Playing with Pin Looms as a Beginner

When I found out our intern Lauren had never woven before, I immediately began plotting ways to get her started. Lending her a floor or table loom wasn't feasible given her small dorm room, so what was an editor to do? That's when I remembered we had an extra Zoom Loom in the office. I grabbed the loom, some yarn from our office stash, and gave Lauren some homework: Weave something and write about it. Weave she did, and write she did. Here is Lauren's take on her first experience weaving. — Christina

All of my classes and experience in journalism could never prepare me for all of the crafting and creating at Interweave. It's everywhere: At lunch, at meetings, at work parties. Having never knit, woven, or spun yarn (I've dabbled in crochet), you could image how terrified I was to be thrown into such a large and established creative community.

When Christina arrived at my desk with a pin loom, I started to scream a little internally. I was scared that this little loom, for which children's craft books have been created, might be my downfall. But I've never been one to pass up a challenge. I made it my mission to navigate this unknown world of pin-loom weaving.

I was given a Zoom Loom, some yarn, basic instructions, and a copy of Pin Loom Weaving by Margaret Stump. To be honest, setting up the loom was easy, intuitive, and pretty therapeutic. I started plain weaving it, thinking I was the master of the universe. . . and then I realized that about four rows in, I had already made some sort of mistake. Time to work backwards. Thankfully, problem-solving is (usually) my forte. Patience, however, is not (I blame my mom's genes for that). However, in about fifteen minutes, I had something that actually looked like a woven square. I gave myself a little pat on the back before finishing.

Lauren's first attempt at pin-loom weaving.

Wanting to kick it up a notch, I started following a pattern for a square with a heart design. Understandably, it took a bit longer to put this one together, but with minimal difficulty, I finished the beautiful little heart.

By her second try with this cute heart pattern, Lauren was a pro with the pin loom.

With enough of my darling little squares, I am sure I could make some sort of item. Pin-loom weaving, at least for me, could easily become addictive. I could probably use some help though, but fortunately I work in a place where this sort of help is never far.

As far as I can tell, my mini foray into the weaving world was a success. Maybe I'll have to try a day trip sometime.