ever felt paralysed in your weaving journey? What helped you out of it? Or, if you are in a rut, what are you going to doing about it? Let me know in the comments below so we can keep the discussion going.

I hope this post inspires you to warp up your loom and get weaving!

Oh, and I do still indulge in photography from time to time, but I must admit that my newer Canon DSLR is used a lot more for filming classes than anything else! The big plus from all my photography practice is that I’m now capable of taking some pretty decent photos of my weaving.

If you’re interested in improving your photography for weaving purposes, check out my Photography for Weavers class. All you need is a phone and some of your hand weaving to get started!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Welcome to The Online Weaving School

by Kelly 59 Comments

Are you new to the Online Weaving School – Kelly Casanova Weaving Lessons? This is a guide to help you get started and find the right class for you.

Already a member? Log in here!

Hi, I’m Kelly!

I am very blessed to be able to pass my passion for weaving on to thousands of students all over the world.

At Kelly Casanova Weaving Lessons I teach in a way that is relaxed and unrushed. I share everything that I can think of to help you grasp a concept, and most classes are step by step, project based learning.

I don’t feel like a teacher, more a weaving friend who is eager to show you some really cool things!

So, grab a cuppa, pull up your weaving chair, and let’s get learning!

New to rigid heddle weaving? Start here!