Weaving made easy with children – 3 DIY projects with simple instructions

Weaving is a traditional, handcrafted art that can also be adapted for children. It may sound difficult, but it is relatively harmless and works well as a finger dexterity exercise. That Weaving with children promotes fine motor skills and a natural willingness to learn. In addition, there are really nice accessories such as small carpets and rags that can be used as decoration or in the doll’s house.

Get to know the traditional art of weaving – weaving with children

When weaving a special wooden frame and at least two threads. The warp and the end are crossed at right angles – the warp threads form the carrier and the end threads are drawn in one after the other from one side to the other, through the entire width of the weave. The result is a piece of woven fabric.

Learn to weave on wooden looms

A very simple wooden loom is used for weaving with children. This consists of a wooden frame and two metal rods. We recommend using warp yarn for weaving. Wool works too, but its rough surface makes it a bit more complicated to handle.

Learning to weave – instructions for children

The metal rods that belong to the set are inserted into the first gaps and tightened with the small screws. Then the loom is covered. First knot the beginning of the yarn at one corner and then pull it through all the gaps. Pass the thread through the first gap and then to the opposite one. The whole thing is repeated over and over as long as the loom is completely covered.

Learn traditional weaving with children

When covering the loom, make sure that the thread is tight enough. At the end it is knotted and cut with scissors. Then one can proceed to the actual weaving. You need yarn of any color, a thick needle or darning needle, a boat and a comb. The yarn that is intended for weaving is first rolled on the shuttle and its end is attached to one of the many corners of the frame. This is why the weaving process will also start.

Making textile fabrics yourself – weaving with children 

You start weaving at the metal rod and weave it into it. The next thread of thread is skipped over and the shuttle is passed over it. Then you push the shuttle under the next thread and skip the next one again. The up-down change is repeated as long as the other side is reached. You start the same procedure in the other direction.

Weaving with children – hang up self-made fabrics

After each row, the woven yarn is pushed down with the aid of the comb and briefly pulled to the side to tighten the thread. If you want to exercise a little creativity, several colors can be incorporated. For this you need several boats. In order to create even stripes, you have to keep the same distance between them.

Handicrafts with yarn for children – learn to weave

Finally, the weaving piece is tensioned. First loosen the metal bars and slowly and carefully remove the workpiece from the loom. It is better to start on one long side and then take care of the other. All open ends must now be knotted so that the fabric can no longer open.

* DIY project by Molly Moo Crafts

Weaving with children on homemade cardboard looms

You proceed in a similar way if no wooden loom is available. Then you make one out of cardboard. It is advisable to use thin thread and a darning needle. This way of working works well for relatively small pieces of weave. For larger products you definitely need a sturdy wooden frame especially suitable for weaving.

Easy weaving with children – materials and tools 

What is required:

• Scissors and cutter
• sturdy cardboard
• duct tape
• Darning needle
• thin yarn
• Yarn for weaving

Weaving on a homemade cardboard loom – instructions for children

Cut a piece of cardboard according to the desired size of the weaving piece. Make small slits with the cutter on both long sides of the cardboard. You have to measure the distance between them exactly. Then take the thin thread and pull it through all the slits alternately. This is how the warp threads are created. You should leave a little space underneath so that the weaving is easier.

Weaving with children – first make a loom, then you can start weaving

After the last slit, cut the warp thread and knot it on the lower side of the cardboard and fix it with a piece of adhesive tape. Now you can start weaving. Take a long piece of gran and thread it into the needle. Then just pull the warp threads up and down, up and rounder. In between, you have to push the fabric down with your fingers so that a dense, even structure is created.

Handicrafts with yarn for children – a piece of weaving 

When you have finished weaving and the piece is already finished, turn the frame over and cut the threads in the middle on the lower side. Take the adjacent threads out of the slots and knot them together with two people. Shorten the remaining ends of the thread. Finally, the beginning and end threads are sewn on the reverse side.

Weaving with children – make a small piece of weaving for the dollhouse yourself

The weaving piece can be attached to a branch and hung up as a small wall decoration. Or maybe it simply serves as a small blanket or a colorful rug for a doll or a small cuddly toy.

* DIY project by Made by Joel

Great idea for weaving with kids – tutorial

The size and the loom can of course vary. The number of slits should always be even, so that in the end two warp threads can always be knotted together. In addition, the conventional yarn can be replaced by self-produced fabric cord. You can easily make these yourself from scraps of fabric and old T-shirts.

Weaving in a circle with children – this is how it works

You can replace the darning needle with a chopstick for thick woolen yarn or for the fabric cord. You just have to pierce it on one side to create a long needle with a thick eye. For large pieces of weave, one is really comfortable to work with.

Weaving is great fun for children!

So that the piece of weave is really lush, you can work in small pearls or sequins when weaving. The procedure works wonderfully not only with yarn or wool, but also with all scraps of fabric, even with plastic bags and strips of paper from old duplicates.

Easy circular weaving with children

A paper plate is also suitable as an alternative loom for circular weaving, or cardboard can be cut in circles.

Weaving with children trains fine motor skills

Children train their fine motor skills in the first few years of life, in play. They are an important prerequisite for many learning processes that occur later. Safe handling and manual dexterity are supported when stretching, braiding and weaving.

Handicrafts with yarn and wool – learning to weave for children

Small exercises and mini courses encourage the children’s natural willingness to learn. However, these should be individually adapted to the age and performance level of the respective child.

* DIY project by Hello, wonderful