How to Weave - A Beginners Guide

1. Using a warp thread (such as Rico Essentials Cotton Thread) tie the thread to one of the notches on the bottom left of the loom. Depending on which notch you start on will determine how big your finished weave will be.

2. Bring the warp thread up to the corresponding notch on the top of the loom, wrap it round and bring in back down towards the bottom again. Pass the warp thread around the next bottom notch and back up again and around the top corresponding notch. Ensure you keep a fairly tight tension throughout this process

3. Repeat this process until the weave is the width you desire then tie the warp thread on the bottom of the loom with a secure knot.

4. The Rico Loom comes with two metals rods which are added over the last warp thread at either end of the weave. This will help to keep your weave straight all the way through.

Tabby Weave is the most common technique used in weaving. With your chosen yarn start to wrap it around the shuttle. The shuttle is used to carry the yarn through the warp threads.

1. Take your shuttle and start by going under one warp thread and over the next (including the metal rod with the last two warp threads) Continue this pattern of under and over until you reach the end of the warp threads.

2. Use the comb provided to ensure the yarn is in a straight line.

3. Take your shuttle and now work back the opposite way. If you went under then over on the first line, reverse it and go over then under each warp thread on the second line.

4. Take the comb and “beat” down the second line of yarn so it is level with the first line.

5. Repeat this process of going under and over each warp thread and reversing each time.

Rya knots is a very popular technique in weaving and is most commonly used to add fringes to your pieces.

1. Cut several pieces of yarn all the same length – Top Tip to remember – the length of your fringe will be half of the length of yarn that you cut.

2. Take a few strands of the yarn you cut, approx. 4-8 pieces depending on the thickness of the fringe you desire.

3. Fold the strands in half and hold at the centre. Place the folded strands over two warp threads. It is easier to start from either side and work across.

4. Bring the right side of the strands over the right warp thread and through the centre of the two and the left side of the strands over the left warp thread and through the middle

5. Pull tight.

This technique will create a braid on you weave adding lots of texture

1. Cut a long length of yarn roughly double the length you want the braid to be. Using a chunky yarn like Knitcraft Hug It Out will allow the braid to be more pronounced.

2. Feed the length of yarn over the first three warp threads starting on the left side of the loom.

We will be working in a loop pattern.

3. Take the piece of yarn under the first three warp threads we started on, and the next three empty warp threads and bring up through the gap.

You should now have the yarn looped round the first three warp threads and the yarn coming up on the right-hand side of three empty warp threads.

4. Wrap the yarn from right to left over the three empty warp threads and back through to the back. Skip three warp threads and bring it back up again to the front of the weave. Once again you should now have the yarn coming up on the right-hand side of three empty warp threads.

5. Repeat this process of wrapping the yarn from right to left over the three empty warp threads and back through to the back then skipping three warp threads and bringing it back up again to the front of the weave.

6. Once you reach the end of the weave start to work backwards on yourself. So instead of wrapping the yarn from right to left, we will wrap it from left to right.