The Complete Guide to Weaving

Chapter 1: What Is Weaving and Why People Love It

Let’s just get this out of the way: weaving is not fast, and it’s not easy in the way that, say, knitting a simple scarf is easy. It’s slower, more methodical, and a little bit fiddly. But it’s also one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever learned to do, and it’s been a reliable source of calm for years. So when I tell you what weaving actually involves, I want to be honest about both halves of that sentence.

At its absolute core, weaving is just the process of interlacing two sets of threads at right angles to make fabric. One set, called the warp, is stretched vertically on a frame—it’s the foundation, the spine of your piece. The other set, the weft, is the thread you weave horizontally over and under the warp threads, pass after pass, until you have cloth. You’ve seen the result a million times: woven placemats, blanket edges, tapestries, that sturdy cotton fabric on your work apron. It is the oldest structured craft in human history, and it has not changed in its fundamentals since people first stretched animal sinew between two sticks.

What does that look like day-to-day, in your actual living room? Let me paint you a picture of a typical session on a simple frame or tabletop loom. You’re sitting at a chair, not hunched over but comfortable. On your lap or a small stand is your loom—a wooden