Tools Day: Band Loom Warping Board
- By Karen
- September 11, 2018
- 8 Comments
It is almost effortless to make a short warp for the band loom. All you need is a peg at the beginning and a peg at the end. You can use a spoke of the warp beam wheel, for instance, at one end, and the leg of an upside-down stool at the other. I normally use my warping reel, though, for even a simple warp, because the reel is so handy. However, I don’t have my warping reel here at the apartment, so I am turning my band loom into a handy warping board for this band loom project.
How to Use the Band Loom as a Warping Board
Tools and supplies:
- Glimåkra band loom
- Thread for weaving a narrow band
- Basket and/or spool holder(s)
- Scissors

Starting at one peg and ending at another. The band loom becomes a simple tool for winding a short warp.
For a warp of approximately two meters:
- Put the warp thread on the floor below—quills in a basket, and/or thread tubes on spool holders.
- Using two or more ends, tie the ends together with an overhand knot. (I used three ends together for this warp.)
- Bring the warp ends up around the warp beam and over the back beam.
- Loop the knot on the starting peg.
- Draw the ends from the starting peg to the ending peg, around the band loom, following this path:
- Starting peg–upper heddle peg nearest back beam
- Lower heddle peg nearest back beam
- Back beam
- Warp beam
- Cloth beam
- Front beam
- Lower heddle peg nearest front beam
- Ending peg–upper heddle peg nearest front beam
- Follow the winding path in reverse order back to the starting peg.
- Continue winding until you have reached the desired number of ends.
- Cut the ends and tie off at the starting peg or the ending peg.
- Tie one or two choke ties, if needed. (I didn’t need them for this short warp.)
- Carefully remove the warp and dress the band loom as usual. (For a tutorial on dressing the band loom, click here: Quiet Friday: Band Loom Warping and Weaving.)
- Weave to your heart’s content.

One meter of woven band is cut off. The remaining band warp is tied back on. Weaving can resume at any time.

Ends secured, and cut in 10.5 cm lengths, the tabs are ready to be sewn onto the double weave towels.
May you find tools you didn’t know you had.
Happy band weaving,
Karen
8 Comments
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Band Loom Time!
- By Karen
- September 7, 2018
- 4 Comments
Before I can hem these new towels, I need to make some hanging tabs. Band loom time! Making a warp for the band loom is one way to use up some of the weft on quills that didn’t quite get emptied when weaving the towels. Of the four colors in the towels, I am using aqua, poppy, and orchid for the hanging tabs. The bright marigold, my favorite of the four colors, may bring too much attention to itself, so I’m leaving it out. A hanging tab must be a stable and firm loop that becomes a pleasing part of the towel.

Towels, before wet finishing, are spread out with the thread colors on top. I am trying to determine which colors will work together in woven hanging tabs for all four towels.

Eleven ends are just enough for weaving a narrow band. (The two ends in the center are doubled in the heddle and counted as one.)

Simple symmetrical design with aqua, poppy, and orchid colors. To use as hanging tabs for towels, the band is cut into short pieces, about ten centimeters (four inches) each. Each cut tab is then sewn into the hem of a towel.
Established. Stable (root word of e-stabl-ish) and firm. That’s how important our faith is as we walk through life. Everything hangs from it. So it must be woven carefully and stitched in securely, a pleasing part of who we are. Stable and firm in faith as we live for the Lord—that’s a beautiful way to live.
May your finishing details be pleasing.
With you,
Karen
4 Comments
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Your towels are beautiful. Love the little bobbin you are using. Do you mind telling me where you got that from? Love all your posts.
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Thank you for sharing the design and craft process for finishing the beautiful towels. So true is the need for a firm foundation in life. Nannette
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Quiet Friday: Handwoven Handbags
- By Karen
- June 23, 2017
- 10 Comments
Is there such a thing as too many handbags, pocketbooks, tote bags, and purses? Of course not. Naturally, my favorite handbags are made from handwoven fabric. Linings made from remnants, handwoven bands used for shoulder straps, hidden zippers, and, of course pockets–these are the details that other people will seldom notice. Yet these are the details that make me smile every time I use one of these bags.

Nineteen handwoven handbags. Various sizes, fibers, styles, and purposes. And colors. Lots of colors!
…You know that box of handwoven bits and pieces? Those weavings from the end of the warp, and the “scraps” from various projects? Hmm… looks like I might need to make another handbag or two.
Here is my collection of handwoven handbags, divided into a few categories. Plus, a short video just for the fun of it!

Wool, novelty chenille yarn, crochet cotton, and narrow fabric strips are used for weft in these bags. Buttons are from my grandma’s button jar. The small rag-weave pocketbook has a permanent home in my daily handbag. The fabric for these bags was woven on my Beka 32″ rigid heddle loom.

Linings are from remnants of other sewing projects. Bag handles were woven on my inkle loom.
Travel Finds

Trips to The Philippines yielded interesting woven goods by artisans there. The green stripe tote bag is woven from native plant material, and the teal and burgundy purse is a beautiful example of ikat weaving. The colorful weft-faced woven shoulder bag and the purple bag with lovely weft-float patterning came from travel to Chile.
Project Carriers

Large tote bag, woven with 1/4″ fabric strips for weft, carries my “show and tell” when I go to my weaving study group. It’s known as the “Mary Poppins Bag.” Rag-rug bag in the center has straps, woven on the band loom, that were woven into the bag. This bag carries my portable tapestry weaving. The rag rug bag on the right carries my one-and-only crochet project.
Special Use

Linen bag has beads woven into the fabric. It is lined with satin. Rag-weave purse is simply a flat piece folded in half, with lining and pockets added to the inside. The blue bag is wool, woven in a weft-cord technique. The fabric was partially fulled to produce the ribbed texture.

Lining for this bag is made from extra fabric after weaving cotton/linen fabric for cushions, and the pocket is a remnant from a two-block twill tencel scarf.
Daily Use Favorites

Representing some of my “firsts.” The brown and blue small shoulder bag is from one of my first cottolin towel projects. This is what I did when the last piece was too short to use for a towel. The green and turquoise clutch has remnants of my first ever handwoven towel, my first rosepath rag rug, and my first big rep weave project! The blue shoulder bag is the bag I use every day. It’s a remnant from the baby wrap I wove for my daughter’s first baby. It’s lined with a remnant from an Easter dress I made for her when she was a little girl.
May you carry your handiwork with you.
Happy weaving,
Karen
10 Comments
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I would love to know where to get patterns to make a bag. Have yardage and really want to turn it into a purse
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It was so much fun to see all your beautiful bags, Karen! Nineteen is certainly not enough!! Hope you keep making more and sharing them with us. You have a wonderful sense of color!
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Hi, Karen,
You had the icon to share to Facebook, so I shared this post with my Rigid Heddle Adventure group. They’ve been talking a lot lately about creating bags. Thanks for the post! -
Truly an inspiration, as always
Thank you Karen -
Please quote me a Magazine for which I wish to submit and an article dealing with woolen durrie weaving.
thanks
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What a Cellist Weaves
- By Karen
- May 23, 2017
- 10 Comments
I approach weaving like a musician. The looms are instruments, and everything is practice. When I was twelve years old I fell in love with the ‘cello and began learning to play the instrument. Over time, I discovered the value of mindful practice, the need for which is ongoing. It’s not perfection I’m after, but intent to apply all I’ve learned.
This once, my weaving and ‘cello playing overlap. My husband designed this cello endpin stop for me! I got to weave a cord on my band loom that connects the pieces together. (I showed you the beginning steps in Finer Weft for a Stronger Cord.)
What if our interactions with people are opportunities to practice real love? It’s no big deal if I love those who love me. Or, do good when I know someone will return the favor. Or, lend to someone who will pay me back. Real love is loving those who don’t love you back. That takes practice. When we love, do good, and give, expecting nothing in return, we start to resemble God’s character. No, we won’t attain His perfection, but when we apply all He’s taught us, we begin to look like His children. For He loved us long before we loved Him back.
May you practice real love.
Love,
Karen
10 Comments
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Isn’t that terrific! You certainly had me stumped about what those lovely pieces of wood were for.
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How ingenious! He’s a keeper for sure!
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What a clever idea! I’m going to adapt it for spinning wheel feet to overcome the problem of slick floors at gatherings and demo events! Since I won’t have to bring a scatter rug, I can bring more show and tell.
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What a clever idea, but oh the more, real love is loving those who do not love you back” that takes practice and Christ in you.
Love this touch you add to your towels!
Hi Beth, I like having a good reason to use my band loom. It’s a fun little extra thing to do.
Karen
Beautiful bands! Hope you’re in your new space soon!
Hi Laurie, Thanks so much! We have just less than 12 weeks to go in this transition spot. The time is going to fly by! I’m looking forward to our new place, but not looking forward to leaving all the people we love here…
All the best,
Karen
Sounds like a move closer to grandkids. The home near San Antonio?
Hi Shari, Yes, we will be closer to grandkids. We’ll be in Kerrville–not too far from San Antonio.
Karen
One of the more humbling visuals is someone weaving on a back strap loom. Weaving at its most basic. It is good to find multiple uses for the instruments in our world.
Thank you for the instructions.
Blessings,
Nannette
Hi Nannette, Sometimes the simplest solutions are right in front of us.
Karen