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