Kelly Casanova Weaving Lessons

Weaving

10 Perfect Christmas Gift Ideas for Weavers 🎄

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If you’re shopping for a weaver this Christmas, you may be wondering what to get them. Weaving is such a creative and rewarding hobby, and there are so many tools and goodies that make thoughtful presents!

Whether you’re buying for a beginner who is interested in getting started in weaving or a seasoned weaver who seems to have everything, this guide will help you find the perfect gift.

Here are 10 Perfect Christmas Gift Ideas for Weavers that range from practical tools to fun little luxuries.

1. Beautiful Shuttles

Every weaver needs shuttles – and it’s super handy to have extras.

Stick shuttles are affordable, easy to load with yarn and effective to weave with. I recommend getting stick shuttles that are already lacquered, unless you plan to lacquer them yourself. Lacquered shuttles glide beautifully through the warp without resistance.

Handmade wooden boat shuttles are not only functional but can also be a work of art. Look for shuttles in unique woods, ergonomic design and skilled craftsmanship for a truly special gift.

I love my personal collection of hand crafted boat shuttles from Pickers Ridge. They are carefully crafted in Australia from sustainably sourced wood and are a delight to use.

2. Hand-Dyed Yarn or Dyers Kit

Weavers love yarn (you can’t really go wrong here). Hand dyed yarn is something special, created by artisans with love and care. Perhaps the weaver in your life is interested in learning to dye yarn at home for their own unique weaving projects.

Yarn dye kits are available to enable beginners to dyeing to get started without having to source all the ingredients themselves. For those interested in natural dyeing, a gift voucher for an online class would be a perfect gift.

3. Rigid Heddle Loom or Heddle Upgrades

If your weaver has a rigid heddle loom, an extra heddle/ reed in a different size will expand their possibilities. Or if you know that they are wanting to level up to weaving with more than one heddle of the same size, that is also an excellent option.

Pick up sticks – Pick up sticks are a low cost way for a weaver to up their weaving game. A pick up stick allows the weaver to “pick up” warp threads in order to create additional sheds and varied patterns without the additional cost of new heddles.

4. Handy Weaving Tools

Small tools make perfect stocking stuffers and are great lower cost gifts. Think: weaving combs, beaters, threading hooks, tapestry needles, or a good pair of small scissors. Tools in brass, wood, or other special finishes are extra thoughtful.

Here are some of my favourite handy tools that are in constant use in my studio:

Bent tip tapestry needle – wonderful for weaving in tails off the loom, hemstitching, hand seaming and embroidery on the loom.

Double ended threading hook – I love these hooks so much because they sit flat, they are flexible, easy to store, affordable and they are two tools in one!

Dressmakers shears – Sharp scissors are an essential for weavers. What I love about dressmakers shears is they are nice and long for cutting warps off the loom and also indispensable for weavers who love to cut and sew with their handwoven fabric.

5. Inspiring Books

There are so many wonderful weaving books available! A weaving book can spark fresh ideas, keep creativity flowing and teach brand new techniques.

Books play a huge role in my own creative life – ok, confession time, I’m a little addicted to books! They are such a wonderful way to learn and inspire, and they align perfectly with my learning style.

Here are some of my personal favourites:

Rigid Heddle Weaving

The Weaver’s Idea Book – Jane Patrick

Inventive Weaving on a Little Loom – Syne Mitchell

Multi Shaft Weaving

The Handweaver’s Pattern Directory – Anne Dixon

Next Steps in Weaving – Patty Graver

Inkle Weaving

The Weaver’s Inkle Pattern Directory – Anne Dixon

In Celebration of Plain Weave – Annie Machale

6. Online Classes or Memberships

The gift of learning never goes out of style! An online weaving course or membership (like my Premium Level Membership) makes a thoughtful present for a weaver who loves to expand their skills.

Over at the Online Weaving School you will find a huge array of weaving classes for a variety of weaving disciplines and levels.

Students can learn in their own time and in the comfort of their own home – no commuting long distances for expensive in person classes. They also receive one on one support when needed.

Gift vouchers are available, so consider giving the precious gift of learning to a weaver today!

7. Yarn Storage & Organization

Yarn has a way of multiplying! Help your favourite weaver stay organised with a yarn bowl, project or rigid heddle loom bag, or beautiful storage basket.

If you have noticed that the weaver in your life has a collection of heddles with nowhere to keep them when not in use, a heddle rack could be the perfect solution. Or, if you’re handy with woodworking, you could follow these simple plans to make one.

With trends in home organisation being a very popular topic these days, it is easy to find all kinds of storage solutions for weavers. For more ideas, check out this detailed resource.

8. Finishing and Yarn Tools

Fringe twisters, Strucket for easy wet finishing and draining, or a basic sewing machine are practical gifts that make projects look polished and professional. These are the kinds of things many weavers don’t necessarily buy for themselves but are thrilled to receive.

To help your weaver become really proficient with yarn, here are two super helpful tools that can work together or individually:

  • Yarn Swift – If you have hanks or skeins of yarn rather than a ball or cake you will need to prepare it before weaving with it. Placing the skein on a yarn swift holds it in place for you and turns as you wind your ball. I have a Glimakra swift but they are harder to find these days. This one looks like a good alternative.
  • Ball Winder – You can thread your yarn from the yarn swift directly to the ball winder to make a yarn ball or cake. As you turn the handle of the ball winder, the swift also turns, feeding the yarn off so that the two tools work together seamlessly. I use my ball winder a LOT in my studio!

You can also find a swift and ball winder combo package.

9. Little Loom Fun

Little looms provide a lot of relaxing fun for the weaver and are usually much more affordable than a larger or more complicated loom.

The Zoom Loom is a type of pin loom by the Schacht company that allows you to weave small squares. You can keep it simple with plain weave or get more invested with patterning. The squares can be used for a huge variety of projects when sewn together to create larger pieces of fabric. I actually just purchased a Zoom Loom for myself, I’m having fun weaving squares and exploring patterning possibilities 😌

There are also pin loom weaving books available for extra learning and inspiration.

If you are interested in doing some more research on weaving in small spaces, check out this resource.

10. A New Loom or Gift Card

If you’re looking for a big-ticket present, you can’t go past a new loom! A rigid heddle loom, a table loom, or even a floor loom will make their Christmas unforgettable. For those hard-to-shop-for weavers, a gift card or certificate from their favourite weaving supplier is always a safe bet.

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

🎁 Final Tip: If you’re a weaver yourself, don’t forget to share this list with family and friends so they know exactly what’s on your wish list this year!

I hope you find this list helpful and valuable.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Waffle Weave Made Easy: Step by Step Guide for Rigid Heddle Looms

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Waffle weave is a beautiful structure that adds texture and softness to your handwoven projects. In this step-by-step photo tutorial, I’ll show you exactly how to create waffle weave using your rigid heddle loom and a pick up stick.

Waffle weave is fun for beginners or any rigid heddle weaver looking to expand their rigid heddle skills. This guide will walk you through the setup and the weaving process so that you can incorporate waffle weave into your repertoire in no time at all.

If you would like to see a video tutorial with closed captions and a free printable PDF that includes the pick up, weaving sequence and yarn details, head over to the Online Weaving School to enrol in the free class.

The Pick Up

The first thing we need to do is insert our pick up stick to create the additional shed we need to weave our waffle weave. Make sure your pick up stick is wider than your warp.

For this particular pattern we’re doing a 2/2 pick up, which means 2 warp threads will be on top of your stick and 2 will be underneath, alternating across the warp.

Ensure that your heddle is in the DOWN position to begin your pick up.

When your pick up stick is in place you can place the heddle back in neutral. Feel free to secure your pick up stick with some waste yarn if you feel concerned that it might slip out of place.

The Weaving Sequence

Load your stick shuttle with yarn. Waffle weave looks great with both contrasting or muted colours, because the texture still makes it pop.

Place your heddle in the DOWN position and weave one pick (row). Beat.

Place the heddle into the UP position. Bring your pick up stick forward to behind the heddle but leave it laying flat. Weave one pick and beat.

* HANDY TIP –

You may need to take the shuttle manually around the edge of your outermost warp thread to prevent it drawing in too far and skipping an edge thread. I have an article that explains this method here.

Place the heddle in the DOWN position once more. Weave one pick and beat.

Place the heddle in UP. Weave one pick and beat.

This step is a bit different. We leave the heddle in the neutral position, slide the pick up stick forward until it sits behind the heddle, then turn the pick up stick on edge to create the shed.

Weave one pick, then beat.

HANDY TIP –

Your pick up stick, once turned on edge may, or may not stay in place. If it keeps wanting to flip down rather than stay on edge, simply hold it with one hand while the other hand holds the pick up stick on edge.

The last shed in the weaving sequence is – heddle UP. Weave one pick, beat.

That is one complete weaving sequence. To continue, you just head back to step 1 and start all over again. Don’t forget that there is a free printable for the pick up sequence, weaving sequence and some yarn details plus a free, closed captioned video tutorial available here.

Ways to use Waffle Weave

Waffle weave has such a lovely texture and can be either eye catching or understated, depending on the aesthetic you’re going for.

The appearance can also be altered according to your chosen yarns. With a thicker yarn (like the DK weight wool I use in this tutorial) your pattern will be bold and spacious. With a lighter weight yarn (like an 8/2 cotton) the pattern will be fine and detailed.

Waffle weave is terrific for utilitarian items, as the texture creates absorbent cloth. Think dish cloths, kitchen towels and hand towels.

A baby blanket (or even burp cloths!) would also be a beautiful item to utilise the loftiness of waffle weave. I’m thinking of a very soft fingering weight or DK knitting cotton to weave a sumptuous fabric fit to be close to delicate baby skin.

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

You can check out a free video tutorial for this technique here –

I hope you can now see the potential and versatility that waffle weave could bring to your rigid heddle weaving projects! For more ideas on how to use pick up sticks in rigid heddle weaving, you won’t want to miss this resource!

Exclusive Printable!

Would you love this tutorial in a printable PDF format? I have a 6 page printable PDF available so that all the steps are at your fingertips. This is an exclusive printable and only available right here ⬇️

Grab the low cost printable here!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Peanut Chocolate Slice Recipe

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This peanut chocolate slice recipe is currently one of my favourite treats to eat! It is so easy to make, doesn’t use complicated ingredients and it’s a great healthy alternative to a sugar filled sweet.

With nourishing and delicious ingredients like almond meal, raw honey, natural peanut butter and raw coconut oil, you may well be just like me and want to eat this every single day!

You get to decide on your portion sizes to fit with your lifestyle. I make my portions quite small and usually eat one square a day, maybe two on a Sunday 😊

Recipes like this one are very adaptable to personal tastes and situations. Don’t want the honey? Leave it out! Prefer to use melted dark chocolate as your topping? Yummo!

Peanut Chocolate Slice

No bake, easy make, healthy sweet treat slice!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings: 20 squares
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Almond meal
  • 6 tbsp Natural peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp Raw cold pressed coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp Raw honey
Topping
  • 1.5 tbsp Cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup Raw cold pressed coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp Raw honey
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Method
 

  1. Mix together the almond meal, peanut butter, coconut oil, honey and vanilla in a large bowl.
  2. Mix thoroughly until you have a cookie dough like consistency.
  3. Place in a bread baking tin lined with non stick paper and press down to flatten out.
  4. Refrigerate while you make the topping .
  5. Melt the coconut oil, stir in honey and cocoa.
  6. Pour over the top of the base and refrigerate once more. You can speed it up by placing the tin in the freezer if you prefer.
  7. When the slice has set (give it a couple of hours if you can!) turn out onto chopping board and cut into squares or bars if you prefer.

Notes

The taste of the slice only improves over time. If you can resist (I know, it’s hard!) leave it until at least the next day before you start eating. 
Store in the fridge for up to a week or keep for 3 months in the freezer (yes, you can eat pieces straight from the freezer 😉)

If you are interested in health, peri menopause, living well with illness and weight loss, check out my Youtube channel here:

I hope you enjoy this nourishing recipe and if you do, please leave me a comment to let me know, I always appreciate your feedback.

Best wishes for a happier, healthier and hopeful day!

Kelly

Mobius Shawl 10 Year Celebration Project

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This project is designed for the adventurous beginner up to the more advanced weaver.

In this article you will see the basic calculations for the Mobius Shawl Project. There is a Deluxe Printable Version of the pattern available here which includes full calculations, step by step instructions with colour photos and also gives the option of calculations for a full shawl or scarf project to give you more choices and options.

Rigid Heddle Loom Project

To complete this project you do need to know how to warp and weave on your rigid heddle loom, and have ideally completed a project or two (or at least a sample or two).

If you want to learn more about rigid heddle weaving or gain more confidence with your loom before attempting this project, I recommend my online course, Woe to Go Beginner Rigid Heddle Weaving.

You have a lot of yarn choices for a project like this, but when choosing colours I recommend that your warp/ plain weave weft contrasts well with your pattern weft to make your Danish Medallions pop.

For my shawl I used a fingering weight wool for the warp and plain weave weft and a dk weight wool for the pattern weft.

Be sure to follow along with the video for more specific instructions, and grab the printable 15 page Deluxe pattern if you feel you need step by step instructions.

What you need to complete this project:

* Rigid heddle loom 24” weaving width or wider

* 1 x 10 dent heddle

* 2 stick shuttles longer than the width of the project

* Crochet hook or threading hook

* Direct warping peg or warping board

* Reed and threading hook

MOBIUS SHAWL PROJECT INFORMATION

Sett – 10

Number of ends – 238

Number of slots – 119

Width on the loom – 23”

Total warp length – 88”

Weave structure – plain weave with Danish Medallions

Shawl length off the loom – 75”

Wet finishing – Soak garment in warm, mildly soapy water (don’t agitate) for at least 1 hour. Warm rinse, press out excess water between clean, dry towels, gently pull into shape and dry flat in the shade. Dry completely and cut off tails. Press on appropriate iron setting if needed.

Sewing – Flat felled seam, use sewing machine or hand sew

YARNS:

I chose to use Bendigo Woollen Mills 4 ply Luxury (fingering weight) for warp and plain weave.

I used Bendigo Woollen Mills Prism Mystic 8 ply (DK weight) for the pattern weft.

For the warp-

  • Fingering weight (navy) – 145 grams

For the plain weave weft-

  • Fingering weight (navy) – 109 grams

For the pattern weft-

* DK weight (variegated) –   49 grams

The wraps per inch for the fingering weight yarn: 20 wpi

The wraps per inch for the DK weight yarn:  15 wpi

Possible Yarn Substitutes-

Fingering weight-

Jubilee Yarn Merino Fingering weight

Cascade Heritage Sock Yarn

Berroco Ultra Wool Fine fingering

DK weight-

Wool Weave Hand Dyed Merino dk

Nice Wool Gradient

Be sure to watch the video tutorial on Youtube to follow along with:

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

I hope you really enjoy weaving this Danish Medallion Mobius Shawl. Thank you for all your support over the last 10 years, I’m looking forward to the next 10 💕

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Can You Direct Warp a Table Loom? My First Time Experience

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I often have students ask “can you direct warp a table loom?” and my answer was always “yes, but I haven’t tried it”. Well, that has changed because I just direct warped my table loom for the first time!

Traditional Table Loom Warping

The usual way to warp a table loom is to make your warp on a warping board, remove it and space it in a raddle and then take it to your loom and roll your warp on, then thread the heddles, sley the reed, tie on and then you finally get to weave! 😆

If you are brand new to table loom weaving, this is a more advanced method. I recommend that you start with my online course, Weaving on a Table Loom.

Direct Warping

One thing I really enjoy about rigid heddle weaving is the ability to use a warping peg/s to direct warp. This means that the warp is made on the loom without additional exterior tools or actions. It’s super fast and fairly simple once you have some practice.

So I decided it was time to experiment by trying a direct warp on a table loom for myself. I had just assembled the new Flex Conversion Kit to my Flex Rigid Heddle Loom and wanted to warp it with a project to try it out. This method will work for any table loom.

I settled on weaving a 4 shaft scarf from my Crackle Scarf Collection pattern. A scarf is such a great project when you want to get to know a new loom.

I spent a bit of time considering the best way to warp a table loom directly and decided that warping front to back would be easier than my usual back to front, for a variety of reasons. Warping from the front to back allows you to use your reed to space the warp without the need for a raddle (that’s a bonus if you don’t own a raddle!)

I filmed an in depth walk through video for the Kindred Weavers members on Youtube and this article is a brief overview of that video. If you want to see the full video, consider joining the Kindred Weavers for exclusive videos, priority comment responses and early access to new uploads.

Be Sure To Calculate and Plan

Before beginning your project, be sure to calculate and plan. Exactly how you direct warp your table loom will be dependent on your sett or ends per inch. That will determine how many threads you pull through each dent of the reed.

How To Direct Warp a Table Loom

The first step is to set up your table loom ready for direct warping. The important part is to turn your loom around so that the front of the loom is facing away from the direct warping pegs.

The warping begins at the front of the loom, using the front apron rod. Tie the warp onto the front rod to begin.

Using a threading hook, pull your attached warp thread through a dent in the reed and take it to your direct warping peg. Take the warp thread over or under the apron rod and through the next dent in the reed.

Continue warping in this way for the width of your warp. If you are familiar with warping a rigid heddle loom, this part will be quite familiar, except there are just slots in the reed as opposed to slots and holes.

When your last thread is tied to the apron rod you can commence rolling the warp threads on to the front beam. It is helpful to use some choke ties to keep the warp length in order. You can use your own preferred method for rolling on the warp, I opted to use the yank and crank method.

I began by threading from the front by picking up the threads in order from the reed pulled to the front. Threading from the front makes the use of a threading hook difficult, so I threaded through the heddles by hand. Some of the warp ends were slightly frayed and this interfered with the threading by hand. I also had some trouble picking up the threads in correct order from the reed, as I had to bend over to check the order, causing neck and back fatigue. So, I decided to try threading from the back.

This proved to be more simple and straightforward than I imagined! Once I got used to the idea that my shafts were backwards I found threading from the back easier without any neck or back bending.

When threading is complete it’s time to tie on to the back apron rod. I left extra warp for this step because I wanted fringes on my scarf.

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

The last step is to wind the warp from the front to the back. We can’t weave and advance the warp unless this step is completed. Just take the brake off the front (but keep some tension on it so it doesn’t unwind too fast!) and slowly and evenly wind on to the back.

Now you’re ready to separate your warp and weave!

The full video is available below ⬇️ for members of the Kindred Weavers on Youtube.

I hope this overview was helpful to you! Did you know that I am a reseller for Lojan in Australia? Feel free to contact me with enquiries about Lojan products.

In the US, Lojan products are available from Revolution Fibers.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

When No One Notices

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I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on the strange pressures of living a creative life online.

In the weaving world, there’s so much inspiration to be gleaned – endless projects, beautiful photos, clever ideas. It’s wonderful, but it can also creep up on you in ways you don’t expect. Sometimes it feels like there’s an unspoken rule: keep producing, keep sharing, keep impressing. You need to do something new! If you don’t? You fall behind and get forgotten.

Of course, no one says this out loud. But that’s how it can feel.

I’ve found myself getting stuck in this mindset more than I’d like to admit. I catch myself thinking:

“I need to have something new to show. Something exciting, something impressive. Otherwise, why would anyone pay attention?”

And when I do share something I’ve made that I was excited about and it lands quietly, with hardly a comment or a like… it gets under my skin more than I want it to. I start questioning the work itself:

“Was it not good enough? Was it boring? Did I waste my time? Have I lost my creative spark?”

Even worse than that, my original thoughts and excitement about the piece change. Because, if no one likes it, if it’s not popular it’s less valid, right? 🤔

It’s not just about weaving, either.

I’ve noticed this happening in other parts of my life too, most recently with my health. This year I’ve been working consistently on some major changes. Eating better, moving more, taking care of myself, prioritising my health and getting stronger.

I’ve lost some weight, I feel stronger and healthier, but – hardly anyone has said a word. No “You’re looking great!” or “You seem really well!” Not even from people close to me. Literally the only person to have notice the changes is my husband.

And honestly? It’s made me question whether the effort is even worth it.

It shouldn’t be that way. I know it shouldn’t. We’re supposed to be motivated by our own progress, our own joy in the process. I am proud of the changes I’ve made, both in my weaving and in my health. But I’ve realised how easy it is to get tangled up in needing recognition to feel like something counts.

When something goes unnoticed, it’s tempting to think it wasn’t valuable. It can be so hard to keep going, keep striving for improvement when you feel alone in it.

But that’s not true.

Some of the most meaningful work we do – in creativity, in health and in life happens quietly, without applause.
The growth, the learning, the persistence, the small daily choices still matter. Even when no one notices.

I’m sharing this because I suspect I’m not alone in feeling this way. If you’ve ever poured time into a weaving project and wondered why it didn’t get more attention. If you’ve ever made positive changes and felt deflated when no one cheered you on – please know this:

It’s normal to want encouragement. But it’s also possible to keep going without it.

It could be helpful to examine your own sources of motivation and purpose. I’ll use weaving and health as some examples in my own case:

MOTIVATION 1 – WEAVING

My desire to weave began with a fascination but there are other factors that have made me remain a weaver rather than giving up.

  1. I feel called to spread beauty throughout the world.
  2. Using my hands to create brings me joy and stillness
  3. I love to help others
  4. Weaving feels very special and unique to me
  5. I love giving handmade gifts

MOTIVATION 2 – HEALTH JOURNEY

  1. I love to feel as physically well as I possibly can
  2. Being overweight is unpleasant and slows me down
  3. I don’t want my auto immune disease to dominate my life
  4. As I age I want to gain strength and be capable
  5. I like my clothes to feel comfortable and I want to feel good in my own body
  6. Being healthy and exercising is great for my mental health

For me, this is a lesson in finding deeper motivation. Not the quick hit of approval, but the steady satisfaction of knowing I’m moving in the right direction for me. That’s what really matters.

Weaving has always taught me patience. It’s teaching me this lesson too.

Thanks for reading. I hope this article resonates with you and helps you to think through your own perceptions in a positive way.

So, tell me. Have you ever felt this way? Perhaps, like me, it’s something that you struggle with frequently? Drop me a comment down below to share your experience ⬇️

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Support my work 😊

I love weaving but I hate warping

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One of the most common things I hear from new students is:
“I love weaving… but I hate warping.”

And I get it completely!

Warping can feel tedious, slow, and (if things go wrong) a little discouraging. When you’re excited about starting a new project, it’s tempting to rush through the setup so you can just get to the good part – the weaving!

I wouldn’t say I hate warping – not at all. But I definitely feel that tug of impatience when I’m partway through winding a warp or threading a rigid heddle, and my mind is already dreaming about the fabric to come.

I think it’s fairly natural to just want to get to the good part 😀

But when I hear someone say that they hate warping, my first thought is “then something in your warping process needs to change”. Unless you have a huge weaving school or you’re mega rich and can pay someone to warp your loom for you, the warping is going to come down to you.

Why Warping Feels Like a Roadblock to Some Weavers

Over the years, I’ve realised that what many weavers dislike about warping isn’t the task itself—it’s the fear of making mistakes, or the uncertainty of whether it will all work out. If a weaver lacks confidence and is convinced that warping will be hard then yes, it will feel hard.

Questions like:

  • Did I calculate this right?
  • Is my tension going to be uneven?
  • Why are some threads shorter than others?
  • Why is this yarn so twisty and tangly?!
  • What if my tension is off and I won’t know until I start weaving?

Sound familiar?

A Shift in Mindset: Warping is Part of the Weaving

When I started weaving, I saw warping as the boring “set-up” before the real fun began. But over time, my perspective changed. I started seeing warping as part of the creative process, not separate from it.

Here’s what helped:

  • Taking my time to work through the steps
  • Having a clear plan before I even touch the loom
  • Using it as a moment to slow down, focus, and prepare—like priming a canvas before painting
  • Understanding the warping as an essential part of the process
  • Viewing the warp as the heart of the loom – a vital component to a happy weaving project

Now, even when I feel a little impatient to start weaving, I remind myself that the care I take in warping lays the foundation for everything to come.

Tips to Make Warping Easier (and Less Stressful)

If you or someone you know struggles with warping, here are a few things that might help:

  • Use a calculations sheet or online calculator – it helps you stay organised and confident in your numbers
  • Stick with warp-friendly yarns – smooth, strong yarns are more forgiving for beginners
  • Start with manageable warps – a short, narrow project is less daunting and easier to troubleshoot
  • Watch a video tutorial as you go – it can make all the difference to have a visual guide alongside you.

And most importantly—give yourself grace. Warping gets easier with practice. Even if it’s not your favourite part, it doesn’t have to be the thing that stops you from getting to the good part – the weaving!

If you are looking for beginner online courses to get you more comfortable with weaving, be sure to check these out:

Rigid Heddle Weaving Beginner Course

Table Loom Weaving Beginner Course

Floor Loom Weaving Beginner Course

What About You?

Do you enjoy warping? Do you rush through it, or take your time with it?
I’d love to hear what your relationship with warping looks like—and if you have any tips of your own, please share them in the comments!

One Final Thought…

I can’t go away without leaving you with this one very important fact. Years of practice in the art of weaving has taught me this truth: Everything in weaving is fixable!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Krokbragd Inkle Weave Along Student Work

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During the month of June 2025 I released the Krokbragd on an Inkle Loom course. I also ran the Krokbragd Inkle Weave Along – a fun and interactive way for students to start weaving krokbragd together.

There was a private Facebook group for those participating in the Weave Along and it quickly became a thriving space with students sharing their work and troubleshooting common issues.

We also had a super cool giveaway – a Lojan Inkle Loom which was won by one lucky participant.

I wanted to show you some of the beautiful student work that was shared during the weave along. Some students followed the class designs exactly, others branched out and used some different colors and some even took the leap to design their own krokbragd bands! 👏👏👏

Bands by Laura

Bands by Barbara

Bands by Leslie

Bands by Loraine

Bands by Monica

I am always impressed to see the willingness to learn and enthusiasm of students. Even when the technique is brand new, they come into the class with an openness that is wonderful to see.

I think you will agree that these bands are absolutely beautiful. I hope you find them as inspiring as I do!

If you are interested in learning how to weave Krokbragd on an Inkle Loom, check out the comprehensive online course and make a start!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Fallen out of love with weaving?

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If you’re feeling uninspired by your weaving lately — or wondering where the passion went, know that you’re not alone. Every creative journey has its ebbs and flows. You’re just not feeling it lately, I get it. But does this mean that you have fallen out of love with weaving?

I want to assure you that it’s very natural to have periods of time where you just don’t feel motivated to weave. For some people it will be a few days long, for others it will be “my loom is in the back of the closet” long!

Taking a break from weaving is absolutely fine and sometimes it’s really necessary. But I feel very sad when someone tells me they are giving up altogether. I feel that, with the right tools, information and motivation, most weavers can reset and get their weaving mojo back.

Today I’m going to take you through a few ideas and mental exercises that may be just what you need to get re-started.

Take a Trip Down Memory Lane

It doesn’t really matter whether you’ve been weaving for a shorter or longer time, these methods apply to all weavers.

I want you to think about the time leading up to, and beginning to weave for the first time. Cast your mind back and consider these questions:

  • What drew you to weaving in the first place?
  • What were your first projects like?
  • What excited you most back then?

Now I want you to write down the words and/or phrases you would use to describe those early feelings. Think of it as a brain dump – you can write whatever emotions you remember feeling at that time, both positive and negative.

I’m going to share my list of words with you as an example, but please use the words that apply best to you.

My Words and Phrases

Happiness, joy, intrigue, fascination, wonder, disbelief, enraptured, amazed, hopeful, confused, frustrated, curious, excitement, immersion, something to look forward to, dreamy.

Now that we have a list, first highlight the words you would consider to be negative. Choose 3 of those words. We’re going to look at those negatives in a different way to turn them into positives:

Felt ThenPositive Outcome
ConfusedLearning and understanding, clarity
Frustrated Patience, learning through further research
OverwhelmedSlowing down, one step at a time

Now we’ll take a look at the rest of the words and again, choose 3 to work with. This time think about how that positive emotion has contributed to your overall weaving journey, and where it has allowed you to get to.

Felt ThenWhere it took me
FascinationA habit of curiosity and interest
HopefulKept me going when it was hard
ImmersionAllowed to expand my skills

The point of this exercise is to remind you of the positives surrounding your creative journey and to illustrate that even the perceived negatives have a necessary place in learning.

Why Do We Lose Enthusiasm?

There are so many reasons why we might find ourselves at a point of thinking we have fallen out of love with weaving. Some reasons may include:

Repetitiveness leading to boredom

Pressure to be productive or guilt that you’re not using your loom/s

Comparison or perfectionism

Lack of time/energy

Not knowing what to weave next

Poor health or chronic illness

Sometimes you need to go backwards in order to go forwards. That is why we did the exercise of words and emotions, it’s a strong reminder of you as a newbie weaver.

Practical Ideas to Reignite Joy

Here are a few ideas that can help to kickstart a little reset and have you feel that joy for weaving like you used to:

Student Wisdom

I asked some students of the Online Weaving School to share their own thoughts and advice when it comes to the concept of falling out of love with weaving.

Inga has some great advice about acceptance:

“I know that falling out of love with weaving (or any craft) will happen. I also know the spark will come back, so I try not to sweat it if I’m in a slump. I have everything I need to jump right back in as soon as the spark hits.“

Gai had some wonderful ideas about keeping the spark alive in a small way when you can’t be working on bigger things:

“I had never used a pin loom before, but this loom arrived when I was at the start of a year-long health issue that left me, both physically and mentally, unable to use my RH or inkle looms. This little loom took no effort to warp and weave, and I believe it kept me sane during a very difficult time. I literally made hundreds of 4” squares during this time, beginning with just random squares in any colour wool or cotton that I laid hands on.

The humble pin loom kept me in the creative realm by giving me something new, simple and undemanding to do and, I believe, it inspired me to explore even more on my other looms when I was able to start weaving on them again.“

Katie found that the rediscovery of a special yarn she had purchased as a new weaver, plus discovering another beautiful alpaca yarn to go with it, was the perfect solution to getting out of a weaving rut.

“I found that, for me, even switching out my choice of fiber could jump start the creative process again!”

Are You Ready to Fall Back in Love With Weaving?

Consider the possibility that you haven’t lost your love for weaving—it’s just waiting for you to notice it again, perhaps from a different angle. The spark is still there and can be reignited.

I hope this article has helped or inspired you to consider ways that you might fall back in love with weaving!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

3 Fears Stopping You From Starting Your Creative Business (And How to Start Anyway)

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You dream of turning your weaving or handmade craft into a business—but something keeps holding you back. I have noticed over time that there tends to be 3 fears stopping you from starting your creative business.

When I asked my YouTube audience if they wanted to start their own business, over half said yes. So why don’t more people get started? Why are they stuck and can’t get their business idea from their head into reality?

I have been running my own six figure weaving business for 10 years now and you could say that I’ve learned a thing or two about how to start and run a successful business.

The 3 Biggest Fears

Today, I want to walk you through what I perceive to be the 3 biggest fears that stop most creative people from starting. I want to also give you some simple baby steps you can take to begin— no need to quit your job, spend a fortune, or announce anything big to the world.

Fear 1: Fear of What You Don’t Know

“I don’t know how to start a business.”
“I don’t understand websites, email, marketing…”

This fear is totally normal. You’ve never done this before—and guess what? Neither had I when I started. Have you ever started a new job and known exactly what to do, right away? Starting a business is no different – of course you don’t know what you don’t know!

My business started as a micro movement. Just me, myself and I, one step at a time. No money, literally none. I worked around my young family, investing time in the business around existing commitments and utilising free and very low cost online tools.

When I think back, I knew nothing about starting and running a business. The benefit of starting super small is that you can baby step your way in, learning what you need to know, when you need to know it.

Baby Step 1 : Start a blog.

Setting up a blog is one of the easiest, safest ways to build an online presence without needing social media or pressure to sell anything yet. I have been blogging since 2008 (yes, really!!) and it started as a free and satisfying hobby. It gave me a way to share my creative life with an online audience.

✅ WordPress is a free way to get started quickly. You do need some sort of blog hosting though, I have used Bluehost for many years and am happy with their service. They are very low cost to get started with.
✅ You can begin by just writing about your craft, what you’re working on, or what you’re learning. No pressure to “sell” anything. This helps you to gather an interested audience. You can even begin selling directly from your blog if you want to.

Why it works:
Blogging helps you build confidence, get comfortable sharing online (including familiarity with writing good copy, taking clear and quality photos and fielding queries), and slowly grow an audience that trusts you.

A blog can be monetised in a variety of ways, but the most simple beginner way is to sign up with a media company. They will place ads on your blog and pay for the privilege. I started out using Google Adsense and now I use Journey by Mediavine.

Fear 2: Fear of Failure

“What if I try and nobody buys?”
“What if I waste time or money?”
“What if I fail in public?”

Starting small is your antidote. You don’t need to launch a full business. You just need to test the waters. When my business was starting to grow bigger and at times I felt overwhelmed with the work, someone recommended Company of One by Paul Jarvis. This book resonated so much with me that I spent some time re-evaluating the kind of business I wanted to have. Paul encourages you to stay small as a business rather than growing to the point of needing a team, if that speaks to your heart. It surely does to mine!

Baby Step 2 : Start collecting emails.
Your email list is the single most important tool you’ll ever use to grow your business. I can not overstate this enough!

Once you have built a mailing list, it belongs to you. That means you will always have a way to contact your audience directly.

And it makes sense, right? You want to be in contact with the people who are genuinely interested in what you do.

✅ I use Kit (formerly known as Convertkit) — it’s free for your first 10,000 subscribers (that’s an amazing deal!) and built for creators.
✅ You can put a simple opt-in form on your blog: “Want to see behind the scenes of my weaving life?” Or use your blog to mention your newsletter/mailing list and get sign ups that way.

Why it works:
You’re not “selling” yet. You’re just building a list of people who are interested in what you do. No pressure. You can figure out what to offer later.

Fear 3: Fear of the Work

“This sounds like a lot. I don’t have time.”
“I already have a job/kids/health issues…”

Totally fair. That was me when I started, a busy Mum, homeschooling her kids and running a household. You don’t need to do it all. The beauty of being your own boss is that you decide how much or how little you put in to the business.

Admittedly, the work will increase as the business grows, this is inevitable and is actually a good thing because it means you’re succeeding. Again, keeping the business small initially and taking baby steps is the way to go to prevent work overwhelm.

Baby Step 3: Start sharing casually.
If you’re already on Instagram, YouTube (this topic needs it’s own post, it has been so instrumental in building my business!), or Pinterest, just start saying things like:

  • “I’ve been thinking about turning my weaving into a business…”
  • “Testing out email marketing to share more of my weaving journey…”
  • “Just started a blog to document my process—excited and nervous!”

✅ This arouses curiosity. People will start following along naturally.
✅ You’re not launching anything—you’re just documenting and sharing.

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

Wrap-Up: You Don’t Need to Jump—Just Take the Next Step

You don’t need a “launch plan”, business plan, products, or a perfect website. You just need to start showing up in a consistent, gentle way that feels right to you.

Here’s your 3-step starter kit:

  1. Start a blog with Bluehost
  2. Collect emails with ConvertKit
  3. Talk about your journey naturally on social media

More Resources

3 Ways to Start Selling Online For Free

Do You Want To Start Selling Your Weaving?

Etsy V’s Shopify

Selling For Weavers (online class)

And if you want to see what tools I use to run my own creative business, grab my free PDF (scroll to the download button underneath 😉):

Tools I use to grow my weaving business!Download

Would you like to continue the discussion? Check out my Youtube video and leave a comment to share your thoughts 👇

Have questions you need answered? I can help with that. Make your booking here to work with me in a one on one email consultation:

Book Your Consultation Here

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!