Dream Weaver

I think the first time I really thought about it seriously was because of Laura at Cosmicpluto... But don't get me wrong, there are others who are also making pretty things, too. I'd been thinking of how to make my own sort-of-loom with wood and nails -- if not a proper loom, at least it would be functional. In the meantime, I was trying to convince myself that my fiber intake (at least in the form of wool and silk and alpaca) is really high enough as it is, and I don't need yet another hobby that requires me to buy more. Then Craft magazine came out with a weaving issue, and all caution was thrown to the wind.

The current issue actually includes a free portable cardboard loom, as well as instructions on how to make your own loom at home with a wood frame and dowels (a much better one than I'd been envisioning) and suggestions for buying a pre-made one. Of course I couldn't wait to try it out, so I cut out the cardboard one, eager to get started.


I cut enough lengths of the leftover Portland Koigu to act as a warp, and decided to use some leftover KnitPicks Bare sock yarn for the weft. Last night I rigged it up (which in this instance involved tying myself to the dresser with the yarn, thereby gaining some You-So-Crazy looks from my HLM) and did some weaving. Well, it's definitely beginner work, clearly done on a pretty primitive loom. Not that the design of his loom is primitive -- it's pretty clever, actually -- but the thin cardboard of this version allows it to bend too much and makes it a bit awkward. A stronger cardboard or perhaps plastic would make a better loom. It would also make a better shuttle, which collapsed under the tension of the yarn wrapped around it, and was almost immediately useless. So in the end, it's not exactly the fashionista scarf I had envisioned (largely because I threw in the towel before it was scarf-length) but it did make me think about the possibilities.

I may have hit upon something.