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 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! I’m so excited to share this with you. 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!
It’s really pretty easy to set up. For ideas on what to weave in your circle, check out my Weaving Techniques List along with my other posts on circular 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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Jelica
January 20, 2016 at 10:56 amHi Kate,
Great tutorial! I picked up weaving last year and love it! I have not yet tried circular weaving, but had it on my ‘to do’ list when I stumbled upon your post on Pinterest today. Glad I did. Thanks for the tips. Will refer back to your post on my blog when I do. Thanks again!
Kate
January 20, 2016 at 8:44 pmThanks Jelica,
You definitely need to try circular weaving, it’s a lot of fun. You have such a pretty and fun blog <3
Clare
January 31, 2016 at 7:17 amHi Kate,
Your post attracted me because I make Dorset Buttons and they look very similar. I fancy having a try at the circle weaving but I’m a bit baffled about how to remove the weaving from the loom when the work is finished. Is there a tutorial for that please?
Thank you, Clare x
Kate
January 31, 2016 at 1:25 pmHi Clare, I had never heard of Dorset Buttons before, but just looked them up and you’re right it does look very similar. I do not yet have a tutorial put together for taking a weaving off a circle loom, but I’m working on it so keep checking back 🙂
Jessica
February 2, 2016 at 10:54 amHey Kate! Love this tutorial!!! But…Tried it this morning and got a few rows in before realizing it doesn’t work if you don’t have an odd number of loops going around. My overs and unders were the same every row and I just had big stripes of warp going up. Doh! Maybe I just wasn’t quite awake enough yet. I’m also interested to see how you take it off to finish it?
Kate
February 2, 2016 at 1:17 pmHi Jessica! You’re so right! I went back to look at my circle weave and noticed I had done a double over at the transition point as I went around to compensate and make my wefts staggered. I guess I did it without really thinking about it, so thank you for pointing this out. I’ll work on updating the post. I am definitely putting together a post on how to take it off the loom and hang it too! Stay tuned 🙂
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February 4, 2016 at 10:17 am[…] Weaving is a great way to create art and use all sorts of fibers and fabrics both new and recycled. This idea for creating a loom with an embroidery hoop and weaving in a spiral looks like a great way to try a small weaving project. Pop on over to the blog The Weaving Loom for the full tutorial on how to make an embroidery hoop loom. […]
Cath
February 21, 2016 at 5:44 pmHi…I am waiting for delivery of a simple loom….adjustable to a 28″ square. I am finding your site very helpful….thanks😊. I saw your round pieces. I wonder if I could use a heavy duty 14 – 24 ” hand-quilting frame(s)? I even have some oval ones….what do you think?
Kate
February 22, 2016 at 9:35 amHi Cath, Yes absolutely you could use a quilting frame, that would make a really large circle weave 🙂 I haven’t done it myself, but I assume an oval frame would work the same way as a circle, just having different warp lengths. If you do weave on the oval, let me know how it goes.
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February 22, 2016 at 8:00 am[…] designs and winding patterns. The tutorials, which feature her own gorgeous artwork, cover how to add warp thread to an embroidery hoop, how to do circular weaving, and how to finish off the […]
Debra Genchi
February 27, 2016 at 6:20 amThanks so much for your tutorial. I started circle weaving on cardboard and the embroidery hoop I believe will have a much better outcome as far as tightness. Look forward to more on your site!
Kate
February 27, 2016 at 6:06 pmHi Debra, you’re very welcome. I hope the embroidery hoop gives you the outcome you want 🙂
cath
February 27, 2016 at 9:13 pmhi kate…i tried out weaving on an old embroidery hoop today…just used some stuff laying around…hand made wool and some top…for my first try it did not turn out too bad…the colours and shapes made me think of being out on the B.C. west coast during the midst of a storm, It is just a small hoop, but i think i caught onto how to do it. I haven’t tried anything on the big oval quilting hoop….have to send out for more supplies….where i live, i have to use the internet to get supplies for spinning and knitting and weaving….etc…anyway…thanks for the idea of using a hoop. 🙂
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Kate
February 27, 2016 at 9:32 pmHi Cath, that is great! I love to hear that my posts are helping others. And it sounds like a really lovely weave from your description 🙂
Lisa Cunningham-Graham
March 17, 2016 at 7:51 amHi Kate, I am working on a Fibers Minor, most of the course work/projects are dyeing and manipulation of fabrics and weaving. I enjoying learning new techniques.
Kate
March 17, 2016 at 1:28 pmHi Lisa, that sounds like so much fun! I’m sure you’ll learn a lot of awesome stuff.
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Wendy Edwards
August 6, 2016 at 11:34 pmRe taking it off. If before you start you cut a small gap through the inner hoop you would then be able to slide it off perhaps ! Sort of like a key ring .
Kate
August 7, 2016 at 7:11 amThat is a great idea! For me, I like my round weaves hung on a solid loop, but if you wanted your weave free of any loops then your idea is perfect!
Bonnie
August 11, 2016 at 5:15 pmI did a rug with a similar technique on an old metal wagon wheel we found behind an old carriage house when we bought this turn of the century home. Also, the grandgirls did smaller rugs using a hula hoop. Good thing old grandma throws nothing away. LOL! The possibilities are endless.
Kate
August 11, 2016 at 6:30 pmThat’s great! I am waiting to make a rug! It seems so fun, I just need to make the time to do it 🙂
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Helen
October 23, 2016 at 5:52 pmHi, I want to try weaving on an embroidery hoop but I wanted to know how I can get the warp string to stay in place when there are no grooves in the wood to keep them in place. With it being circular and with no grooves will it not slide around and affect the tension?
Thanks,
Helen
Kate
October 25, 2016 at 2:27 pmHi Helen,
Great question! I guess it depends on the hoop you’re using. If it is a smooth wood, or a different material like plastic then there might be some issue with the warp string moving. In my experience, my wooden embroidery hoop had enough rough texture that my string stayed in place with no effort from me. If you’re hoop is more slippery, then maybe try tapping the warp thread down to the hoop on the outer edge as you warp it?
Jacki Hoffman
January 7, 2017 at 11:03 pmWhere do you get the wonderful yarns that you use?
Kate
January 10, 2017 at 1:35 pmI get them from a lot of places. The peach yarn (which most people ask about) in this weave is from Ugly Hank on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/UglyHank. Another favorite of mine for gorgeous yarn is http://www.etsy.com/shop/amandajfrench
I also get yarn from larger places like KnitPicks & Wool and the Gang
If you search Weaving Wishlist on my site, you’ll find a whole lot of where I get all my supplies 🙂
Pam
January 15, 2017 at 8:06 amIweaved a braided rug and it turned out very small. How do I add to it to make it larger? I made it on a hula hoop but when I go to the end and took it off it was the size of a chair cushion I would like to know how to add to it to make a big rug.
Kate
January 17, 2017 at 2:25 pmThat’s interesting. I haven’t yet woven on anything that large, but what kind of material did you use? I’m guessing it was something with a lot of stretch, which would shrink down when you take it off the loom. It might help to use cotton string as your warp threads. Cotton is really strong and doesn’t have much stretch. I hope this helps.
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