I wanted to make a woven rag rug that was cute, woven, relatively easy for a first-time rug maker. After a bit of research, I found the perfect woven rug that fits all my needs!

If you have a few old bedsheets around, this is the perfect way to use them (and get an adorable rug out of the process).

Related: Make Your Own Rope Rug, Easy Stenciled Outdoor Rug, Washable Rug DIY, and Weaving for Beginners.

Supplies:
-3 king-size flat cotton bedsheets
-piece of cardboard (23″ x 43″)
–fabric scissors
–masking tape
-marker
–clear ruler

Step One: Use your ruler and marker to make a mark every 2″ across the longest side of each of your bedsheets. Use fabric scissors to make a 2″ cut at each mark.

Step Two: At each cut, rip the fabric apart (it should tear evenly all the way across the sheet). Repeat this process until each sheet is ripped into even strips. Separate strips by color and pattern.

Step Three: On each of the short ends of your cardboard, start 2″ from each end and mark 2″ long lines every 1/2″. Use scissors to cut 2″ slots at each mark. 

Step Four: Gather three fabric strips of various colors into a group, fold the group in half lengthwise, and place one end into the first slot (it should hang over the edge a few inches).

Place the other end into the corresponding spot on the opposite side. If you have a lot of strings hanging off the sides of your strips, try and pull the big clumps of strings off before you place into the cardboard slots.

Repeat this process for each strip across the cardboard. It will get pretty full after you have a few groups placed, but just keep going until you are done.

Step Five: Designate one color as your weaving strip, and wrap a piece of masking tape around one end to make it easier to weave through the strips.

Starting about 2″ in from the end of your cardboard slots, begin to weave the weaving strip under and over each group until you get to the other side.

Make sure to leave a 6″ tail at your beginning spot (you’ll lengthen this at the end). Because the cardboard is so full, the first row of weaving will be the hardest since it’s difficult to tell one group from another.

Just do the best you can—if you get a few strips into the wrong bunch, it won’t make a difference at the end.

Once you get to the other end with your weaving strip, make a U-turn by going over or under the last bunch (whichever is needed depending on where you end up), and weave your way back to the other side (it should be much easier this time).

As you finish each row, straighten out the weaved strip with your fingers and slide it as close to the row before it as you can.

Repeat the weaving process until you’re about 2″ from the cardboard slots on the other end of the rug. Make sure to pay attention to the width of your rug as you go, and keep it as even as you can.

This type of weaving gives you a lot of control over your width since you can simply tighten or loosen your strip as you make the turn at each end.

When you get to the end of your weaving strip, you’ll want to join a new strip to the existing one so you can keep on weaving.

Cut a slot into the end of your weaving strip and the beginning of your new strip, and pull an inch or two of your new strip through the slot on the existing strip.

Pass the tail end of your new strip through the slot on the new strip and pull tight. Now you have a longer strip! Keep doing that each time you need to extend your weaving strip.

Step Six: To finish the ends, make a U-turn around the last bunch where your weaving ended, and thread your weaving strip down through the first exposed section of your last row of weaving (see above photo).

Pull tight. Again, cross over to the next exposed weaving and thread down through that section and pull tight. Continue until you reach the end, and tie your weaving strip onto one of the strips in the last group of strips.

Repeat process on the opposite end (you’ll have to join a strip to lengthen the tail of your beginning weaving strip first).

Step Seven: You’re almost done! Just place a ruler or a piece of cardboard inside of where you want to trim your ends and use fabric scissors to trim the excess pieces. Once the ends are cut, you can remove the cardboard backing.

You did it! You just made a rug!

I’m pretty proud of my first attempt at rug making. I think it’s just what our space needed (the color looks so nice with the DIY concrete countertop).

If you prefer to buy a handmade rug, check out Elsie’s favorite rugs on Etsy. xo, Laura

Print

Woven Rag Rug

How to make a woven rag rug from torn fabric pieces.

Keyword DIY, rag rug, rug, woven rug

Author Laura Gummerman

Cost $25

Equipment

• pair of fabric scissors
• masking tape
• marker
• clear ruler
• piece of cardboard 23" x 43"

Ingredients

• 3 king-size flat sheets cotton

Instructions

• Use your ruler and marker to make a mark every 2″ across the longest side of each of your bedsheets. Use fabric scissors to make a 2″ cut at each mark.
• At each cut, rip the fabric apart, and it should tear evenly all the way across the sheet. Repeat process until each sheet is ripped into even strips. Separate strips by color and pattern.
• On each of the short ends of your cardboard, start 2″ from each end and mark 2″ long lines every 1/2″. Use scissors to cut 2″ slots at each mark. 
• Gather three fabric strips of various colors into a group, fold the group in half lengthwise, and place one end into the first slot (it should hang over the edge a few inches).

  Place the other end into the corresponding spot on the opposite side. If you have a lot of strings hanging off the sides of your strips, try and pull the big clumps of strings off before you place into the cardboard slots. Repeat this process for each strip across the cardboard. It will get pretty full after you have a few groups placed, but just keep going until you are done.
• Designate one color as your weaving strip, and wrap a piece of masking tape around one end to make it easier to weave through the strips. Starting about 2″ in from the end of your cardboard slots, begin to weave the weaving strip under and over each group until you get to the other side.

  Make sure to leave a 6″ tail at your beginning spot (you’ll lengthen this at the end). Because the cardboard is so full, the first row of weaving will be the hardest since it’s difficult to tell one group from another. Just do the best you can, and if you get a few strips into the wrong bunch, it won’t make a difference at the end.
• Once you get to the other end with your weaving strip, make a U-turn by going over or under the last bunch (whichever is needed depending on where you end up), and weave your way back to the other side (it should be much easier this time). As you finish each row, straighten out the weaved strip with your fingers and slide it as close to the row before it as you can.

  Repeat the weaving process until you are about 2″ from the cardboard slots on the other end of the rug. Make sure to pay attention to the width of your rug as you go, and keep it as even as you can. This type of weaving gives you a lot of control over your width since you can simply tighten or loosen your strip as you make the turn at each end.
• When you get to the end of your weaving strip, you’ll want to join a new strip to the existing one so you can keep on weaving. Cut a slot into the end of your weaving strip and the beginning of your new strip.

  Pull an inch or two of your new strip through the slot on the existing strip. Pass the tail end of your new strip through the slot on the new strip, and pull tight. Now you have a longer strip! Keep doing that each time you need to extend your weaving strip.
• To finish the ends, make a U-turn around the last bunch where your weaving ended, and thread your weaving strip down through the first exposed section of your last row of weaving (see above photo). Pull tight. Again, cross over to the next exposed weaving and thread down through that section and pull tight.

  Continue until you reach the end, and tie your weaving strip onto one of the strips in the last group of strips. Repeat process on the opposite end (you’ll have to join a strip to lengthen the tail of your beginning weaving strip first).
• Place a ruler or a piece of cardboard inside of where you want to trim your ends and use fabric scissors to trim the excess pieces. Once the ends are cut, you can remove the cardboard backing.

If you are new to weaving, start here: Weaving for Beginners

Elsie’s large-scale braided wall hanging and Emma’s faux weaving DIY are both easy options (and the kind of projects you can make while watching your favorite show).

What about a cute round woven pillow to add to your bed or sofa?

An area rug like this static lines woven rug DIY can help cover up bare wood or carpeted floors, and add dimension to any room.

Macrame wall hangings can be pricey (especially one with the addition of copper) but copper pipe wall hanging is simple to make and budget-friendly.

This chunky woven bath mat can be customized to match your bathroom decor (we love the option of adding two or more colors).

The easiest latch hook wall hanging you’ll ever make (it’s faux, but nobody will know!).

You could weave your own stockings to make holiday memories year after year.

Learn how to make a pretty weaving with wool roving. If you’re new to weaving, check out this post about weaving for beginners first.

Instead of searching for the perfect mat for your kitchen, make your own using Laura’s woven rag rug tutorial.

This giant fiber wall hanging is actually super easy to make, and it helps pass the time.

Listening to a podcast (shamelessly linking ours, haha) while you make a bunch of tassels doesn’t sound too bad!

Did you expect to see a woven leather bench DIY in this post? The woven leather on the top is incredible!

This textured wall weaving is multi-dimensional and uses cotton, wool yarn, and merino wool roving.

Rachel used a traditional basket weaving technique to make this woven jute mat.

This faux woven pillow is heavy on the texture (so pretty!) but only requires a few supplies (one being a glue gun), so it’s super easy to make.

Here’s another textured woven pillow DIY option that requires more of a skill set, but it reminds us of something from Anthropologie.

Looking for more DIY decor ideas for your home?

• 25+ Decor Projects for Renters
• 20 Crafts That Use Clay
• Over 20 Easy Accent Wall Ideas

With the resurgence of macrame in recent years, there is an exciting range of dyed, cotton rope to be had. I found this beautiful mustard color and a coordinating set of stained wooden handles and realized I could use the most basic macrame knots to make a cute accessory that would hold the basics: my wallet, notebook (with pen attached inside the spiral binding b/c, duh), and phone. The best part is, this highly textured handbag can follow you from summer to fall in this beautiful golden tone.

Related: How To Macrame: A Step By Step Guide For Beginners

Check out our How to Make Friendship Bracelets tutorial!

Supplies:
–one pair of wooden round shaped handles
–mustard 3mm cotton cord
-scissors
-yardstick or measuring tape

Step One: Cut thirty-two lengths of cotton cord that measure 11′ each.

Step Two: Tie sixteen strands to each handle using a lark’s head knot. To achieve a lark’s head knot, fold your strand in half and fold the center from the outer rounded part of one handle to the back of the handle. Then pull the two loose ends through the folded center as shown. This creates a lark’s knot.

Step Three: Repeat until you have tied sixteen strands per handle. Pay special attention that all of your knots are on the same side of your handle or else it will disrupt the visual pattern.

Step Four: Start your first row of square knots by using the first four strands of rope on the left side of one handle. You can move the rest of the strands off to the side to make this easier.

Step Five: Fold the first strand over the second and third strand and under the fourth strand to create a ‘4’ shape.

Step Six: Then fold the fourth strand under the second and third strands and up and over the bend in the first strand as shown. It almost looks like an upside down heart. Pull the outer two strands until they are snug. This is a half-knot.

Step Seven: Then you’ll create another similar half knot but reverse the overlap order of the outer ropes. The outer rope on the right side will go over the center two ropes but under the outer rope on the left side. Then the outer rope on the left side will go behind the center two ropes and come out over the bend in the outer right rope. Check out steps two through four in this macrame stocking tutorial for further visual breakdown. This is a square knot.

Step Eight: Use the next four strands to create another square knot and keep adding square knots all the way across.

Step Nine: We’re going to create alternating square knots for the second row of knots. Use the first eight strands on the left side. Skip the first two strands on the left side and the last two strands on the right side so that you’re only working with the four strands in the middle.

Step Ten: Use those four strands to create a square knot.

Step Eleven: Use the two leftover strands on the right side and next two strands for your next square knot as shown.

Step Twelve: This is how it should look. Continue this second row of knots. Follow up with a third row of square knots, a fourth row of alternating knots, a fifth row of square knots, and a sixth row of alternating knots.

Note: In my pattern, I only tied five rows of knots but later realized a sixth row would create a smoother pattern before joining the two sides together.

Step Thirteen: Repeat steps four through twelve on your second handle.

Step Fourteen: Place the two handles next to each other. My handles have a right side and a wrong side, so be sure your handles are both facing right side up. Create an alternating square knot between two strands from one side and two strands from the other side.

Step Fifteen: Continue tying square knots from the center to each edge to finish out that row, except for the last two or four strands on each end. Once you get to the tenth row, start leaving some space between rows. This will give your bag more roominess and stretch in the bottom half.

Step Sixteen: Once you’ve finished fifteen rows, fold your bag in half so that the wrong sides of the handles are facing each other. Attach the open sides of the bag by tying up the rest of the knots to finish off the rows.

Step Seventeen: You can see how the knots are closer together at the top and further from each other at the bottom.

Step Eighteen: Now, this bag can be made with fringe on the bottom or tucked inside. If you want it tucked inside, like mine, this is the point where you turn your bag inside out with the right sides of the handles facing each other.

Step Nineteen: We’re going to tie the knots from the front side of the bag at the bottom, to the back side of the bag at the bottom.

Step Twenty: Take individual strands from one knot on the front side and an individual strand from a nearby knot on the back side and knot together once so that they are snug.

Step Twenty-One: Then tie a double knot. Follow along until all strands have been double-knotted to a strand on the opposite side.

Step Twenty-Two: Trim your strands so that they are even.

Step Twenty-Three: Brush your strands out so that they are full if you are going to keep them on the outside of your bag.

Or trim them down a bit further and turn your bag right side out as shown. I trimmed mine down even further after this photo once I decided I liked mine better without fringe after all. Ha! Decisions, decisions.

Worried about the random stash of lipsticks and pens that are usually pooling at the bottom of your most used bags? Toss in a cute zipper bag to carry smaller items and you’re golden! Enjoy. – Rachel

Check out our favorite bags and accessories on wishlist and shopping pages!

Credits//Author and photography: Rachel Denbow. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

Start here: Weaving for Beginners

I went with a high contrast color scheme because I always love a bit of black and white in my decor. However,  just weaving this using one color would still add plenty of texture, even with a more subtle design.

You can easily make your own loom with a trip to the hardware store and a steady hand. Access to a sewing machine is helpful but hand-stitching your pillow will also leave you with a beautiful finished piece. 

R

Supplies
-16″ pre-cut piece of round wood (can be found at your local big box hardware store or cut to size)
-14″ round pillow insert
-16″ round cut of canvas in coordinating color
-one skein of ecru cotton yarn (at least 100 yards)
-one skein of black cotton yarn (at least 100 yards)
-sixty 1.5″ black finishing nails (in case you bend some)
-two 3″ tapestry needle
-hand sewing needle
-sewing thread in coordinating color
-sewing machine (optional)
-scissors
-ruler and pencil

Note: If you decide to try a larger- or smaller-sized pillow, just be sure to choose a pillow insert that is roughly 2″ smaller than your round piece of wood.

There will be a little bit of shrinkage as you pull your woven piece off of the loom and you’ll also need to account for about 1/3″ seam allowance where you stitch your top and bottom pieces together.

For this vertical striped design, you’ll want an even amount of warp rows. Otherwise, your default should be an odd amount of warp rows.

Step One: Ideally, you only want to use 50 nails for this design. Nail your first finishing nail about 1/2″ from the edge of your wood. Measure 1/2″ to the right and still about 1/2 from the edge and nail your second nail.

Continue measuring and hammering nails 1/2″ apart until you reach the place where you started. Keep your nails as evenly spaced as possible. I used 52 nails in mine, but you should only use 50 for the best pattern.

Step Two: With one end of your cotton yarn, tie a loop knot. Mine is black to make it easier to see. This is what we’ll use to create your warp, the base structure of your woven piece.

Step Three: Place your loop knot over one of the nails nearest you and then wrap it up towards the nail on the opposite side.

You can find this nail by counting to the halfway point. Loop it around the top of that nail in a clockwise direction (not all the way around) and back down towards you.

Step Four: Loop your yarn clockwise around the nail to the right of where you started and back up towards the top as shown.

Keep your tension taut but not so tight that it pulls your finishing nails in towards you. As you fill up your loom with more yarn, you’re going to want a little bit of breathing room on your warp.

Step Five: Loop it clockwise again around the nail to the left and back towards the bottom as shown.

Step Six: Continue in this pattern until you’ve come back to where you started.

Step Seven: Loop clockwise around the first nail you started with and back up to your last empty nail on the top.

Step Eight: Measure out your yarn to the center of your wood and add about five inches before cutting it off from the yarn ball. Thread your tapestry needle and stitch under the pile where the yarns are all overlapping in the center.

Step Nine: Pull your needle through to the opposite side.

Step Ten: Pull on your warp thread so that it squeezes all of those overlapping threads together a bit and tie a double knot. Trim until you have it 1″ tail. You’ll weave over this with your weft yarn.

Step Eleven: Cut a wingspan length of your contrasting color yarn (I used ecru). Thread one of your 3″ tapestry needles. Each of your nails holds a set of warp rows.

Weaving over and under each of these at the center where there isn’t as much space would get crowded and skew your design a bit. We are going to make some room by weaving over and under five nail heads at a time. 

This is essentially 10 warp rows, but just think in terms of nail heads to make it easier.

Start by weaving your tapestry needle underneath five sets of warp rows as shown.

Step Twelve: Weave over the next five, under the following five, over the next five, under the following five, until you get back around to the same five sets of warp rows that you wove over. This is one full weft row in the round. Set this needle aside.

Step Thirteen: Cut a wingspan length of your black yarn and thread the other 3″ tapestry needle. Remember where you first wove under five sets of warp rows with the ecru?

Well, weave over those same five sets of warp rows with your black. Continue weaving over the next five sets, under the next five, etc.

Step Fourteen: Weave until you come back to where you started. It’s hard to see in this photo because it’s the same color as the warp, but you can see me holding both my tail end and long end because I’ve woven all the way around. Set your black yarn and needle aside.

Step Fifteen: Pick up your needle with ecru yarn and weave over the same set of five warp rows as you did in the first row. Then under the next five and so on until you’ve woven to just behind the other needle with the black yarn. Set your ecru yarn aside.

Step Sixteen: Weave your black yarn over the same warp rows as the first weft you wove in black. You’ll stop just behind the ecru yarn. Continue in this pattern where each color takes its turn going almost all the way around.

Step Seventeen: If you run out of yarn but wish to continue with the same color, weave until you have about 3″ of a tail left to tuck down where you would naturally be weaving under some warp rows.

Then, cut a new wingspan of yarn, thread your needle, and follow where you would have woven had you never run out of yarn. Leave yourself another 3″ tail and tuck both tails to the back side. No need to tie them together. They’ll get locked in with the next weft row.

Step Eighteen: You can see there are two sections to my design here. After step seventeen, I wove my next colors over every three sets of warp rows instead of every five. I did this for about 1″.

You can see how it shifted my vertical lines a bit. It’s also helping keep the spaces between my warp rows about the same size as they were in the center. For this next section, you can see I’ve started to weave under two sets of warp rows at a time.

Step Nineteen: Here’s an example of my third section and how my vertical lines have shifted again. If you were to use only one color for the whole pillow, you wouldn’t have a design like this. You’d just see consistently spaced weft row stitches from the center all the way to the outer edge.

Step Twenty: The further towards the edge you go, the more you’ll want to reduce the number of warp rows you weave over. For this next section, I’m only weaving over one set of warp rows at a time.

Step Twenty-One: And of course, once you get further out, you can even split each set of warp rows into two rows.

Step Twenty-Two: To get the railroad track pattern, simply weave three weft rows of the same color in a row in a traditional over/under pattern. Then pick back up with the opposite color being woven over the same sets of warp rows as before. You can do this for both colors to create negative space in between the railroad tracks, too.

Once you’ve woven up to about 1/2″ from your nail heads, stop. You’ll need about 2/3″ of room on your warp rows for the next step.

Twenty-Three: Gently pull your warp rows off of your loom.

Twenty-Four: Fold your first warp row loop over the one to the right of it so that the one to the right goes through the center of the loop. Then fold that second warp row loop over to the right of it so that it goes over the third one.

Then fold the third one over the fourth and so on. If you have a crochet hook and are familiar with this concept, it might make faster work. This is one of the cleanest ways to finish your ends off without having to cut and tie knots.

Twenty-Five: Once you get back to the beginning, cut that last warp row loop in half at the top and double knot it through the first one.

Twenty-Six: Make sure your pillow insert fits! You want this to be snug, but if your pillow insert is more than 1″ wider than your pillow case, you’ll need a slightly smaller pillow insert.

Twenty-Seven: Place your woven piece face down on your cotton fabric. Pin them together every 3″ near the perimeter of your woven piece.

Twenty-Eight: Stitch about 1/4″ in from the edge of the woven piece around the perimeter and stop stitching when you are about 7″ from where you started. This will leave enough room for you to turn your pillow case right side out.

Trim your cotton fabric along the perimeter where you stitched them together, but leave it longer on the part that is open as shown.  Remove straight pins.

Twenty-Nine: Turn your pillow case right side out. Insert your pillow form. Thread your sewing needle with about 16″ of thick thread and tie a knot in the long end. Start near one end of the opening from the inside of the pillow case to hide your knot.

Thirty: Use a blind-stitch to finish sewing your opening closed. Fluff and enjoy!

Since this pillow case is made from 100% cotton, you can throw it in the wash on a delicate cycle with warm or cold water and let it air dry. However, spot cleaning is recommended.

Take it a step further and add 10-12 handmade yarn pom poms to the perimeter for something even more fun! What colors would fit your room the best? – Rachel

There is something about fall that has me wanting to bring in all the textures and make all the yarn projects. Adding in that warmth really starts to get my home cozy for when the temperatures plummet.

The funny thing is, as much as I like yarn crafts, I still don’t know how to knit or weave. But you can bet I know how to fake the look!

I have been wanting to try my hand at making a faux woven pillow, and I finally found the time this past week. I am so obsessed with how it turned out! And it only took a few hours to make, which is even more awesome.

I am going to share how to make a faux woven pillow with you, so you can get in on this cozy action too!

Related: Easy (Faux) Weaving DIY and Weaving for Beginners

Supplies:
–yarn (the thicker the better)
–wool roving
-hot glue or fabric glue
-scissors
-throw pillow with cover
–felt balls (optional)

The process of how to make a faux woven pillow is pretty straightforward. I will share how to make a few of the simple faux woven yarn look like the roving balls and braided pieces, then you simply use these techniques with the yarn in your colors.

Once you have made a few different yarn pieces, you will layer them onto your pillow case however you like to create your own unique woven look.

For the tassels, wrap the yarn around your arm from your palm to your elbow as if you were winding up an extension cord. Repeat until you have 8-10 strands, then remove from your arm and tie a 6″ piece of yarn around the center. Fold the two ends together and trim off the looped ends to form your tassel.

For the braided pieces, create the same looped yarn strands as above, but create three. Then tie them together on one end and braid the three looped yarn pieces together to form a chunky braid. Pull the yarn to loosen the braid a bit and then tie the bottom together.

The final yarn piece that I used on the pillow was a long tuffed and tied piece of yarn. To make this, make another long looped piece around your forearm. Then remove and tie several pieces of 4″ long yarn around the looped yarn in 1″ segments.

For the roving balls, I tore the roving into 4″ long pieces and spread it out and then folded into a ball shape.

Now that you have all the details on how to make each type of yarn segment on the pillow, the creativity comes in to play. Vary up the color, length, and type of piece as you work your way down the pillow using the fabric glue or hot glue to secure the pieces to the pillow case as you go.

You can also use a needle and thread to give a quick few stitches around each piece to ensure it stays secured to the case.

I added a few felt balls to my case as well, but didn’t end up liking the look of them once finished, so there will be some trial and error. Luckily, I was able to add some roving tufts over the felt balls to disguise them a bit.

Once the front of the pillow case is complete, you can flip it around and do the back, or leave it as is. Then just add your pillow insert and your ready to add a little warmth to your home this fall.

As I mentioned, this pillow took about two hours to make (I just covered the front), but it was a great project to do while watching a movie.

I love the texture it brings to my living room and plan to make a few more for my bedroom. Now that you know how to make a faux woven pillow, I can’t wait to see what patterns and color options you choose! xo. Kara

I had a very blank wall in my living room and I decided to create some kind of (faux) weaving for it. It turned out pretty dang cute if I do say so myself, so I thought I’d share how I made it. Spoiler: It’s SUPER easy.

Related: DIY Fiber Art, Weaving for Beginners, and 15 Crafts You Can Do While Watching TV.

On the adjacent wall (I promise to share photos soon) I have a mini gallery wall of photos from a recent vacation. So I knew I wanted something on this wall, but I didn’t want anything too colorful or too busy.

I thought some kind of weaving or textural art would work best because it could be visually interesting but not overly eye-catching, if that makes sense.

I’m always trying to find balance in my decor choices because otherwise things start to feel too stimulating to me. I want all the cozy vibes, but I don’t want our space to feel at all overwhelming—I want to feel totally relaxed in our home.

I was totally inspired by this project that Elsie did in her bedroom a while back, so I used that as my jumping off inspiration. I also sort of loved making all the tassels for this project.

It’s kind of therapeutic in a way since it’s so repetitive. Plus, it’s one of those projects you can mostly complete while also watching movies. Ha.

Supplies:
–yarn for tassels (I used three skeins, two white and one pink)
–small felt balls (mine were actually three garlands I had bought around the holidays)
-plain rug
–wooden dowel rod
-hot glue and glue gun
-wall anchors + paint (you may only need nails depending on the size you do)

The only supply I actually bought for this project was the rug. I actually had everything else in a random craft supply closet. So, if you’re like me and tend to collect random craft supplies, you may not need much to complete this either.

Step One: Make all the tassels. (learn how in this post).This is super easy but will be the most time consuming part. Like I said, I made all my tassels over the course of 2-3 nights while watching TV with my husband in the evenings.

Step Two: Glue the tassels and the felt balls to the rug. It’s best to lay everything out first, to make sure you have enough tassels and are happy with the overall look before you begin gluing.

Step Three: Attach the wooden dowel rod to the top with more yard, or strong string.

Now you’re ready to hang your project and you’re done! As you can see, mine is pretty big and it ended up being heavy enough that I decided to hang it with three wall anchors just to be extra safe.

I painted the heads of the screws the same color as my walls (Bistro White by Valspar) so they would more or less disappear visually. But this may not be necessary depending how big and heavy your project turns out to be.

And if you want to learn how to actually weave, you should check out Rachel’s weaving series, starting with the basics (and check out more of our weaving tutorials here). xo. Emma

Last week, I showed you how to weave your own scarf and this week, I’m sharing how you can make a beautiful mat out of jute fibers. I love mine so much that I actually don’t want anyone to stand on it!

Start here: Weaving for Beginners

I also wanted to explore a traditional weaving technique called pick and pick. You’ve probably seen it used in handwoven baskets from Ghana, like this one. It allows for vertical stripe patterns and dashes, among others, that can add much more interest to a flat design that plain weave alone.

This type of project is great for those who have some weaving experience under their belt already, but if you’re a rookie and feeling brave, I won’t talk you out of it! 

R

Supplies:
–two 100m rolls of 2mm cream jute
–three 100m rolls of 2mm black jute
–one 100m roll of 2mm natural jute
–one 10m roll of 2mm pink jute
-paint stick or yardstick
–3″ tapestry needle
-fork, weaving comb, or beard comb
–two 12″ stick shuttles

To make your loom:
-pine or MDF measuring about 24″ x 32″ or greater
–seventy 1.5″ finishing nails
-hammer
-yardstick
-pencil or chalk

Step One: Build your loom by nailing 33 finishing nails about 2″ below the top edge of your board so that they are about 1/3″ apart. Measure 30″ below your top row of nails and add another row of nails, this time with 34 nails.

Warp your loom using black jute yarn. Start with your loop knot on the left edge of the bottom row of nails and warp all the way across so that you end on the bottom right edge with another loop knot.

For more detailed photos on how to warp your loom, you can reference this weaving tutorial.

Step Two: Cut a 4′ length of cream jute and thread one end through your needle until you have an 8″ tail. This will make up your first few weft rows.

Starting on the left hand side, weave your needle through the loop knot so that you start under the first side of the knot and over the second side of the knot. Then continue weaving your needle under and over, under and over.

Step Three: Make sure you finish on the last knot so that you go under the first side of the knot and over the second side. Weaving through these knots ensures your rug doesn’t unravel down the road.

As you weave your weft row all the way across, allow for a little slack by creating a slight arch with your cream jute. Next, gently press the center down so that it is resting on top of the row of nails. Then use your fingers, a fork, or a comb to press the rest of your weft row flat.

Step Four: When weaving back in the opposite direction, make sure you weave the opposite of the weft row below. On my first weft row, I ended over the outer warp row (of the loop knot) as shown, so I started my second weft row weaving under the outer warp row and over the next one.

Step Five: Keep weaving back and forth until you run out of jute. Instead of leaving your tail ends on the end of the row, I suggest starting a new row. This allows for clean edges and less work at the end.

Instead of tucking your tail ends behind your warp rows like you would for a wall hanging, leave your tail ends poking up. The pattern we’ll be weaving will be the same on both sides, so this is the easiest way to save time.

Step Six: For larger blocks of the same color, load up your stick shuttle with much more yarn. Start by pinching the yarn against the center of the stick shuttle with your thumb (mine is on the back side in this photo), and then wrapping around the left side of your stick shuttle in a figure eight pattern for a total of 10 times.

Then start wrapping a figure eight pattern on the right side of your stick shuttle another 10 times. Then leave yourself a 4-foot tail to add even more length before cutting your jute from the ball. This large stick shuttle acts as a needle but keeps you from getting tangled up in your jute.

Step Seven: Start weaving with your stick shuttle so that you share at least two warp rows as the weft row underneath. Then continue on so that you are repeating the same over and under pattern. If you get confused, just make sure you are weaving the opposite of the weft row underneath.

Be sure you use your comb or fork to push each weft row down as firmly as possible to get the sturdiest mat possible. Keep weaving until you run out or have a 1.5″ woven block of color.

Step Eight: For your next section, you’ll need to load up one stick shuttle with cream jute (10 times on each side) and one stick shuttle with black jute (10 times on each side).

Step Nine: This is the start of your pick and pick section. Add one row of plain weave (over, under, over, under) in the cream color. Once you’ve finished one weft row, set your cream aside.

Then starting from the same side as your cream stick shuttle, weave one row of plain weave (under, over, under, over) in black and then set it aside. You can see in the photo above that the cream ended under and the black ended over.

Step Ten: Pick up your cream stick shuttle and make sure it goes over the black yarn from the stick shuttle. Then start weaving in the opposite direction so that you are still weaving the opposite from the last weft row (the black). This means all of your cream overs will show on the same warp rows.

Step Eleven: Pick up your black stick shuttle and start weaving your next weft row. It should be the opposite pattern of the cream weft row but the same pattern as the black weft row.

This means all of the black overs will share the same warp rows and show up on the front. The place where the cream and the black jute overlap on the outside of the warp row should not pull too tightly in or stick too far out. Eventually these will become very consistent.

Step Twelve: Continue weaving using the pick and pick technique until you finish one last weft row of cream. Then weave in a few warp rows of the black to secure it. Remember to use your comb or fork to keep beating your weft rows down evenly.

To continue the same pattern as the project:

-plain weave about 1″ of cream jute using your stick shuttle.

-cut 4′ of pink jute and weave two rows of plain weave.

-plain weave about 1″ of cream jute using your stick shuttle.

-load one stick shuttle with cream jute and one stick shuttle with natural jute. Weave 2″ of pick and pick.

-plain weave about 1″ of cream jute using your stick shuttle.

-cut 4′ of pink jute and weave two rows of plain weave.

-plain weave about 1″ of cream jute using your stick shuttle.

-load one stick shuttle with cream jute and one stick shuttle with black jute. Weave until you run out and then reload each stick shuttle. Continue weaving until you have about 6″ of black and cream pick and pick. This is the center of your mat.

-plain weave about 1″ of cream jute using your stick shuttle.

-cut 4′ of pink jute and weave two rows of plain weave.

-plain weave about 1″ of cream jute using your stick shuttle.

-load one stick shuttle with cream jute and one stick shuttle with natural jute. Weave 2″ of pick and pick.

-plain weave about 1″ of cream jute using your stick shuttle.

-cut 4′ of pink jute and weave two rows of plain weave.

-plain weave about 1″ of cream jute using your stick shuttle.

-load one stick shuttle with cream jute and one stick shuttle with black jute. Weave 2″ of black and cream pick and pick.

-plain weave about 1″ of cream jute using your stick shuttle (or as close as you can get to 1″). You want to make sure you have about 2″ of room until you get to the top of your nails.

Step Thirteen: Once you’ve reached the top (hooray!!!) then gently pull your warp rows off—two at a time. Tie each looped pair together in a knot and then cut your loop at the top so that you end up with two short strands. Continue all the way across.

To achieve the tasseled loop on the other end, cut 33 6″ strips of black jute. As you remove a pair of warp rows from the bottom nails, stitch a strip of black jute through the warp loop (where the nail was) pull the ends together, and tie a knot. Repeat all the way across the bottom row of warp row loops.

Phew! If you’ve made it this far, you should probably earn a weaving merit badge. Your finished project should look like the one below, but feel free to substitute your favorite colors of jute yarn.

I’m not going to lie, this project took about 12 hours total. It’s a very dense project with thin jute, so the progress felt slow but it looks like something woven on a rigid heddle loom. Since these photos were taken, it’s actually ended up on our dining room table underneath a wooden bowl of oranges.

If you’re into this design but not into the time commitment, try the pick and pick technique on a set of coasters! You can use a smaller frame loom to weave one coaster, skip about 4″ of space, and then weave another coaster on the same set of warp rows. You’re welcome.

I can’t wait to see who accepts this weaving challenge! – Rachel

Interested in learning more about weaving basics? Check out my book, DIY Woven Art, for 15 projects with lessons that build on each other.

Start here: Weaving for Beginners

I tested out a few tartan color schemes before landing on a variety of fresh pastels, but this design would work just as well if woven with only neutral fibers. The key is to utilize yarns in similar weights for a smooth, wearable weave that will drape like a dream. Chunky yarns are perfect because they fill space quickly and allow the tartan pattern to show up. Plan your next yarn purchase ASAP because this is the perfect winter evening project!

Supplies
-one 1″ x 12″ x 6′ pine board (available pre-cut at large hardware stores)
-40 finishing nails (without wide heads)
-five to seven 100g skeins of chunky weight yarn (you’ll have leftovers)
-one 100 g skein of worsted weight (medium weight) yarn for the fringe on each end
-paint stick or weaving sword
-scissors

Step One: Nail 19 finishing nails near the top of your board so that they are evenly spaced and about 1/3″ from each other. Repeat with 18 finishing nails on the opposite end of the wood.

Step Two: Choose three contrasting yarn colors for your warp. Tie a loop knot with your first yarn and place it over the first nail on the top left side. Pull it gently down and wrap it around the first nail on the bottom left side and then back up to the second nail on the top left side. Continue warping your loom in this way for as wide as you’d like with that color.

Step Three: Cut the end of your first yarn so that it is about 12″ down from the top row of nails. Tie the end of your second color to the end of your first color in a double-knot. This will get covered up with a tassel later. Repeat this process with your third color of yarn.Step Four: An efficient way to create a lot of fringe in a short amount of time is to find a book or thick piece of cardboard that is roughly the length you’d like your fringe to reach. Then start wrapping it around and around and around.

Step Five: Cut in one place only and then separate your yarn into equal strands. Not enough fringe? Start wrapping again until you’ve cut enough. Step Six: For a chunky fringe at each end, you’ll want to use about seven strands of worsted weight (medium weight) yarn per tassel or about four strands of chunky yarn per tassel.

Place your loom on a table top or on the floor and start with the edge that has the looped knots where you started and finished your warp.

To create a rya knot, find the center of your first bunch of strands and place it on top of your loop knot. Wrap each side of the fringe around the outside of the loop knot and up through the center of the loop so that the two ends meet. Pull the ends up towards you so that they are mostly even. Smooth out the knot that it makes.

Step Seven: Move to the next nail and place the center of your bunch of strands on top of the two warp rows that loop around the nail. These are warp rows and a rya knot (your fringe) needs two warp rows to wrap around. Your loop knot acted as your two warp rows in step six. Wrap the two ends around the back of the warp rows and towards each other so that they come up through the center. Then gently pull the ends down and form a knot. Step Eight: Continue this process all the way across, ending with the loop knot on the last nail.

Step Nine: Instead of weaving with a needle or stick shuttle, you’ll be making a yarn butterfly. This allows you to work through a longer length of yarn and leaves you with fewer loose ends to hide. Cut about three yards of your first color block and wrap one end around your open hand until you only have about 30″ left on the loose end.

Step Ten: Then gently remove it from your hand and wrap your loose end around the circle of yarn about five times, so that it creates a little bow or butterfly shape. This yarn and all of the other strands that travel through the vertical warp rows are called the weft row.

Step Eleven: When you weave your weft row through your warp row, you’ll go over and under, over and under until you’ve woven to the opposite side. Create a little arch to allow a little give as you push that weft row down. Push it down in the center so that it rests on top of the fringe and then push the rest down on either side of the center until it’s flat. Ignore my paint stick in the above photo.

Step Twelve: Weave your paint stick over and under the same warp rows as the weft row you just wove through. You want these to match so that you can use your paint stick or weaving sword to separate the warp rows and create a shed for you to quickly pass your butterfly through. This only works in one direction, though. Now that your weaving sword is in place, you can slide it up about twelve inches to have it out of the way so that you can weave in the opposite direction. Step Thirteen: Usually you’ll lead with the butterfly bundle since it gives you something substantial to pass through the warp rows. However, use your loose end to weave that first weft row so that it can be woven through the loop knots on each end. This is necessary in this first weft row to ensure those single warp rows don’t slide off and unravel your scarf.

Step Fourteen: Be sure to always leave a three inch tail so that you have something long enough to tuck in later. Step Fifteen: Weave that tail end in by wrapping it around the outer loop knot row and back through the center of the loop knot. Then tuck the tail end back behind the warp rows. This gives you a clean edge and will be hidden later.

Step Sixteen: Using your butterfly bundle, weave your second weft row by wrapping around the outer warp row and then weaving the opposite under and over pattern as the first weft row. Create that arch to avoid the hourglass effect and be sure to give your weft yarn just a little extra room on those edges. You won’t be able to use your weaving sword in this direction.

Step Seventeen: If you ever forget which direction your weaving sword works in, just pull it down to check. If it opens up space and your last weft row can move around, that’s the direction you want to use it. If it locks your last weft row in, that’s not the direction. You can also use your weaving sword to help even out your weft row as you bat it down to rest gently on top of the weft row underneath. With this chunky yarn, you should be able to see the contrasting patterns of your warp through your weft.

Step Eighteen: Raise your weaving sword for that third row and slide your butterfly right through that open shed. Continue weaving back and forth until you run out of yarn in your butterfly. Step Nineteen: I usually prefer to tuck my tail ends to the back of a weave, but we need them on the front side today. Make sure you have about three inches to work with and be sure not to end too closely to the edge. You’ll either pick up where you left off with another bundle of the same yarn or you can switch to the next color block. Just be sure you leave another three-inch tail at the beginning.

Step Twenty:  These loose tails should be tied together to form a double knot. They’ll also be where you eventually add more tassels, so keep that in mind. Do you want all of your tassels to be on one side or spread out in groups of three? Alternate the height of your color blocks to keep the eye moving and be sure to step back every now and then to make sure you can see the bigger picture. Step Twenty-One: You’re almost done! Once you’ve woven to within six inches of the opposite end, repeat the process of adding more tassels while you can. Another easy way to add rya knots on a loom with nail heads is to place the center of the tassels underneath one of the two in each pair of warp rows.

Step Twenty-Two: Then pull the two ends up and through that loop as shown. Step Twenty-Three: Gently pull your ends together.

Step Twenty-Four: Then slide the knot down and pull it underneath (above) the nail head. Step Twenty-Five: To create chunky tassels, cut six or seven strands of the two yarn colors that are meeting up. Find the two warp rows closest to the tail ends that you tied together in a double knot. Gently push the weft rows up and out of the way and create a rya knot just like the fringe on each end, but with the first method. Center the bunch and then wrap one end behind and around one warp row.

Step Twenty-Six: Then wrap the other end behind and around the warp row next to it. You can also skip a warp row, but not skipping makes for a cleaner back side.

Step Twenty-Seven: Continue adding your tassels until you’ve hidden all of the tail ends. Then trim them up for a more finished look. Take this time to brush out your fringe on each end with your fingers and trim those so that they’re mostly even as well.

If you’re in SoCal or anywhere in the Southwest, you may only get to wear your oversized statement scarf for like one week out of the year, so make it count! Or start praying for a cold snap. Ha!The yarns I used for my scarf are wool blends and alpaca blends so they are soft and warm but also feel better than acrylics would. This scarf can be hand washed and hung to dry if it gets soiled and will likely hold up well due to its construction.

If you love the idea of weaving something wearable but don’t want to feel swallowed whole, create a loom that is narrower and adjust your colors accordingly. You can swap out the tassels for pom-poms or you can stitch the tail ends up through the weft rows to hide them and achieve a more minimalist look.

I am especially eager to see your finished woven scarves, so be sure to tag @abeautifulmess on Instagram. Stay cozy, friends! – Rachel

Credits//Author: Rachel Denbow. Photography: Rachel Denbow and Janae Hardy. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

Start here: Weaving for Beginners

Supplies
–lap loom (mine is 13″ x 18″)
-weaving sword or ruler
–one skein of super chunky cream yarn (90+ yards)
–one skein of neutral, worsted weight yarn for bottom fringe (140+ yards)
–8 oz. of merino wool roving
–cotton yarn for warp
-scissors
-3″ tapestry needle

Step One: Warp your loom so that you are using the full width. Start your knot on the bottom of your loom and end with the other knot on the bottom of your loom as well for an even amount of warp rows. Brand new to warping a loom? No worries! Review this beginner’s tutorial for those steps in more detail. Once you’ve warped your loom, add in four rows of plain weave. This creates a foundation before we add rya knots. Not sure how to plain weave? Again, check back in that beginner’s tutorial for detailed steps.

Step Two: We’re going to be making extra thick rya knots, so cut about 20 strands of your neutral, worsted weight yarn to measure about 20″ long. These don’t have to all be even because we’ll be trimming them later. I made one rya knot bundle for every five warp rows. Except I had 34 warp rows instead of 35, so I just fudged on one. If you’re using a more narrow loom, you can adjust accordingly.

Step Three: Find the center of your first rya knot bundle and lay it on top of your warp rows. Wrap the end closest to the outer warp row all the way around as shown.

Step Four: Then skip the next two warp rows and wrap the other end of your bundle all the way around the fourth warp row. Imagine the two ends wrapping towards each other and then away. Step Five: Pull the ends of your bundle towards each other and adjust things so that they are centered and gently pull down. Your rya ‘knot’ should rest gently on top of the foundational plain weave you added in step one.

Step Six: Skip the fifth warp row and then repeat. This means your next bundle would wrap around the sixth warp row, skip the seventh and eighth, and then wrap the other way around the ninth. Once finished you’ll have a nice chunky fringe.

Step Seven: The next stitch is called soumak and will create a braided design. You can use one strand of yarn but using five will add a ton of texture and take up more space. This weave is all about going big!

Cut five strands of chunky yarn that are about 8′ long each. Tuck one end down between the outer warp row and the warp row next to it so that you leave a 4″ tail on the back side of your warp.

Step Eight: Wrap all five strands together around that outer warp row and bring it back up between the outer warp row and that second warp row as shown.

Step Nine: Skip two warp rows and then wrap the entire bunch (all five strands together) over the top and around the fourth warp row. Make sure you pull it up above your wrap every time to keep things consistent.

Step Ten: Continue skipping two warp rows and then wrapping all the way around the next one. You should start seeing a stair step pattern.

Step Eleven: Gently push your stair step pattern down so that it rests on top of the rya knots. You can adjust your tension on these to make sure they are consistently spaced out. See how they all slant in the same direction? When you get to the opposite end, wrap your bunch around the outer warp row twice to build up your height for the next row.

Step Twelve: When continuing your soumak in the opposite direction, continue to skip two warp rows and then wrap over the top of your next warp row. You’ll see how it starts slanting in the opposite direction of your first row. This creates the braided pattern. When you get back to where you started, tuck your tail ends around the outer row and act like you’re starting a regular weft row by going over and then under. This will tuck your ends down behind your warp again. Trim to end up with a 4″ tail.

Step Thirteen: Count your warp rows and divide by eight. For this section, we’ll be weaving figure eights with wool roving. Each braided section will be split in half with four warp rows on one side and four on the other. If you have an extra warp row or two, you can add them in with a batch of four somewhere. You’ll want to use about 24″ of roving for each braided section.

Starting on the left side of your loom, tuck about 3″ of your roving down between the fourth and fifth warp rows. Then wrap the long end of your roving all the way around the four warp rows closest to the edge and back up between the fourth and fifth warp rows.

Step Fourteen: Then wrap your roving over warp rows 5-8 and back between the fourth and fifth warp rows. Essentially you are wrapping around the first four warp rows and then the next four warp rows back and forth to create a vertical braid.

Step Fifteen: Finish with an even braid, meaning you’ve wrapped around both sections of warp rows an even amount of times. Then tuck your tail up between the sixth and fifth warp rows and then back down between the fifth and fourth. This will ensure your tail gets woven in and secured without it showing.

Step Sixteen: However many times you braided on your first vertical row is how many you should braid on the rest of your rows. Feel free to fluff your braids so that they are consistent. This takes up a big section of your warp and adds tons of texture. The best part is it doesn’t take very long to weave!

Step Seventeen: Add a section of plain weave above your braided roving rows. I think I added about 10 weft rows (each horizontal row is a weft row). Then add another two rows of soumak using the same length and amount in step seven. This keeps it balanced and consistent. Then frame out the other side of your soumak with 10 or 12 more weft rows of plain weave in the same chunky yarn.

Step Eighteen: You may not want to weave to the top of your loom every time. No worries! Gently pull individual pairs of warp rows off of the top notches. Create a lark’s knot by folding the warp yarn back behind itself.

Step Nineteen: Then bring the two loops together in front. Then slip this loop over your copper pipe or wooden dowel. Do this one at a time and don’t pull your warp rows too much. You don’t want things shifting as you’re taking it off of the loom. Then gently pull it off of the bottom of the loom. Tie each of the loops at the bottom into little knots to keep things from shifting down too much.

Step Twenty: Once your pipe is added, add a hanger by slipping a 3′ length of cotton yarn through the pipe. Tie a double-knot and then hide the knot somewhere in the center of the pipe. Flip your wall hanging over and tuck your soumak tails behind the exposed warp rows. Trim your roving tails so they aren’t too fluffy. These will stay put.

After I’m finished with any wall hanging I like to hang it on a hook and brush through the rya knots with my fingers or a weaving comb to straighten things out a bit. Then I trim up my scraggly ends for a more finished look. Congrats! You’ve just finished a beautiful wall hanging in half the time it can take because you used the chunkiest of fibers!

Find the perfect place for your wall hanging and enjoy! –Rachel

Want to learn more about weaving or try a few more complex designs? Check out my book, DIY Woven Art, for 15 projects that take you from the most basic designs to weaving your own rug! No lie.

Print

Quick Weave Wall Hanging DIY

Author Rachel Denbow

Equipment

• lap loom (mine is 13″ x 18″)
• weaving sword or ruler
• one skein of super chunky cream yarn (90+ yards)
• one skein of neutral, worsted weight yarn for bottom fringe (140+ yards)
• 8 oz. of merino wool roving
• cotton yarn for warp
• -scissors
• 3″ tapestry needle

Instructions

• Step One: Warp your loom so that you are using the full width. Start your knot on the bottom of your loom and end with the other knot on the bottom of your loom as well for an even amount of warp rows. Brand new to warping a loom? No worries! Review this beginner’s tutorial for those steps in more detail. Once you’ve warped your loom, add in four rows of plain weave. This creates a foundation before we add rya knots. Not sure how to plain weave? Again, check back in that beginner’s tutorial for detailed steps.
• Step Two: We’re going to be making extra thick rya knots, so cut about 20 strands of your neutral, worsted weight yarn to measure about 20″ long. These don’t have to all be even because we’ll be trimming them later. I made one rya knot bundle for every five warp rows. Except I had 34 warp rows instead of 35, so I just fudged on one. If you’re using a more narrow loom, you can adjust accordingly.
• Step Three: Find the center of your first rya knot bundle and lay it on top of your warp rows. Wrap the end closest to the outer warp row all the way around as shown.
• Step Four: Then skip the next two warp rows and wrap the other end of your bundle all the way around the fourth warp row. Imagine the two ends wrapping towards each other and then away. 
• Step Five: Pull the ends of your bundle towards each other and adjust things so that they are centered and gently pull down. Your rya ‘knot’ should rest gently on top of the foundational plain weave you added in step one.
• Step Six: Skip the fifth warp row and then repeat. This means your next bundle would wrap around the sixth warp row, skip the seventh and eighth, and then wrap the other way around the ninth. Once finished you’ll have a nice chunky fringe.
• Step Seven: The next stitch is called soumak and will create a braided design. You can use one strand of yarn but using five will add a ton of texture and take up more space. This weave is all about going big!

  Cut five strands of chunky yarn that are about 8′ long each. Tuck one end down between the outer warp row and the warp row next to it so that you leave a 4″ tail on the back side of your warp.
• Step Eight: Wrap all five strands together around that outer warp row and bring it back up between the outer warp row and that second warp row as shown.
• Step Nine: Skip two warp rows and then wrap the entire bunch (all five strands together) over the top and around the fourth warp row. Make sure you pull it up above your wrap every time to keep things consistent.
• Step Ten: Continue skipping two warp rows and then wrapping all the way around the next one. You should start seeing a stair step pattern.
• Step Eleven: Gently push your stair step pattern down so that it rests on top of the rya knots. You can adjust your tension on these to make sure they are consistently spaced out. See how they all slant in the same direction? When you get to the opposite end, wrap your bunch around the outer warp row twice to build up your height for the next row.
• Step Twelve: When continuing your soumak in the opposite direction, continue to skip two warp rows and then wrap over the top of your next warp row. You’ll see how it starts slanting in the opposite direction of your first row. This creates the braided pattern. When you get back to where you started, tuck your tail ends around the outer row and act like you’re starting a regular weft row by going over and then under. This will tuck your ends down behind your warp again. Trim to end up with a 4″ tail.
• Step Thirteen: Count your warp rows and divide by eight. For this section, we’ll be weaving figure eights with wool roving. Each braided section will be split in half with four warp rows on one side and four on the other. If you have an extra warp row or two, you can add them in with a batch of four somewhere. You’ll want to use about 24″ of roving for each braided section.

  Starting on the left side of your loom, tuck about 3″ of your roving down between the fourth and fifth warp rows. Then wrap the long end of your roving all the way around the four warp rows closest to the edge and back up between the fourth and fifth warp rows.
• Step Fourteen: Then wrap your roving over warp rows 5-8 and back between the fourth and fifth warp rows. Essentially you are wrapping around the first four warp rows and then the next four warp rows back and forth to create a vertical braid.
• Step Fifteen: Finish with an even braid, meaning you’ve wrapped around both sections of warp rows an even amount of times. Then tuck your tail up between the sixth and fifth warp rows and then back down between the fifth and fourth. This will ensure your tail gets woven in and secured without it showing.
• Step Sixteen: However many times you braided on your first vertical row is how many you should braid on the rest of your rows. Feel free to fluff your braids so that they are consistent. This takes up a big section of your warp and adds tons of texture. The best part is it doesn’t take very long to weave!
• Step Seventeen: Add a section of plain weave above your braided roving rows. I think I added about 10 weft rows (each horizontal row is a weft row). Then add another two rows of soumak using the same length and amount in step seven. This keeps it balanced and consistent. Then frame out the other side of your soumak with 10 or 12 more weft rows of plain weave in the same chunky yarn.
• Step Eighteen: You may not want to weave to the top of your loom every time. No worries! Gently pull individual pairs of warp rows off of the top notches. Create a lark’s knot by folding the warp yarn back behind itself.
• Step Nineteen: Then bring the two loops together in front. Then slip this loop over your copper pipe or wooden dowel. Do this one at a time and don’t pull your warp rows too much. You don’t want things shifting as you’re taking it off of the loom. Then gently pull it off of the bottom of the loom. Tie each of the loops at the bottom into little knots to keep things from shifting down too much.
• Step Twenty: Once your pipe is added, add a hanger by slipping a 3′ length of cotton yarn through the pipe. Tie a double-knot and then hide the knot somewhere in the center of the pipe. Flip your wall hanging over and tuck your soumak tails behind the exposed warp rows. Trim your roving tails so they aren’t too fluffy. These will stay put.

Notes

After I’m finished with any wall hanging I like to hang it on a hook and brush through the rya knots with my fingers or a weaving comb to straighten things out a bit. Then I trim up my scraggly ends for a more finished look. Congrats! You’ve just finished a beautiful wall hanging in half the time it can take because you used the chunkiest of fibers!

Credits//Author: Rachel Denbow. Photography: Rachel Denbow and Janae Hardy. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

If you want to learn to weave, start here: Weaving for Beginners

It won’t necessarily be any faster but it won’t require some of the tools and skills you’d need if you were wanting to weave the same thing. Plus you can customize the size of your wall hanging very quickly.

It’s a great way to destash your yarn pile if you’re a knitter or crocheter and you can use this tutorial to skip the wall hanging and just make your own rug! I love how my shaggy wall hanging turned out and all of the fluffy texture it adds to my studio space. Get the details for making your own below.

R

Supplies:
-24″ x 30″ latch hook canvas
–latch hook
-seven or eight skeins of yarn in various colors. I used a variety of thicknesses and also used both wool and cotton.
-scissors
-dowel or stick as wide as the canvas

You can sketch out your design first or just freehand it. You can even trace your color block shapes with a marker onto the canvas to make it easier! Once you’re comfortable with your design, start cutting your yarn into strands.

The strands on the bottom of your canvas should be the longest and then you can cut them to a more consistent length.

The lengths on the bottom of mine varied from 14″-24″ long and I used scrap cardboard that measured 7″ and 12″, respectively, as my base and just wound my yarn around them over and over before making a cut at one end.

Keep cutting your strands as you go. The rest of my strands were about 5″ long and then I trimmed them once I was finished adding them all to my canvas.

Step One: Cut your latch hook canvas to your preferred size. I cut mine to measure about 14″ x 28″. The bigger your size, the more yarn you’ll need. Then place two strands of yarn under your hook.

Step Two: Hold all four strand ends in one hand so that they are just about at the crook of your latch hook. Then slide the hook under one of the single strands on your canvas so that it comes up again. Make sure you slide it through past the latch.

Step Three: Wrap your four strands to one side of the latch.

Step Four: Gently pull the handle toward your body to close the latch with the yarn inside the hook.

Step Five: Keep gently pulling toward you so that your ends continue to pull through.

Step Six: This is how it should look when you are finished. One down, one million to go! Just kidding. But not really.

I usually work on a fiber project from the bottom up, but I knew I wanted to use a lot of whites on this one. I added three spots of color as my focal points and then filled things in from there. I just wound my yarn and cut strands as I went instead of counting them out beforehand. No one needs that kind of pressure.

Work on one color block at a time or mix it up and fill it in from one side to the other. Adding in different shades of the same color can help blend your design, but contrasting colors work well together, too.

This project will likely take you more than a few hours to complete if you fill a space as big as this one, but you could easily cut your canvas down to a 6″ x 10″ size and make a smaller version of this.

Once you’ve worked your way to within 2″ of the top, call it a day. You’ll need that space to fold a hem pocket.

Flip your wall hanging to the other side and fold in your sides about 1/2″. Then use some of your yarn to stitch this down with a running stitch and tie a knot at the beginning and end. This will add a nice edge and make sure your strands cover it up nicely.

Then fold the top of your canvas down so that there isn’t any bare space showing from the front. Use more yarn to stitch it to the main canvas with a running stitch and secure on both ends with a knot.

Then add your copper pipe or dowel by slipping it through the space you just created and then add a hanger by slipping it through your copper pipe or tying knots on each end of your dowel.

The final step is hanging it up and brushing things out with your fingertips. Then feel free to trim up rogue ends or whole sections to get the shape you want.

If you love this look and have been wanting to explore weaving, my book DIY Woven Art is a great resource for beginners and even intermediates! Maybe try your hand at this latch hook rug while you’re at it too?- Rachel