Best of Weaving Techniques || Using an Embroidery Hoop as a Loom

This is my absolute favorite post. As you probably know by know, I love to circular weave and as I was sharing what I had been making on a circular loom I had bought, I realized what about people who would like to try circular weaving, but don’t necessarily want to buy another loom. I’m a firm believer in making creative outlets open to everyone. I had seen some weaves on what I assumed were embroidery hoops and I thought I could warp these up just like the frame loom I’m used to using. It worked out just as I had hoped and I was able to share a really affordable way to circular weave! So onto that original post…

Weaving Lessons || How to Use an Embroidery Hoop as a Loom

Hey guys! This post is for those of you who want to try weaving on a circle loom, but you are not in the market for yet another loom. I totally get it, if I could I’d have 100 different looms, but that’s not happening anytime soon. So a more affordable option is to use an embroidery hoop! Here are the steps:

step 1| remove the outer ring and set to the side

step 2| tie your warp thread to the embroidery hoop with a slip knot

step 3| pull the warp thread straight across the hoop

step 4| bring the warp thread over the hoop and then down and around

step 5| now pull the warp thread back towards the center, but an inch to the right side of where your warp thread started with a slip knot

To pause for a moment and recount your steps, you have brought the warp thread from your slip knot, straight across your hoop. You then went from over your hoop and wrapped the warp thread around to the bottom. Next you pulled the warp thread from the bottom across the hoop, but to the right of the slip knot about an inch. So now your thread is passing over the top of the hoop again. You are making a figure 8, similar to when you warp a frame loom. The reason you make a figure 8 is so that the warp threads meet in the middle. Now for the next step:

step 6| with your thread an inch from the slip knot thread, pass the warp over and around the hoop so that it comes out the bottom

step 7| continue to bring the warp thread across the loom to the position an inch to the right of the previous thread. You will always be passing the thread over an edge and then around to the bottom, then over the next spot.
step 8| continue with your figure 8’s about an inch apart until you reach the last open spot on the loom. Loop the warp thread over and around this last spot.

step 9| at this point you’ll see your middle is making a messy criss-cross of warp threads. Taking your warp string that you just looped around the last spot on the hoop, pull it to the middle and then down around between some of the warp threads, you’ll instantly see that your warp threads are evening out to nice triangles.

step 10| wrap your warp thread around the middle again at perpendicular angle to secure the middle more.

step 11| now you’ll notice that the only spot without two warp threads is where you started your slip knot. Bring your warp thread down over the opposite side of your beginning thread and tie it off. As you can see, there will now be two warp threads going around the hoop for each spot.

Step 12| you can now put your outer hoop around your warped hoop and tighten it so that your warp threads don’t slide around. You are ready to weave!

Need ideas for your circular weave? Here are other posts I’ve written to get you weaving:

Have you been wanting to try circle weaving or are you happy with a regular lap loom? I’d love to hear what you’re working on, or better yet, tag me on Instagram so I can see it!!
Happy Weaving!
Kate

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