Weaving is a fun and relaxing way to pass time on a car trip, when waiting for your Mom during an appointment, or just when you are bored with summer activities.

You can make a simple loom from recycled cylindrical food containers. Depending on the size of the container, you can weave a small bag for a cell phone or secret treasures (frozen juice container), or a tote bag for carrying books and art supplies (large oatmeal container or plastic ice cream tub). First stop: kitchen cabinet or recycling bin to search for a loom.

Materials
cylindrical container
heavy-duty cotton string
yarn
fabric
scissors
plastic needle (optional)

Photo: Left to right: Shelby Knight holds a purse made on a large plastic drink cup loom. Luke Luker made a tote for his Mom on a board loom. Silvia Galindo made her small bag on a juice can loom. They are 7th grade students from Middle School of Piedmont.

Process
Remove the top and bottom from the container to form your tube loom. You may want to wrap the cotton string or yarn on a stick as you would for a kite to make the next step easier. Drop the end of string through the top of the tube and bring out the bottom. Tie the end of the string to the part of the string at the top of the tube to make a tight loop; leave rest of string attached, do not cut.

The string on the loom is called the warp; wrapping the string on the loom is called warping the loom. Begin warping the loom by taking the long end of string (wrapped stick) and pass through tube keeping the tension tight on the loops; continue this around the loom. You need an odd number of warp strings going around the loom ¼” apart or less. Closer warps will help form a sturdier bag. Finish by tying the string to the starting string just inside the top.

The fiber you weave with is called the weft. If weaving with fabric, cut all the fabric into long, one inch wide strips. If using yarn to weave, cut six foot long pieces. Use your fingers to guide the weft (or the plastic needle if using one). Begin weaving by passing the weft over and under every other warp string. Continue this for 10 warp strings, then pull the entire weft through taking care to leave a 1” tail hanging out where you entered. Continue weaving in the over-under fashion around the loom, as the weaving forms; tamp the wefts close together to keep the weaving tight and dense.

There are two ways to add new weft pieces. First, just knot a new piece to the end of the last. If you do not want knots showing, leave a tail at the end of the weft and tuck it behind the weaving between two warp strings. Tuck a new weft tail between the two warp strings behind the first weft tail end and continue the weave being careful not to pull out the tail. Soon the two tails will be trapped in the weaving.

Continue in this manner until the desired size is reached. To tie off the bag, cut two adjacent warp strings at a time from the inside of the tube and knot together at the top of the weaving. Do this until all strings at the top are tied off. Slide the weaving off the tube, flatten to form a bag and knot two strings at a time together from each side of the bottom of the bag until all are tied to form a closed bottom. Braid a handle and attach to the bag; a button clasp may also be added. Enjoy the fruit of your labor by using your creation.

Frances A. Williams lives and teaches 6th-8th grade art in Piedmont.