Give it a try! Easy tablet weaving with this free shoelace project

If you’re in the United States reading this article the day it comes out, it’s currently Thanksgiving. While this holiday can evoke many different emotions—often at the same time—a feeling of gratitude is often in the mix. As I write this post and ruminate on all I’m grateful for, I can’t help but think of you, our readers, who have supported and continue to support Easy Weaving with Little Looms.

Whether you have been with us since the first issue came out in 2016 or you have joined the world of small-loom weaving only recently, I’m so very happy you’re here. As a small token of my appreciation, I’m offering one of our most popular projects as a free download: John Mullarkey’s Astounding Laces.

About The Shoelaces

As a more experienced tablet weaver, I appreciate the simplicity of the shoelaces. Using just ten tablets and a straightforward threaded-in pattern with an equally uncomplicated turn sequence, this particular project is quick to warp and easy to weave. (Need help reading a tablet draft or figuring out S- vs. Z-threading? Check out this skill guide!)

No Tablets or Loom? No Problem!

I love this project for many reasons, but the fact that it’s so accessible is a big one. First, it’s beginner friendly—if you’re looking for a project to tiptoe into tablet weaving, I don’t think you could find anything better. Don’t have weaving tablets? You can make your own tablets out of playing cards or sturdy cardstock (weavers have been making their own tablets for centuries, after all).

No inkle loom? You don’t need one—all you need is a way to tension your warp. You can even use a modified verstino of the backstrap method demonstrated in this incredible (and free!) video featuring former Spin Off and current Farm & Fiber Knits editor, Kate Larson. In the video, Kate winds the warp in a figure 8 pattern and adds popsicle crosses to help keep the cross. In tablet weaving, however, we don't need to worry about a cross. Instead, wind your warp in an O pattern. Wind all the ends you need of one color and then wind the ends you need of the second color—you do not need to change colors as you wind. Once the warp is wound, you'll then thread your tablets, instead of the rigid heddle shown in the video. Easy peasy!

Perfectly Portable

Tablet projects are incredibly portable, too, so if you have holiday travel coming up, it’s easy to pack up your loom or backstrap setup and take your weaving with you. Just make sure you stabilize your tablets and warp so they don’t shift out of place during transport. (A tip I learned from John is to use stitch markers in each of the tablets’ holes so if they move, they all move together.)

Photo by Matt Graves

Make it Your Own

If you, like me, rarely make a project exactly as written, you should know that these shoelaces provide the perfect palette for improvisation and experimentation. Here are just a few ideas:

• Use different colors for each shoelace or inverse which color is used for the border versus the pattern from one shoelace to the next.
• Try using more than two colors in a single lace.
• Thread a metallic or iridescent filament along with some of your warp ends to give your laces a bit of glimmer.
• Play with the turn sequence and see what happens—just make sure if you turn your cards a certain number of times forward that you turn them the same number backward (and vice versa), so you don’t build up twist.
• Instead of making laces, use the band for a bracelet, a wristlet for a bag, a lanyard, or even a small collar.
• Use thicker yarns to create a wider band.

Just don’t be afraid to make mistakes—once these laces are woven and on your shoe, any problem areas will probably be hidden, and you’ll still have an incredible pair of handwoven shoelaces that you can show off.

For her own version of the Astounding Laces, Christina wove one lace using blue for the border/background and purple for the pattern and then used purple for the border/background and blue for the pattern on the other. Photo by Christina Garton

A Perfect Gift—For Yourself

Somebody who has never woven shoelaces before might be tempted to tell you “these make the perfect gift for anyone and everyone on your list,” but I am not that person. Tablet laces are fun and easy to weave, yes, but they do take time. Instead, use these shoelaces as a reason to give yourself the time and space to weave something that will fill you with joy. Something that’s just for you.

I really and truly hope you love this project as much as I do. Shoelaces were my first tablet-weaving project, and while I’ve woven more complex patterns with complicated turn sequences, I always turn back to these Astounding Laces because they truly are such a delight to weave and wear.

Happy Weaving,

Christina