Prepare Your Pocket Loom
1. Carefully cut out the cardstock loom and shuttle
card, separating them along the magenta lines.
2. Use scissors or an X-Acto knife to cut out the
gold diamond holes (Figure A). It helps to fold the
loom lengthwise, cut all the red lines first, then cut
all the yellow lines to finish (Figure B).
3. Now go back across the folded loom, cutting
out all the blue slots (Figure C). When they’re all
removed, unfold the loom (Figure D).
4. Measure out 28 lengths of yarn by wrapping it
around your arm, from thumb to elbow, 28 times
(Figure E), then cutting the bundle at the top
(Figure F). Thread these 28 lengths through the
28 slots and holes in the loom card (Figure G)
and pull them through about 6" (Figure H).
5. Tie the strings you just pulled through the
loom card to 1 of the sticks, in bundles of 4 to 7
(Figures I and J). Don’t worry about what type
of knot — just make sure it’s secure.
6. Secure the stick to a wall, table, doorknob,
patient friend (I used my own toes), or anything
stationary that can handle a clamp, a nail, or more
string binding the stick to it. You’ll be tugging it
hard, so it has to remain steady.
7. Move the loom toward the other end of the strings,
working out any tangles as you go (Figure K). When
you get close, tie these string ends in bundles of 4
to 7 to the second stick (Figure L). It helps to have
a friend hold the stick while you tie the outermost
bundles on the far left and far right of the stick.
Then, with the outer strings taut, tie the inner ones
to match that tension.
8. Use a stronger yarn to tie the second stick to
your belt loops or around your waist. Now lean back
to hold the threads tight (Figure M). These threads
are the warp. The loom card will act as a heddle to
raise and lower the warp. You and the materials
you have manipulated are now a loom.
9. Cut out the shuttle. Wind another, thicker yarn
around the shuttle, in a figure- 8 pattern, following
