Colorful Woven Coasters DIY

I have been drawn to the art of weaving for quite some time now. I have always admired the beauty and usefulness it possesses.

Finally, after a few years of just dreaming about it, I made my first weaving piece. A woven coaster.

You guys! It’s amazing! Really addictive! And easy! A perfect project to try. Whether you are a grown up or a kid, you will definitely have fun.

Here’s how to make some pretty woven coasters…

 

Supplies: a 8 x 4 1/5 inch (20 x 10.5 cm) piece of cardboard, a pencil, a ruler, scissors, a yarn needle, tape and yarn (I have used sport weight yarn in 9 colors; I have found out that working with 2 3/4 yards – 250 cm pieces of yarn is most comfortable for me).

 

1. First, make your loom. Working on one of the shorter sides of the cardboard, measure 1/5 inch (0.5 cm) sections.

 

2. Cut the slits, making them about 1/3 inch (0.8 cm) deep.

 

3. Repeat on the other side of the cardboard.

 

4. Make the warp (the yarn base that consists of the threads that run lengthwise; after finishing the coaster, only ends will be visible as small tassels). To make it, you will need about 5 1/2 yards – 510 cm of yarn). Tape the end of the yarn string to the back side of your cardboard.

 

5. Tie the string through the first segment and bring it to the front and across the front of the cardboard towards the opposite segment. Then wrap the yarn around the back of the cut out segment …

 

6. … and again, across the front of the cardboard toward the opposite segment.

 

7. Repeat the whole process until you manage to fill all the segments.

 

8. Tape the end of the string on the back of the cardboard.
 

9. And let’s start weaving!

Start about 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) from the edge of the cardboard.

In the first row, thread your first piece of yarn through going over and under each piece of base yarn (leaving a 6 inch – 15 cm long tail end at the beginning).

 

Just like this.

 

10. In your second row, start working from the opposite side, doing the opposite of the last step. If you went under the last line of the warp, you must go over it when zig-zagging back. Always maintain the ‘under-over-under-over’ approach.

When you are weaving you don’t want to pull it too tight or your work will start to resemble an hourglass shape.
 

11. After each line, push your yarn down. I used a ruler to do that.

 

12. Continue working with the same color for 13 more rows, making 15 rows with one color altogether.

Leave a 6 inch (15 cm) long tail end.

 

13. Working with a new piece of yarn, repeat the ‘under-over-under-over’ technique for 15 rows.

 

14. Then, changing color after each 15 rows, continue making your coaster. Mine had 9 colorful stripes altogether.
 

15. To tie off, remove the first warp loop …

 

16. … and cut it in the center.

 

17. Knot the two cut strings together.

 

18. Repeat with all warp ends.

 

19. Weave in the tail ends on the wrong side of your coaster.

 

…

 

20. Finally, trim the edges to the length you like.

 

So much fun!

I love my new happy rainbow coasters.

Enjoy!

Love,
Petra

 

… and here’s a short picture recap...