A few months ago, I purchased this beautiful circle loom from The Unusual Pear, but had not gotten around to using it until now. This is my first time weaving on a circular loom and I’m very excited about it. So incase there are others of you out there looking to do the same, I’m going to share how to get started. And for those of you who aren’t in the market for another loom, check out my post on circle weaving using an embroidery hoop!
step 1| I tie my warp thread to the loom with a slip-knot in one of the notches.
step 2| pull the warp thread straight across the loom to the next notch. (I share my favorite warp thread here)
step 3| bring the warp thread behind the notch and then pull around the front. I pulled from the left side of the notch around to the right side.
step 4| pull the warp thread straight across the loom again. You will be passing over the middle and bringing your warp thread to the side notch of where you started. As you can see on the back of the loom, the warp threads are just passing behind the notch.
step 5| repeat this pattern of going around the notches until you have reached the last notch. At this point your warp threads are creating a “U” shape in the middle and there is no empty cross notch to pull the warp thread to. It almost seems like you messed up, but don’t worry you haven’t.
step 6| flip your loom over, then bring your warp thread to the middle and pass it in-between, behind, between warp threads again, and back up. Basically you just looped around the middle warp threads once, which helps pull the threads into alignment, but you will notice that some of the threads are making odd gaps still.
step 7| cross the warp thread over the middle again by looping in-between the perpendicular warp threads, again going behind, between again, and back up. If you were to look at the front of the loom you have created a cross or x over the middle of the warp threads and your threads are creating even triangles. I added two colored lines to show the cross over the front in the picture above.
step 8| with the loom’s backside facing you again, take your tapestry needle and begin to pull your warp thread end through the loop you created by crossing over the front. Before pulling the warp tail all the way through circle it back to it’s own loop and tie it in a slip knot. The warp threads are now secure on your loom and you’re ready to weave!!
Rainie from The Unusual Pear has a great circle loom video and instructions of her own here.
I’ll share more on circle weaving as I go. Have you tried circle weaving before? It definitely has a different design structure to think about, which is part of the fun.
Happy Weaving!
Kate
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janet h
January 24, 2016 at 11:47 pmAll the weaving pins never show the last step. I am wanting to know how to finis one off!
Kate
January 25, 2016 at 9:55 amHi Janet, I’m putting together a post that will show how to finish one off, no worries. I’ll share as soon as I’m finished. Have a great day!
Ashton Zager
February 4, 2016 at 1:56 pmI love this! One thing I like to do to hide the middle clump is to start out using a thin yarn of similar or the same color as my warp. That way it’s kind of camoflauged. Seriously in love with this blog. I just used your herringbone stitch and it rocked my world. So many possibilities added to my weavings
Kate
February 4, 2016 at 2:28 pmHi Ashton!! Thanks, that is a really smart tip! I’ll have to try it. I’m so flattered by your sweet words and your weaves are so pretty <3 <3
Alison Potter
April 3, 2016 at 5:56 amCan I access the ‘ finishing off’ video somewhere. I too am at the end with no idea what to do next. Thanks Kate.
Kate
April 3, 2016 at 2:57 pmHi Alison, I have a post on how to finish a circle weave on an embroidery hoop https://www.theweavingloom.com/how-to-finish-a-circle-weave-on-a-hoop/
and how to finish a circle weave that you cut off the loom https://www.theweavingloom.com/how-to-hang-a-circle-weave-cut-off-the-loom/
I hope these help!
Dagny
November 14, 2016 at 7:51 amahh- I forgot to do the cross-over thingy, with the knot in the middle there, so I got a very chunky middle. But otherwise, my experiment with warping a knitting loom actually went fine….
Kate
November 15, 2016 at 9:19 pmOh cool! And actually you probably don’t even have to do the cross-over thingy. It might make the middle of your weave look different, but that’s not a bad thing 😉
Dagny
November 16, 2016 at 7:29 amThe middle is a bit off, and the pegs are a bit in the way when you weave- warping it was a it of a challenge, but great practice still. But it is a low-cost alternative, and the end results are perfectly OK- great way to practice circle weaving. The middle knot in a knitting loom is charming in its own way, since a knitting loom will give a few more warp threads than that one above, but if you have some texture in the weave, you will not notice that it is maybe less perfect than on a proper circle weave. It looks a bit abstract, in fact. I tried warping a hoop, but that was more challenging. The pegs here are helpful, I think.
However, I’ve ordered a circle loom from the Unusual Pear- it seems so practical and elegant, and I really wanted a circle loom I could bring with me for holidays . I just love the shape of it, and I think I will use it a lot, so it will pay off in the end.
Kate
November 17, 2016 at 1:58 pmI’m sure the pegs are easier to warp on the knitting loom. That’s great that you ordered a loom, I really like my Unusual Pear circle loom, it’s really easy to use.
Dagny
November 18, 2016 at 4:51 amI got it yesterday-so looking forward to using it. Still, I noticed when weaving on the knitting loom, that the reverse side actually is the one that is ‘correct’, not the front on which I am actually weaving- is that something typical with a circle weave, or have I done something odd?
Good to note if one is using a knitting loom, as such. I suppose, if one actually does not have the Unusual Pear loom, making an embroidery hoop loom or circle cardboard loom might work better. I used the knitting loom, because I already had it. Also, being a lousy knitter, I did not really understand how to knit on it. Weaving on it is more fun.
Though you have loads of great information and tips here, I liked the videos from the Unusual Pear on how to weave on the circle loom, too. They’re also helpful.