Easy Weaving for Kids: Make Textile Art Without a Loom

One of my favorite kid friendly summer crafts, is free form weaving which can be done without any special equipment. All you need is a door, a bunch of thrift store yarn, and arm loads of scrap fabric. How easy is that?

Weaving is a method of making textiles out of two sets of thread or yarn. The "warp" threads run up and down, and the "weft" runs side to side. Woven fabrics are traditionally made on a loom, but for this project, an unique wall hanging can be made on something as simple as a cabinet door.

Supplies

Before you start, you will need a few supplies. You can start by digging around your own craft box for an assortment of yarns and fabric remnants. Look for interesting ribbons, both cloth and paper. Odds and ends of yard twine are also nice, and perhaps some chunky beads or buttons.

If you don't have a large supply of these items, visit a local thrift store or fabric store. The fabric you purchase must be at least 24 inches wide, though a standard 44 inches width is preferable. And while regular yarn is fine, extra thick craft or rug yarn is more appealing for young children.

You will also need a roll of heavy tape and scissors. An optional item is the shuttle, which can be found at all yarn & fabric stores. A shuttle is like a long, slender spool which holds the wrapped yarn. The advantage of using a shuttle is that it keeps the yarn and fabric contained, during the weaving process.

You might also want a piece of dowel, driftwood, or some other frame from which to hang the finished weaving.

How to set up

Begin by taping one end of the yarn at the top of a door. Pull the string forward and down the front of the door, underneath the door and up the back. Continuing wrapping the door until you reach the desired width (picture #2). Cut the end of the yarn, where it meets up with the top of the door again. Secure this loose end with another piece of tape. Older children and adults can manage a tighter pattern of 10-12 threads per inch. For smaller children though, space the threads about 2-4 threads per inch. This looser weave is easier for tiny fingers.

How to weave

The first step is to cut the fabric pieces into one or two inch strips.