Video! Designing Pin-Loom Projects for Handspun

Whether you’re a handspinner, friends with somebody who spins, or simply love unique yarns, chances are you’ve got a bit of handspun in your stash somewhere. While there are many ways you can show off beautiful, handmade yarn, pin-loom weaving is an especially great option if you’re working with small bits and bobs.

For example, say you’ve got a small skein of something handspun—maybe it’s leftover from a larger skein or just a sampler to test out a new yarn or technique. You could use it in a mixed warp on a rigid-heddle loom, but that doesn’t always do extra-special yarns justice. On a pin-loom, however, the yarn can be the star of the show. One 4" x 4" square requires only 8 yards of yarn, and other shapes/sizes of pin looms typically require 20 or fewer yards.

In this video, John Mullarkey gives examples of pieces he has woven using yarns from his stash of handspun. In some cases he uses the pin loom to highlight special, small amounts of yarn, as described above. In other cases, he uses the pin loom to showcase the color changes in a longer skein of yarn. The results in both cases are fabulous and certainly had me thinking about the box of handspun a prolific spinner friend gave me. Curious? See for yourself!

Of course, everything John says in the video can also be applied to commercially spun yarns. More than once, I’ve succumbed to the temptation of an especially enticing bag of yarn at a thrift or yard sale. Often these have small put-ups of beautiful yarns, and I’d imagine any of John’s suggestions would be a perfect use.

Whether you spin, collect handspun, or just want more ideas for pin-loom weaving, I hope you enjoyed this video from John.

Happy Weaving!
Christina