How to Experiment with Weaving

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Want to give weaving a go but not sure how to get started? Gemma Winter from @itstartedwithastitch had a go with the Martha Stewart Crafts Weaver Starter Kit. Find out a bit more about her below and how she got on. I'm Gemma - the brains and hands behind It Started With a Stitch. My main love is hand embroidery, yet recently Iâ've been distracted by pom poms and crochet! My work is now stocked in Emporium 53 in Cleethorpes, where myself and 18 other local makers and artists sell our lovely stuff! Iâ've been crafting since I was about 5. The first things I remember making were a French knitted fish picture with a sequinned eye and a brown felt cat hand puppet! I have the attention span of a gnat, so love to dabble and experiment with lots of different crafts!

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Hemline Pink Polka Dot Embroidery Scissors 9cm

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Milward Sewing Tapestry and Darning Needles 30 Pack

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Hayfield Dark Grey Mix Bonus Super Chunky Yarn 100g (790)

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Women’s Institute Grey Soft and Chunky Yarn 100g

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How to make

Step-1

Getting Inspired!: Weaving is one of those things that we all did at school – with pieces of bendy cardboard with triangles snipped out along the top and bottom, with some black thread wrapped around the points to give us a loom.

Step-2

To me, it’s one of ‘those crafts’ a bit like crochet – which I love -that can be portrayed or remembered as being naff, but is totally enjoying a funky and beautiful resurgence as a very technical and skilled art form.

Step-3

As an avid Instagram and Pinterest user, there’s a wealth of inspiration out there to coo over. I particularly like tasseled, fringed, and pompom adorned wonders.

Step-4

Imagine my excitement when my Martha Stewart Weaving Starter Kit arrived! Instead of using traditional roving, I decided instead to select some of the chunky yarns that Hobbycraft stock and picked colours to match my newly decorated (pink) lounge!

Step-5

The yarns varied from Hobbycraft Funky Chunky, to the Octopus looking bundle of Sirdar Kitsch Gorgeous Ultra Super Chunky.

Getting Started: Step-1

The loom is made like a pegboard so it's so easy to set up, and it comes with full instructions plus a link too. It is possible to visit YouTube for more tutorials as well, which is very handy! I was set up in no time with the pegs, as they were really easy to pop into place, and I picked a natural looking cotton yarn for my warp thread.

Step-2

I had high hopes for my first attempt, and went for as big a weave as would fit on the loom, which made for a great practice piece with lots of space to try different techniques and effects. I even bobbed in a double row soumak (google it – it's worth it).

Step-3

My favourite part of the weaves that I made was definitely the fringing – it really does make a difference, and adds a beautiful texture to the finished piece.

Step-4

All I need now is the perfect piece of wood to hang them from, and living near the sea, I'm thinking driftwood!

Step-5

PS.. Because the loom is essentially a pegboard, you can make shaped weaves – love hearts, circles and so on – so this kit feels like a total game changer – I just need to decide what shape to try first!