Circle Weaving Kit Resources
Hello fibre friend! If you’ve found yourself here it’s because you’ve ordered or received one of my circular or frame weaving kits. So to help get you started on your weaving journey, I’ve compiled a list of resources that will help you learn how to weave and hone your craft!
You can find me on on Instagram @lushlittleloops, TikTok @lushlittleloops, and Facebook where I share weaving tips & tricks, and I welcome any questions you may have via DM.
About The Kit
The kit you’ve purchased includes a loom/hoop which is already set up with the foundation strings (referred to as warp string or warp) to weave on. And the pack of fibres that came with your pack are what we would refer to as weft, which is the material that you weave on to the warp strings to create your woven piece.
Unlike other traditional forms of weaving, modern hoop/shape weaving often involves the loom staying as part of the piece. Whilst is technically possible to weave on a circle loom and remove the weave from it to reuse the hoop/loom, this weaving kit is set up so that the hoop remains a permanent part of the weave. The plus side is that with the hoop already warped for you, you can get straight on to the fun part - weaving!
General Resources
To get us started, here’s my top two go-to sources for learning the basics of weaving:
Spruce and Linen
Link: www.youtube.com/channel/UCjzi14BpgxjgZETcJe4xfpQ
Spruce and Linen is a great YouTube channel, with dozens of videos on modern weaving techniques and styles. Her “Stitch Library” playlist is particularly useful for beginners, as it has a compilation of stitch technique videos that you can try out. And you’ll find loads of other videos with weaving tips and design inspiration on her channel.
Hello Hydrangea
Link: www.hellohydrangea.com/
If you’re looking for a start to finish weaving tutorial, look no further than Hello Hydrangea’s Foundations Weaving Class. This is a paid e-book that covers all of the fundamentals of modern weaving, with both photographic images and videos to demonstrate the techniques. The course is based on weaving on a lap loom, however many of the techniques adapt easily into frame/circle weaving.
Stitch techniques
Below are some links to videos demonstrating a variety of popular circle weaving techniques
Tabby or plain weave - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwueM_WVjHE (start from 8:15) and www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcZpLZB0PJ8
Soumak - www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaP4eQLRefk
Rya loops - www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za3765g5pJM
Knotting - https://www.instagram.com/p/CcKju-DpyY_/ and www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJN3qQK606k
Egyptian knot - www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tko9TZcBFM0
Pile weave - www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNkID5aYxPs
Tufted texture - www.youtube.com/watch?v=etSTVI6eT04
Weaving with handspun art yarn - how to snip and prep art yarn https://www.instagram.com/lushlittleloops/reel/C-jEN1Nyxsm and ways to weave with handspun art yarn https://www.instagram.com/reel/CheSA3mgqUe/
Weaving Inspiration
Aside from the above stitch specific videos, here’s a few links that may help inspire you from a design perspective.
This video by WithWendy shows a selection of textural techniques used in one piece https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m85aQc2n7JA – personally, I followed this when I was doing my first woven piece!
Here’s a video I’ve made showing different ways to incorporate knotting stitches in your weaves www.instagram.com/p/CbGavluh1qx/
Circle Weaving Tips
And a few circle weaving specific tips
How to keep the back of your circle weave tidy - www.instagram.com/p/CbgNDxLBdvR/
A video by me that explains how your warp string set-up can help create textural weaves - https://www.instagram.com/p/CbloWwshoAG/. I then followed this up with a video to demonstrate the relationship how the gap between your warp strings and the width of weft affects your weft’s appearance which you can find here www.instagram.com/p/CeFfQICpjuQ/
A quick video that demonstrates how setting up your warp strings can help create texture in your weave https://www.instagram.com/p/CbloWwshoAG/. And by the way, I’ve warped the loom in your kit so that it has narrows gaps so you're able to achieve texture on the outer edge like in this video
Weaving with braided cord - this is a fibre I often include in my fibre packs, so if you have this fibre, here’s a few ways to use it www.instagram.com/p/CdPOPL_Bv1N/
How to Warp a Circular Loom
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MBVRJrOwyU
The above link demonstrates how to warp your own circular hoop, and also shows you how to get started on your weave. Whilst your loom is already warped for you, you might find this resource useful if you enjoyed weaving with this kit so much you want to give it a go starting from scratch!
So that’s it for now. Please get in touch if you have any questions or need any advice - I’m here to help!
Happy weaving!
- Rachel