Warping a Knifty Knitter Loom for Weaving in the Round

This tutorial is designed to get you started needle weaving on a circular loom.

 

Part One will help you through the process of warping a Knifty Knitter Loom. And Part Two is where you will begin to weave.

 

 

 

PART ONE

 

Getting ready to warp the loom. 

 

For the purpose of getting started, pull from what you likely already have on hand. Pictured below is cotton crochet thread for the warp. And for the next two rounds of weaving find something heavier, like a cotton yarn, and then maybe a handspun or fashion/novelty yarn--fibers with different textures. 

 

Plus as your weaving progresses further outward, where the warp threads radiate farther apart, heavier and loftier yarns will feature nicely. And especially for hand spinners, this is a great medium to play with art yarns. 

 

* [If all you need is a picture: Click on the photo for a slide show.]

 

Pictured above are a few things that might be helpful throughout the weaving process.  Fellow Fiberistas might find their lazy kate a convenient way store and pull combinations of thread and cording. A rubberized matt will help to keep the loom in place. Especially if you prop it against something like a cone of yarn.  

 

Pictured below are some of the smaller items.  Some required.  Some are optional.

 

Blunt tip tapestry needles

Scissors

Small hair clips [for marking specific loom pegs. And later for temporarily securing loose yarn/thread tails] 

Knitting row counters [for marking any design elements as your weaving progresses] 

Crochet Hooks [helpful to have a couple on hand throughout the entire project, and for crocheting a bound-off edging]

Tweezers and a stick pin [both optional--Good for loosening, or to help untie slip-- or any other unwanted knots]

 

 

SPECIAL NOTE: This tutorial is based on using the large yellow circular loom.

The different sizes of the Knifty Knitter looms have either an odd or even number of pegs.

 

What is important, as you adjust this process--to fit the size of the loom--

is making sure that you end up with a ODD number of warp threads.

An odd number of threads will ensure a proper over/under weave,

and is why this tutorial will show a doubling-up at the Tie On and Tie Off peg.

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MODIFICATION INSTRUCTIONS 

The loom used in this tutorial has 41pegs; an uneven number. 

 

If your loom has an even amount of pegs, i.e. 40 pegs, then you can modify your warping

 and Tie On and Tie Off on the Anchor Peg; using the same peg count throughout.

 

If your loom has 42 pegs, them you can modify your warping

and Tie On on peg 1L and wrap around 21R [instead of 20R; simply moving one peg to the left], 

and then Tie Off on peg 21R [doubling up on peg 21R].

And you might want to keep peg 21R--the Tie Off peg--at the top, i.e. your doubled up warp thread peg.

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Let's tie on the running warp thread.

 

To begin with, keep the Anchor Peg positioned at the top. 

 

Use 2 half hitch knots to tie around the first peg [1L] to the left of the anchor peg.  

[3 knots--depending on the texture of the thread. Just make sure it is secure.]

 

Next, you will need to count around to the right 20 pegs, and mark the 20th peg [20R], with a hair clip.

[or a scrap of yarn. You can also use a marker, or pencil, and number your pegs accordingly.]

 

[See Peg Count Graphic below]

 

 



 

Peg Count Graphic

[FOR A LARGER VIEW OF THE GRAPHIC, RIGHT CLICK ON THE IMAGE AND CHOSE
OPEN LINK IN NEW WINDOW or NEW TAB]

You are now ready to continue warping the loom.

 

 

From the Tie On peg 1L run the warp down to the left side of the peg you identified as 20R.

 

Wrap the warp thread around that and the neighboring peg, to the right, and then run it back up toward where you tied on.

 

Wrap the warp thread around the two neighboring pegs, to the left of 1L, and then run it back down to the right of the previously warped pegs.

 

[See the Directional Graphic below for a more detailed look at how the warping progresses.] 





Directional Graphic

[FOR A LARGER VIEW OF THE GRAPHIC, RIGHT CLICK ON THE IMAGE AND CHOSEOPEN LINK IN NEW WINDOW or NEW TAB]

If you remember playing with SPIROGRAPH, it is exactly the same kind of back and forth rotation.  [Thank you, Mary McAndrew, for making that charming correlation.]

 

Below is a close up of how the intersecting warp threads begin to appear. 

 

 

It might be helpful at this point, to move the loom around as you need. 

 

You will end the warping process and tie off where you started.  On peg 1L.

 

[See Tie Off Graphic below]

 

 

Tie Off Graphic

[FOR A LARGER VIEW OF THE GRAPHIC, RIGHT CLICK ON THE IMAGE AND CHOSE
OPEN LINK IN NEW WINDOW or NEW TAB]

Key Point---Reiterating the opening statement: 

Doubling up the tie on and tie off threads

helps to create an uneven thread count.

And you do want an uneven amount of warp threads. 

 

Again, just use half hitch knot [or 2 or 3] to tie off.

 

 

Below is a close up of how your intersecting warp threads will appear.

 

 

It's now time to knot the center.

 

Cut a length of the same thread that you used for the warp.

 

 

Cut a piece long enough to tie a knot, and then to needle weave the first few rounds.

 

Special Note: In retrospect, I should have created the following

example using a different color of thread. For now...... My Apologies!

 

 

Use the Peg Count Graphic below to help identify the following sets of pegs: 10L--11L and 10R--11R.

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MODIFICATION INSTRUCTIONS

If your loom has 42 pegs, modify the right count only to 11R--12R

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[If you need to, utilize the hair clips (i.e., 20R), or scraps of yarn, to hold your place--just in case you get interrupted.]    

 

Peg Count Graphic

[FOR A LARGER VIEW OF THE GRAPHIC, RIGHT CLICK ON THE IMAGE AND CHOSE OPEN LINK IN NEW WINDOW or NEW TAB]

 Below is a closer view.



 

From the under side of the loom,
pull up your thread from between pegs 10L and 11L.
Run it across, over the top of the intersecting warp threads,
and then down between pegs 10R and 11R. 

Note that your thread is inside the warp loop between the pegs on the left,

and in between the warp loops between the pegs on the right.
[This will be reversed if working with 42 pegs.]

Turn over the loom.

On the back side, leave about a 4" tail [or whatever is comfortable for you to work with], and then make your first tie. 

This will magically pull all the threads to create the center.

 

 

Finish with a Square Knot.

 

 

This is how the center will appear on the front side.

 

 

You are now ready to start needle weaving!

 

 

What's the Wish List all About?

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Leave any questions that you may have in the Comments. 

 

Upcoming posts will include how to lay in and secure a strand of beads, as well as how to bind your finished weaving off the loom.

 

Bye for now, and Blessings~