rigid heddle weaving

Which weight of yarn do I choose?

For newer weavers, yarn choice has to be one of the biggest conundrums. We are totally spoilt for choice when it comes to variety of yarns available these days, but there are some important aspects to consider before you start shopping.

I often recommend that newer weavers start out by using knitting yarns. There are a couple of reasons for this.

Knitting yarn is readily available.
It is usually economical.
Many new weavers have a knitting background and therefore will often have a healthy stash of yarn!
Knitting yarn often has a nice amount of elasticity and are therefore quite forgiving to work with.
And finally, it’s usually thicker than weaving yarn, so for first projects it is an excellent choice – it will make your warping and weaving faster and easier.

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

When you purchase a weaving specific yarn online or in a shop, the recommended sett for that yarn will often be provided. Not so with knitting yarns, which tend to come with knitting needle or crochet hook recommendations instead. But, this is no problem to the savvy weaver who knows how to figure out the sett for her/himself! All you need is your chosen yarn and an inch ruler.

If you’re not familiar with the concept of sett in weaving, I explain it in this video:

And if you need an easy demonstration of how to figure out the sett for your chosen yarn, I recommend this video:

The demonstration in this video refers to balanced plain weave, the twill equation is a little different.

The next consideration after you have figured out the ideal sett is what you’re actually weaving. A scarf, for example may require a different approach to a table runner or placemat, even if you’re using the same yarn.

Let me give an example:

Say I have a light worsted weight (Australian 8 ply, DK) cotton that is lovely and soft. Say that I’ve done my wrap test to determine the sett and it showed me that my 7.5 heddle/reed is the best option. I go ahead with this sett because I want a soft and slightly flow-ey scarf.

I like the yarn so much that I decide to also use it for a table runner. But I want my table runner to have a firmer feel, so that it stays put on the table and is somewhat solid. Given my experience with weaving the scarf at a sett of 7.5, I decide that I’m going to use my 10 dent heddle/reed for the runner, as it will ensure that my warp and weft interlacement is closer than it was with the scarf, giving me a firmer fabric.

Here is a little tip when selecting a yarn for a woven piece you intend to wear eg. a scarf. Hold the yarn to your cheek and lightly rub back and forth. If the yarn feels scratchy or unpleasant to your skin, it will not be suitable to wear. If the shopkeeper and patrons are knitters, crocheters or weavers, they will understand what you’re doing. If not, you may get some odd stares!!

There is another, basic test you can perform if you’re unsure of yarn to heddle/reed suitability.

That is to grab your yarn and thread a single of it through a slot. If the yarn doesn’t fit through the slot, it is too thick. If it doesn’t fit, but you have to encourage it to get through, it is likely too thick. If you rub the yarn up and down in the heddle/reed and it seems a bit squashed, it is likely too thick.

Remember that your yarn has to deal with that friction for the entirety of your project, so if there is too much friction you increase the likelihood of broken warp threads and a less than comfortable weaving experience.

Likewise, if you thread your yarn through a slot and there is a heap of space leftover and your yarn seems very loose in the slot, it may not be the right heddle/reed for your project. Unless of course you are trying to achieve an open and airy fabric!

So, what if you don’t have a heddle/reed that is the equivalent sett for your yarn?

This can happen when using a finer yarn. The finest heddle/reed currently available for a rigid heddle loom is a 15 dent. But the recommended sett for my yarn is 30. Well, you can simply double your ends to achieve the right sett.

Then you have the choice for the weft, if using the same weight of yarn as warp, whether you double the weft as well or not. And this choice comes back once again to the purpose of the project and the type of fabric desired. Which brings me to sampling.

I used to think that sampling was a big waste of time. I’m not sure at what point I became a sampling convert, but it was probably somewhere in the throws of another project that did not turn out as anticipated.

Sampling is an absolutely failsafe method to guarantee the success of your project. It allows you to try the yarn at a particular sett, in particular colours, experiment with weft density, take the project off and wet finish. So, you get a mini glimpse of what your actual project will look like. It’s a very valuable education tool!

There is a lot to cover when it comes to the topic of yarns and this post really only scratches the surface.

If you found this post interesting and want to delve further into choosing yarns and understanding all the numbers, I have an online class that could be just the ticket. This is a short and sweet class that includes PDF charts for selecting the correct heddle/reed for your project and converting yarn terms for different countries.

You can purchase the class by following this link.

I have some other yarn related resources that will be helpful too.

The Weaver’s Toolkit is an ebooklet that includes all kinds of useful charts and information that are invaluable to the weaver.

I also have an “All about Yarn” playlist on Youtube, which includes 11 free videos:

I hope this post has been helpful to you, and as always, comments and questions are welcome.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Should I buy a larger loom?

by Kelly 19 Comments

One of the number one questions I’m asked by either brand new or seasoned weavers is “Should I buy a larger loom?”

In this post I will take you through the main points to consider when you’re wondering whether a size upgrade is the right choice for you.

*This post contains affiliate links.

The first consideration is what type of loom we’re talking about. Most people who ask me are rigid heddle weavers. So I’ll cover rigid heddle looms first, specifically Ashford looms, as they have the largest sizes available.I often recommend my 24″ loom as a great starting point for a beginner who wants a decent, but not huge width. It is wide enough to weave smaller width items like scarves but just large enough to weave kitchen towels and bags.

You can, of course weave yardage to sew with (to make your own clothes and larger items) but that involves sewing panels together to make wider widths. Depending on the item you plan to sew, this may or may not work well.

Beyond the 24″, the next size up is the 32″ rigid heddle loom. The largest currently available is the 48″ rigid heddle loom.

When considering a larger loom, consider the following points:

Do you have the physical space for a larger loom?

If you buy a rigid heddle loom 24″ (that is the size I have) or above, I would definitely recommend to also purchase a stand with it.

I personally would not enjoy using a larger loom trying to lean it on the edge of a table or similar, and I don’t think that this would allow you to maintain a beneficial weaving posture. A good posture is really important – even if you have no physical injuries or problems, know that you could develop problems long term through repetitive poor setup and practices. So a stand is well worth the investment.

But, this means that your loom will be free standing rather than packed away. Do you have a space where you can set up a loom of that size and leave it on the stand when finished? Or does your living space/s dictate that your loom would need to be packed away in between uses?

What is your budget?

This is a pretty important consideration for most of us! Naturally, the larger your loom, the more it will cost. And not just the initial outlay for the loom, but addition tools or pieces that you wish to add along the way. Every time you buy a different sized heddle/reed, a pick up stick, a stick shuttle – these are all going to be larger to compliment and fit your loom and that will cost more.

Here are a couple of examples as a comparison. I’ll list the 24″ loom specifics as compared to the 48″. All prices are in US dollars.

24″ RHL and stand – $394 USD (you can sometimes find a combo deal of the loom and stand together for a slightly cheaper price).

24″ 10 dent reed/ heddle – $37.50

22″ stick shuttle – $7.50

48″ RHL and stand – $695

48″ 10 dent reed/heddle – $89

48″ stick shuttle $40

Uh huh, big price differences!

What do you intend to weave?

Some new weavers don’t really consider this when purchasing. Not being familiar with the possibilities or not having used a loom before, it can be very difficult to know what items you will end up enjoying weaving. If you only intend to weave scarves and smaller items, why go to the expense of the largest loom?

On the other hand, you may find that your absolute favourite thing to weave is baby blankets or afghans, therefore making the larger loom well worth your consideration. What if you make the decision to buy a smaller loom but after a little experience find that you want something larger?

Well, the good news is that rigid heddle looms are easy to resell. If you have kept it in good condition, it should be easy to find an eager new weaver willing to take it off your hands for a fair price. You can then use this money to invest towards the larger one.

How is your back?

Back or shoulder problems? Neck trouble? Then you need to consider carefully whether a larger loom is the right choice for you. A larger loom means a much wider reach with a shuttle.

As an example, I can sit very comfortably at my 24″ on it’s stand, extend each arm out to insert the stick shuttle and not have to move forward in my seat.

As someone who has a back injury and regular flare ups, if I had to lean forward or to the side every time I wanted to throw a pick, that would be a real problem for me. It would be a much greater strain on my body. I prefer to accept my limitations and be grateful that I am able to weave on the 24″ and plan my projects accordingly.

That brings me to the next related topic, the table or floor loom.

I’ve written a large number of articles on this topic, here is a list of those posts if you’re interested in researching more.

When I had my 8 shaft, 32″ table loom it was a little more difficult to weave on when I had it fully warped, but with the correct height adjustable chair, it was more than manageable. I still miss that loom, I sold it to make space and provide extra funds for my floor loom. I’ve since replaced it with a smaller 16″ table loom that I can use for teaching purposes – perfect!

Now that I have my Louet David 2, 35″ floor loom, even though it is the widest loom I have owned, it is a good fit for me width wise. It is wide enough to weave baby blankets and wide shawls.

Recently I wove yardage on it for my Clothtober project, which was a tunic for me and it worked out well. So, why is this loom not a problem for my back? Well, I always use a boat shuttle with this loom.

Because the tension is excellent, I can shoot my boat shuttle back and forth with ease. I am also seated on an adjustable piano bench and find that I develop a slight rocking motion as I get into the weaving rhythm. Although my shoulders do get a little sore if I put in a long weaving session, it is not excessive and generally my back is fine as long as I’m not in a dreaded flare up phase.

The action of throwing a boat shuttle is quite different to passing a stick shuttle. Yes, you an use a boat shuttle with a rigid heddle loom too, but I generally don’t because it can’t hold the same tension so I end up mostly passing the boat shuttle through anyway.

I should also add, if you do have a rigid heddle loom that is a little smaller than you would like, you always have the option of double width weaving. Although somewhat limited, it is a really terrific way to double the width of your fabric. I have two classes that teach you how to do this – Doubleweave Baby Blanket and Weaving with Two Heddles. I also have the Rainbow Lap Blanket, which is woven entirely on a Sampleit loom.

I certainly didn’t intend to write such an epic post when I sat down to address this topic today, but there is a lot more to be said about it than I realised! I hope my ramblings have been of use to you.

As always, leave me a comment with any questions or additional points you may have to add. I appreciate your input!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Rigid Heddle Loom cost comparisons

by Kelly 32 Comments

It can be so hard to know where to start when you’re in the market for a new rigid heddle loom, especially if it is to be your first ever loom.

Having only used Ashford rigid heddle looms, it is not really within my scope to compare different looms from a practical perspective. I can’t in fairness give appraisals of looms I have not used (though I’ve made it pretty clear that I love my Ashford!)

Cost is an important factor when considering your loom, and this is where I can help by offering a comparison of various looms and what will be included in the purchase cost.

Not all looms are going to be the same size, so I am going to compare looms of similar size but not always equal. I’m using Amazon for comparisons, but will use other sites if any particular loom is not available on Amazon.

*This post contains some affiliate links. This means that if you click and purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

These prices do not take into account any additional costs such as stands, extra tools or shipping. All prices are in U.S. dollars.

Please also note that most rigid heddle looms come flat packed in a box, so unless you pick one up in a store where an assembly service is offered (usually for a fee), you can expect to be putting the loom together yourself.

Let’s start with the first rigid heddle loom I ever bought and still use constantly.

Ashford 24″ Rigid Heddle Loom-

Listed at $225, this loom comes with a standard 7.5 dent heddle, warping peg, 2 clamps, a threading hook, 2 shuttles, cardboard warping sticks and an instruction booklet. Made from Silver beech hardwood in New Zealand. *Edited to add – this loom now comes with a built in warping board if you purchase the warping pegs separately.

Beka 24″ Rigid Heddle Loom-

Listed for $159.99. Comes with one 10 dent heddle, two stick shuttles, one pickup stick, a pair of heddle blocks, threading tool and complete instructions. SG series looms are made from Cherry wood and finished with Danish Oil. Made in Minnesota, USA.

Schacht Flip Rigid Heddle Loom 25″

Listed at $335, this loom includes a 10-dent reed, warping peg, 2 shuttles, threading hook, and complete warping and weaving instructions. It is foldable and made in America from maple wood.

Glimakra Emilia Rigid Heddle Loom 18″

Listed for $279, this loom is made of birch and is foldable. It includes a 10 dent heddle, shuttle, warping peg, two clamps and a sleying and threading hook. Made in Sweden.

Kromski Harp Forte 16″

Prices starting at $279, this one is interesting. Kromski claim that you will not get a “complete package” with any other RH loom, and that seems to be true. This loom is designed to also be used as a warping board, I think that is quite innovative! I rarely warp my rigid heddle loom indirectly, so it’s not a feature that I would use, but for those who prefer to warp from a warping board, this is a really good deal. You don’t have the extra expense or purchasing a warping board separately and you don’t need the extra space. Smart! Kromski say that this loom also comes with a “warp helper” but I’m not sure what they mean by that.

The Harp is also foldable and as a bonus, the wood is already finished, so you can assemble right away.

A somewhat obscure loom is the Toika Siru Rigid Heddle Loom, 16″. Made in Finland in a classic raw wood, minimalist style, these looms start at around $260 USD.

These looms have an interesting design, with a metal bar and thick back cloth beam. They are foldable and seem to come standard with a double heddle block, which is handy for those wanting to use more than one heddle. You won’t generally find this loom for sale in the usual places (Amazon, large yarn or supplies stores) though other Toika looms are not too hard to find.

Leclerc Bergere Rigid Heddle Loom 24″

Price for this size is $285. This one comes with a blue boat shuttle! The Leclerc looks to be a very basic, sturdy design. I’m not sure what to think of the metal handles for tensioning, I feel like that may not be so comfortable.

This loom comes with extra warping blocks, lease sticks and extra shuttles, but doesn’t seem to include a reed or threading hook.

Erica by Louet.

I’m being a bit sneaky including the Erica by Louet in this list. It’s not actually a rigid heddle loom, but it is a 2 shaft table loom. So why include it in a rigid heddle comparisons list? Well, I get a massive number of messages from new weavers who are trying to decide between a rigid heddle loom and a table loom. I almost always recommend a rigid heddle (but not always, it depends on the circumstances of the person asking) but I would definitely not rule out something like the Erica. Here is why:

*It’s like a rigid heddle and table loom rolled into one. It has the same basic shape/frame and tensioning pegs as a RHL, but the “castle” (the upright part!), heddles, shafts and reed as a table loom.

*It’s a fantastic introduction to weaving on a table or floor loom. You have the functionality of a sturdy, upright loom with texsolv heddles without being overwhelmed by too many shafts.

*You have the option to upgrade later to 3 or 4 shafts, increasing the possibilities for your weaving.

With prices starting at $370USD, this is definitely a higher priced entry point loom, but still very reasonable for it’s capabilities.

*It’s foldable and light enough to pick up and put in the car for workshops, teaching or travelling.

I hope this collection has helped you to understand a little more about what you will pay when purchasing a new rigid heddle loom. If I have missed any, please mention them in the comments below!

Rigid Heddle Weaving Patterns for Beginners: Simple Projects & Techniques

by Kelly 26 Comments

Are you a new weaver looking for rigid heddle weaving patterns for beginners — beyond just plain weave? You’re in the right place!

Rigid heddle looms are often thought of as “just for plain weave,” but that’s only the beginning. With a few simple tools and techniques, you can create stunning patterns—even as a beginner.

In this post, I’ll show you several easy weaving patterns and enhancements that go beyond plain weave, perfect for rigid heddle beginners who are ready to try something new.

Start with the Basics – Plain Weave

Plain weave is the foundation of rigid heddle weaving—and the best place to start if you’re new.
To weave plain weave:
- Thread one slot and one hole, alternating across your warp
- Use the heddle in the up and down positions while weaving
- That’s it—you’re weaving!

Make It Pop: Use Variegated Yarn

Want your plain weave to look more complex without changing the structure? Use a variegated yarn!

You can:

Warp with variegated yarn and weave with a solid color
Warp with a solid color and weave with variegated yarn

The results are always eye-catching and can resemble intricate patterns as colors shift and intermingle.

Here are some great beginner-friendly variegated yarns:

💡 Tip: Hand-dyed yarns also give beautiful, one-of-a-kind results!

Check out my free The Heart Scarf Project to see how variegated yarn can be used for a stand out piece!

Try Clasped Weft: Easy, Creative, Colorful

Clasped weft is a fun, beginner-friendly way to make bold, graphic designs—while still using plain weave!

It works beautifully with:

One solid yarn + one variegated yarn
Two (or more) contrasting colors

👉 Follow this clasped weft step by step tutorial

Once you get the hang of it, try:

🧵 Clasped weft is a great way to create scarves, wall hangings, and art pieces with personality.

Add Pattern with Pick-Up Sticks

Ready to go beyond plain weave? Pick-up sticks are the easiest way to start weaving actual patterns on your rigid heddle loom.

What are pick-up sticks?
They’re simple flat wooden tools that let you “pick up” warp threads and create new shed patterns—without needing a multi-shaft loom.

Why Beginners Love Pick-Up Sticks:

✅ They’re inexpensive
✅ Easy to use (no complex setup)
✅ Add texture, lace, and patterns to your projects

Learn more:

Explore Even More: Overshot-Style Patterns with Pick-Up Sticks

There’s just so much you can do with one, two, or even more pick-up sticks! Most weavers start by picking up warp threads behind the heddle, but did you know you can also pick up in front of the heddle to create a kind of overshot pattern?

This technique allows your pattern to float on top of the background weave—rather than becoming part of it—making for a dramatic, dimensional look.

If you play around with the spacing of floats and use colour changes creatively, you can design all sorts of exciting patterns!

🎄 Christmas patterns are always a favourite, so if you’re curious, here are a couple of the most-loved videos on this overshot style:

👉 Overshot-Style Snowmen

👉 Overshot-Style Reindeer

What Should You Try First?

Here’s a quick beginner weaving path to get you started:

Plain weave scarf with a solid color warp + variegated weft
Clasped weft sampler with two bold yarns
Simple pick-up stick pattern on a placemat or table runner

And most importantly—have fun experimenting!

So Many Patterns, So Little Time!

This post is just a brief overview of the many pattern possibilities on your rigid heddle loom. There’s so much more you can explore!

I haven’t even touched on Colour and Weave—that deserves its own post entirely. You can read more about that here: 👉 Read my Colour and Weave article

Curious about plaid? I’ve also written about that and included free drafts for you to try: 👉 Get my plaid weaving post + drafts here

Want to dive into even more pattern ideas? I’ve got you covered in this deep-dive post where I share techniques like:

Doubled weft
Pick-up rows
Staggered pick-up
Dots and butterflies
👉 Explore even more pattern techniques here

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

Where to Go Next

If you’ve been weaving plain weave and wondering “what’s next?”, I hope this post has sparked some fresh ideas!

To take your weaving to the next level, I highly recommend my beginner’s class:
🎓 From Woe to Go — it’s a comprehensive, step-by-step course that helps you confidently get started on your rigid heddle loom.

If love to weave scarves, you will definitely want to check out my Rigid Heddle Beginner Scarf Bundle – this is 5 of my best selling digital download scarf patterns for one low price!

Perhaps you’re looking for some actual project ideas for your next rigid heddle weaving session? Check out this article for 5 Easy Beginner Rigid Heddle Projects!

Are you on my mailing list? I would love to have you! Sign up here and receive 10% off your next Online Weaving School purchase 👇

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Winter Trees Scarf

by Kelly 1 Comment

The lovely Robyn from Yarn Cloud in Occoquan, Virginia recently put together a project based on my very popular Winter Trees video on Youtube.

Robyn had the idea of teaching her students how to utilise the pattern and weave it into a scarf. What a terrific idea and so timely for those of you who are approaching Winter at this time of year.

Robyn has been generous enough to offer to share all her pattern notes and instructions with my readers here! She also sent me the samples in the photo above to give you all a visual reference.

You can download and print the instructions here:

Winter Trees Scarf Download

And use the instructional video for visual help:

Many thanks to Robyn for sharing her pattern!

If you are interested in taking a real life class at Yarn Cloud, pop over and check out the classes page for more details. Knitting classes are also available.

Yarn Cloud is a fibre arts supplies store located in a richly historical town in the beautiful state of Virginia. It looks like a wonderful place to visit and pick up some supplies, or stay a little longer to enjoy a class or workshop!

Be sure to let us know if you make a scarf using these instructions, Robyn and I would both love to see your project!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Tote Bag Weave Along, Lesson 9

by Kelly 1 Comment

If you missed lesson 8, you can find it here.

We’re really making progress now, sewing up the bag and getting close to finishing!

The lines that we pinned across the two bottom corners can now be sewn.

Sew straight across the corner, removing pins as you go and remembering to backstitch at each end for strong stitching. Repeat on the opposite corner.

Cut off the excess fabric on the corner and either zigzag or serge the raw edge.

Now do the same with your prepared lining.

Take the bag and turn it the right way out, taking care to push out the corners with your fingers as you go.

At the top of the bag, measure in approximately 3.5″ from one side and mark with a pin. Do the same from the other side.

Place your bag handles with the raw edges meeting up with the top edge of the bag and lining up with the pins. Ensure your handles are not twisted. Pin the handles in place. Do the same on the other side of the bag for the opposite strap. Take the bag to the sewing machine and straight stitch across the top of all the straps, remembering to backstitch and remove pins as you go. This makes your handles stronger and keeps them in place while you move onto the next part of the bag.

Put the main bag inside the lining. The lining should still be turned inside out – that way, the bag and the lining will have right sides facing when you put them together. Line up the side seams and make sure that the handles are tucked in, out of the way. Pin all around the top of the bag, keeping those side seams matched as much as possible.

You can view this entire lesson for free right here:

The next post will be the last lesson where we finish off sewing the bag.

I hope to see you then, and as always, leave me a comment if you have any questions!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Clasped Warp Quechquemitl Wrap – New Class!

by Kelly 6 Comments

What on earth is a quechquemitl anyway?!

Well, it’s a traditional Mexican upper body garment for women and it’s the inspiration behind my new class.

From what I understand, it is pronounced something like “kech- ka – mil” (please do correct me if I’m mistaken!)

I started researching the quechquemitl because I wanted to find a flattering and easy garment to make with my clasped warp fabric. The clasped warp technique gives a striking appearance to the fabric, and I wanted to utilise that and put it on show.

I started (as all projects should!) with some gorgeous yarn. Tencel and bamboo are both soft and light with an amazing sheen. Perfect for this project!

These fibres made a supple and drapey fabric, and the simple yet contrasting colours make the piece really special.

There are two ways to wear this wrap – in a poncho fashion as pictured above or you can swivel it around so that horizontal lines run across the body. Either way is totally beautiful!

This is a low sew project, so great for those who are dipping their toes in the world of sewing.

This class is available now at my Online Weaving School. You can make a single purchase, or, if you’re already a member you can simply login and enjoy.

Happy Weaving!

Tote Bag Weave Along, Lesson 4

by Kelly 1 Comment

Now you can really get excited about your tote bag project – it’s time to get weaving! If you missed the last post on threading, you can go here to read it.

Just one more teensy thing before you start to weave – the header. The header helps to spread the warp so that you don’t have big gaps at the very start of your weaving. As with most things in weaving, there is more than one way to put in a header.

*This post contains affiliate links.

My preference is (I think) the easiest. I use 2 cardboard separators (or warping sticks as they are also called). With the heddle/reed in the up shed I insert one stick, then change to the down shed to insert the second stick. Then beat to push them into place. You may want to weave an additional header with spare yarn if you feel your warp is too gappy (I demonstrate this in the video at 1:10) Pop the heddle into the up position again and you’re ready to weave!

Don’t forget to wind your stick shuttle.

It doesn’t matter which side you enter into the shed with the shuttle, but it is useful to develop a habit when working plain weave to always enter from the same side to avoid any confusion as to which shed you should be in and to easily develop a weaving rhythm.

I give yarn recommendations in this post, but a variegated yarn is particularly effective and makes the plain weave look more fancy than it is. I dyed my own yarn for this project. You can also get a bit fancy by using a novelty yarn as a feature. I used an eyelash yarn as an occasional stripe to accent this bag.

If you are a newer weaver, you may be worried about obtaining neat edges. This is very much a matter of practice makes perfect, but this video shows you my pinching technique that has helped many newbies improve their edges.

You also want to try to keep your beat consistent and even. One way to see if you’re beating evenly is to stand up and look at your weaving from time to time. You will see quite clearly whether you are beating straight or at an angle.

Don’t forget to measure your weaving as you go. I do this in a simple manner by using a tape measure and marking my last measured place with a plastic or glass head coloured pin. I always write down the measurements as I go so that I don’t have to try to remember!

You will be advancing your warp every so often, and this video will show you how to do that.

Remember to refer back to your essential information project sheet, available as a free download for all the measurements you need to follow.

In the next lesson we will be talking more about continuing to weave and advancing the warp. Be sure to leave me a comment if you need to ask questions or are unsure of anything.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

June Weaving Boot Camp opens today!

by Kelly Leave a Comment

Hi Weavers!

Just a quick heads up to let you know that in just over 2 hours, I will open the doors of Weaving Boot Camp for a short time.

If you are a new weaver or you simply wish to get to know your loom and increase your confidence, this is the course for you!

To sign up, follow this link.

If you want to know more, follow this link.

If you have any questions, leave a comment under this post.

I hope to see you there, I can’t wait to get started!

Tote Bag Weave Along Lesson 1

by Kelly 13 Comments

It is almost 3 years since I first posted my Tote Bag Weave Along series on Youtube. It has been my most popular series ever, and I’ve been thrilled to see so many bags woven by others!

I’ve wanted to add extra functionality to the series for those who desire it, and that is what I’ll be doing here over the next couple of posts. I will be giving yarn details and help, printable PDF’s, as well as some step by steps for some sections of making the bag.

I’m beginning with the materials list that you can now download and print out.

totebagweavealongmaterialslist Download

OK, lets get into some extra details and questions you may have from the list.

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Do I need to have a 24″ or 60cm rigid heddle loom?

Not necessarily! Although weaving the bag in one piece is the easiest option, it’s not the only way. If, for example, you had a Sampleit loom, you could weave 2 panels, 10″ wide and sew them together for each bag panel you need. (So that would be 4 panels you would weave for one bag). You could even make a design feature of your panels by weaving the wefts in different colours so that each side of your bag would contrast. Where there’s a will there’s a way!

Do I need to sew the handles myself?

Nope. You have other options for the handles too. If you have an inkle loom, you could weave them yourself, in either matching or contrasting colours. You can also purchase ready made handles and these come in a huge variety nowadays. You can choose from metal, acrylic, wood, rattan, and faux leather, to name a few!

I can’t get Australian 8 ply merino – what are my other choices?

There are many yarns you can substitute with and you don’t have to use wool. Cotton, acrylic, bamboo and others can be used too. One world of caution though. When you iron on your interfacing, your chosen yarn needs to be able to take the heat without being scorched. Cotton or superwash wool are good choices.

Here are some suggestions for you:

Lily Sugar n Cream is a range of cottons that come in the most gorgeous colours and varieties. Their variegated cottons are wonderful and they even have curated colour packs! Cascade Ultra Pima is another possibility.

For wool, you have Cascade Superwash, Patons Classic, Carlton Merino and so many more. Yarnsub.com is an excellent resource for checking and comparing yarns.

Do I have to line my bag?

No, but it does give a really nice, more professional looking finish.

Do I need to use a sewing machine?

Technically, you could hand stitch this whole project, but that is not something I would do! If you decide to, make sure your stitches are small and strong, a bag needs to be hard wearing. Whether sewing on a machine or by hand you should always use a good quality thread like my favourite, Gutermann. Cheap thread is cheap for a reason!

Next time we will go through some of the steps for the project. If I have missed anything or if you have questions about the materials, please let me know in the comments. Also, please let me know if offering the series in this format is helpful to you.

In the meantime, if you want to take a look over the Tote Bag Weave Along video series, you can start with the introduction video below.

If you have any questions about the project or anything from this post, please let me know in the comments!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!