Stick Weaving For a Quick Homemade Gift
78Belts and scarves done with stick weaving
How I Got Into Stick Weaving
I'm always on the look-out for unusual crafts. One day I was walking around an SCA event and noticed a woman doing some kind of weaving using pointed sticks. I passed her again a few minutes later and was amazed at how fast her project was going. I've fiddled around with some weaving and it's time consuming. It certainly wouldn't fall in the category of 'quick gifts'. But there she was just cranking on this thing. So I picked her brain. I wish I'd gotten her name as well.
What she was doing is called Stick Weaving. She said crusaders brought the technique back with them. I have searched for proof of that and haven't found any, so if you have some documentation by all means please share.
HOW TO DO STICK WEAVING
Stick weaving can be done on a few sticks or a handful of sticks. I made my own sticks by taking dowels and grinding one end down on sandpaper until I had a blunt point.
Then on the other end, I drilled a hole with a dremel.
Then you want to take a strand of yarn twice as long as you want the finished length to be. Then add a foot or two more for 'shrinkage' and another foot if you want fringe on the ends. String this through one stick. Center the yarn and tie the ends in an overhand knot at the bottom to keep it from tangling.
You can make a needle threader from a piece of thin wire folded in half. Thread each stick with yarn in this manner. In other words, if you have four sticks, you'll need four pieces of yarn folded in half. Right now the weaving is unstable, so even the ends up the best you can and tie all ends in one overhand knot now. If the project is super long, tie another overhand knot half way up. Untie this when you are half done.
Now take your 'outer color' of yarn. tie one end to one strand of yarn just below the hole in the stick.
Hold all the sticks in your left hand. Start weaving the yarn on the sticks in a figure 8 in and out pattern. Do a few rows and slide down a bit, still keeping it on the sticks. Keep going until the sticks are full. Don't wrap too tightly. Go for a smooth even tension. Now, check the back and the front to make sure you haven't missed any sticks. There is no way to fix this once you slide the yarn off the sticks, so fix it now if you made an error.
Now, you twist each stick one by one and nudge the yarn off the ends of the sticks and over the pre-threaded yarns. Carefully push down the first three inches. It goes easier once you get about a foot into it. Keep most of the yarn still on the sticks, and then start weaving again.
Slide off a few inches every time you fill the sticks up. Keep sliding down the long strands, filling a bit at a time.
Eventually you will fill up all the empty parts of yarn. Don't forget to leave 6 to 8 inches on either end as fringe. Tie off the end yarn and use a yarn needle to bury the leftover tails into the weaving.
Not only does a stick woven scarf, belt or guitar strap make an unusual and useful gift, it's also an excellent homeschooling project.
Let me show you some photos so you can get the idea.
My first stick weaving.
Blue Stick Weaving
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If you do, I'd love to see the results.
Hello;
I've recently started stick weaving using both 6 or 4 sticks which are 5" long. My daughter suggested we afix a hair barret to the warp threads when you have lined them up and before you start weaving. This keeps weft threads from coming off the sticks ungracefully. You can slide the barret down as you continue to weave. Works great.
That's a great idea.
I'm still working on my sticks to get the points sanded but I'm looking forward to making strips and joining them together to make placemats, rugs and table runners. I learned about this type of weaving from the book "Weaving Without A Loom" and knew I had to try this. That was earlier this week. LOL. I ordered a walking stick loom that will allow me to weave up to 12 sticks wide which will be cool but I also wanted to be able to just carry sticks and get my kids involved.
A few months ago I learned how to weave on a Tri-loom and have since taught my husband who suffered a stroke last year. It's helping him to regain some of his dexterity and helps him be able to concentrate longer periods of time. I'll be teaching my sister this weekend. Weaving is a blast. There are pictures on the website I included if you would like to take a look. Namaste'
I'm so glad you are passionate about weaving. So many people read articles but never take action on the project. And doing is way more fun than reading about it.
Stephanie just told me about this wonderful page! I can't wait to try this. Someone else, Barb, I think, said something about doing stick weaving with straws! Needless to say, it will be fun to have a highly portable and quick project.
No reason straws wouldn't work in a pinch. You can also use round chopsticks or bamboo skewers if you sand them really smooth.
This sounds really cool! I'm very interested in learning how to do this neat craft. I would also like to use it to make rugs but I noticed with the walking stick loom with 12 sticks it only weaves up to 4" wide. Is it possible to use more sticks? Thanks so much for any info!!!
Generally you can only use as many sticks as you can hold in one hand. I see no reason you couldn't sew the finished strips together side by side though.
Thank you for your idea, I love hand weving <a href="http://www.cyruspersiancarpets.com.au">rugs</a> for my hobby. I have made scarfs, this is a really simple way to make them. Maybe good for winter time.
Hi,
My grandmother and aunts talk about doing this kind of weaving everytime I talk to them. So....I thought I would look it up and do a little reading up on it. I think it might be something that I could easily get into. My Grandmother and Aunts tell all the time that it as fairly simple but fun to do, and since I am a stay at home mom I am always. looking for something to do in my spare time. This just might be the thing I am looking for.
Sincerely,
Tiffany
Hi Tammy from Indy. just got this and the lady showds mw how to do this but can some one show me how to start one there is so much thread I dont know what is what Thanks Tammy
Brandyinind@aol.com if anyone can help please email me
I have been in the SCA a long time and I am glad to hear about people seeing and doing! I picked up a stick weaving kit at Pennsic War last year, because I sawe someone doing it, and I love it! It's a nice break from knitting. I also like the baret idea, I will have to try this. But, I need ideas on what to make besides belts and scarves. How would you go about joining strips to make a rug or placemat? Gen
when I was a very young girl, my grandmother who was Cherokee taught me to stick weave. My dad made my first sticks from hickory. It seems to me that we were doing the stickweaving before the Crusaders came. Just wanted to say thanks for sharing this grand idea with others. I do think it was a Native American idea (smile) because my grandmother told me that 71 years ago......smile...... blessings to all.
I have done this before i have seen this but with just three sticks.I have also tried weaving plastic bags onto it (just at the very end of a piece)And i hope to soon do a piece weaved entirely of plastic bags,for a piece about recycling and the environment.
try doing it on darning needles with crochet thread; usually 5 wide. makes ge]reat bracelets, necklaces, headbands, curtain tiebacks. i've actualll made a 4x5 rugs and large purse with this technique & am currently working on a 5x7 rug in tones of cream, sage green, light teal & choclate brown. coffee stirrers work, straws, needles, bones (bleached/sanitized) actually goes back to bronze age. still used by native americans and in some provences in india.
Great tip. Hats off to you eleri.
I purchased a Y shaped idiot stick from "Handwoven" magazine a number of years ago but have since moved and have misplaced the instructions for it. It makes a "string" that ends up being 4 sided and each side is 1 knit stitch. Does anyone have instructions on how to use it? The "string" is used for edging on garments.
your y shaped stick is called a lucet, you can find basic directions here
Similar to most 21 year old males, I have left x-mas to the last minute and have run out of money. This looks like a great way I can get a few extra gifts for people and get a handy skill at the same time. Thank you for putting this up =]
Thanks Sam. I wish you well with that.
Check out this fantastic rag rug done in stick weaving. She used two and then went up to three. I love the colours.
I'm definitely going to have to try this at some point. I love fibre arts, and this is one form that I have yet to try my hand at. Thanks for the great Hub; it's been really inspirational!
Hello,
I discovered stick weaving at a local craft show. I bought 5 sticks but never tried to weave. Recently, I started weaving and am making a scarf. It's turning out nice but I am interested to know how to change colors. Do I just knot the yarn or weave it in?
Also, have you ever made an afghan with this method? Could you make panels and join them together or is this a crazy idea??
I'm thinking of getting a set of sticks for my mother who will be 96 years. She like to keep busy and the weaving would not involved intricate patterns or counting of stitches.
Thanks for the opportunity to communicate about this fun craft!
Cindy
I learned how to do this when I was 7 or 8 but I was shown using straws!
More about Stick Weaving
- Society for Creative Anachronism
Re-inactment group where I learned about stick weaving. - Stick Weaving Instructions
If you don't want to make your own sticks, this site sells them and shows how to do stick weaving.
GeeMarie says:
3 years ago
Very interesting. Might try this sometime.