Upcycled cardboard box loom (tutorial)

This is a little project I introduced to Punkin' a few week ago...
though she understood the concept and had fun for a bit, it wasn't something
she was able to do completely on her own and she hasn't returned back to it.
I would recommend waiting until your little one is closer to 6 or 7
so that there is no frustration in not being able to do the weaving on their own.

FYI - this post is picture heavy :-)

To make the loom, start with a smaller sized cardboard box, scissors and duct tape

Remove all the flaps where they crease

Cut notches on both SHORT sides of the box, approximately a 1/4"-1/2" apart by 1" down.

Cut the long sides about 5" down and 1" in. Fold down the flaps. Set aside.

Now cut triangles along the LONG side of a SHORT flap - all the way across

Fold the top edge down to the base of the points

Cover the entire piece in duct tape

Trim any excess. This is your "beater". Set aside.

Wrap one LONG flap in duct tape

One long flap, completely wrapped

Cut the long, wrapped flap into 4 strips so that they run the length, not the width.
These will be used as your "heddle" and "beams". Set aside. 

Grab some yarn, and tie a knot in the end. You may have to tie a few depending
on the thickness of your yarn.

Slip your knot into the slit in your loom (box) closest to you.
Then slip your yarn through the corresponding slit on the opposite side.

Loop around into the slit right next to the one you just went through, then down to the corresponding slit on the opposite side.

Repeat all the way across, back and forth.

It should look like this on both sides - almost like stitches in the box.

Completely warped!! These strings are called the "warp".

Snip the yarn and tie a knot. Set aside.

Cut the other SHORT flap in half lengthwise

Lay the two pieces on top of each other and wrap in duct tape.

Cut a deep slit (2-3" long) on both sides and slip the end of a different color yarn in one of the slits

Wrap the yarn around, through the slits, multiple times. This is your working yarn on the "shuttle". Set aside.

Get your loom and one of the LONG pieces you covered

Weave it through the warp in and under-then-over pattern

Under one, over one, repeat to end

Slide all the way to the top of your loom. This will act as a heddle in your loom.
When you twist it on it's side...

...it creates a "shed" for your shuttle to slip through easily.

Using the same under-over pattern, place another LONG covered piece through your warp and push all the way to the bottom (closest to you) - this is your "beam".

With your heddle on it's side (creating the "shed"), slip your shuttle through the opening

Pull the yarn through , leaving a tail of about 3-4" - this is your "weft" thread

Slip your heddle out of the top, and out of all the warp threads

Pick up your beater, and push the weft threads against the "beam".

Weave in your tail thread in the OPPOSITE pattern of your weft thread so that the tail yarn wraps OVER your edge thread

Weave your heddle back through, the opposite pattern from before - this time OVER-UNDER (rather than UNDER-OVER)

Flip your heddle up to create the shed

Pass your shuttle back through

Be sure your weft thread along the edge is not pulled to tightly - it should rest against your warp edge thread without pulling it inwards

Remove the heddle

Push the yarn firmly against your last pass

Continue in repeating the two alternating patterns - UNDER-OVER and then OVER-UNDER

Keep your weft threads from pulling too tightly 

And there you have it!! Continue weaving until you cannot go any closer to your heddle.
When your weaving is finished, cut the warp where it looks like stitches on the outside of the box
and tie in knots against your weft.

Walking in nature

Nature walk on a crisp autumn afternoon




An old hollow tree




Rosehips foraged from the wild rose bushes that lined the paths
and filled the forests where we walked

Rainy autumn days

Searching for the perfect yellow leaves

An evening rainbow

Books and tea parties

Getting some fresh air, sunshine and checking out a new book

An afternoon tea part in a "new" princess dress - a vintage tutu from grandma

Slow, sweet days

 

Backyard picnic for lunch

Afternoon painting. She told me that it is a baby in a mommy's uterus