Weaving a Table Mat With Home-made Square Loom

My first instructable was about how to weave a small table mat with a home-made loom. In this instructable I will show a different method of weaving a table mat using the same home-made square loom

This is a 12 inches x 12 inches mat which you can use to keep your things like cell phone, camera etcetera. You can also use it to cover other small gadgets on the table.

If you are interested in making your own square loom, please see the following instructable at this link

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Sma...

Step 1: Items Required

4 bundles of Hand-knitting yarn, Multicoloured (I will show you why I needed 4 bundles)
Home-made loom for weaving 12 inches x 12 inches Table mat
A crochet needle 6 or 6.5 size

Step 2: The Weaving Frame

Weaving this mat may look a little bit confusing. So, I have numbered few nails on the weaving frame for easy understanding of what is explained in the following steps

The first nail at the left bottom is marked as "Home End" and numbered "0". Start your weave from this end
The nails upwards from Home end are marked as 1, 2, 3 and so on
The nails from Home End towards right hand side at the bottom are marked as 1a, 1b, 1c and so on
The nail diagonally opposite to Home End is marked as "00"
The nails to the left side from "00" are marked as 01, 02, 03 and so on
The nails to the bottom from "00" are marked down as 01a, 01b, 01c and so on

Hope these numbering will help you to understand the warping easily

Step 3: How to Start Step 1

The multicoloured hand knitting yarn I have used has one end protruding from the center. You just pull that end and the yarn will come out without rolling on the floor and making a mess. I will use the yarns from all 4 bundles together for weaving

Place 4 bundles of the yarns in plastic baskets. Here I have places them in 2 plastic baskets. This will prevent any soil from the floor sticking to it
Pull out the yarn from all 4 bundles and knot the ends together
Knot the collection of 4 yarns on the "0" nail at the home end
Pull all 4 yarns together, take them across diagonally and bring over the opposite nail "00" on the other end
Bring the yarns together to the home end and wrap them over the first nail "1a" from the start point on the loom.

Step 4: How to Start Step 2

Now hold the loose ends of yarn together with right hand and with your left hand pass the yarn from 01 nail below the warped yarn from "0" nail, take it across and warp around the fist nail "1" on the other side.
Just hold the yarns in your right hand at your end, and take the warped yarns at other end and pass them over the first nail "01" at opposite end.
Pull and tighten the yarn you are holding with your right hand. This will automatically bring the warp under and over the 2 rows of yarn at "00" nail
Warp yarns around "01a" nail and bring it back to Home End over "1b" nail.

This is how to start weaving the mat and it is very simple as that.

Step 5: Follow the Same Procedure to Continue

Follow the same procedure and continue by weaving below and above the already warped yarn in the frame.

The rule of thump is after turning the yarn on the nail at home end, the warp should be below the first yarn and below the last yarn. In between it should be above and below the middle layers.
Keep the loose end of yarns in your right hand and do the weave with fingers of left hand. Once the yarn is wound over the nail at other end (01, 02 or 03 and so on), just tighten the yarn at right hand and wound over the nail (01a, 01b or 01c and so on). This will automatically make the weave at far end. Then bring the yarn at right hand to home end at wound over the next nail.

Step 6: Continue Weaving

Continue weaving till you reach the middle portion. Now you have about 3 nails left at the center. Please see the above photographs for reference.

Step 7: Weaving the Middle Portion

Once you reach the middle portion with only three nails left, it will be very difficult to weave with fingers alone. Now use the crochet needle, inserting it below and above the yarns as required. Hook the yarn with crochet needle and gently pull.

Step 8: The Last Warp

The last warp will end at nails at other two corners.

At this time, the yarn is wound around the center nail at one corner and the other side is vacant. You can see the gap at center in the first picture which will be filled with last warp.
You can trim the yarns from the bundles with required length plus some extra for the last warp.
Use crochet needle between 3 to 4 gaps inserting it below and above as per pattern. Pull the yarns together gently.
Once you reach the other end, bring the yarns over the nail and make a temporary knot
Trim the loose yarns from where we have started and tie with a knot

Now the mat is almost finished

Step 9: Remove Mat From the Frame

Starting from the corner nail where we have tied a temporary knot, remove the mat from the nail with the crochet needle. If required lightly loosen the knot.
Once you remove the first one from the corner nail, then it will be easy to remove mat from other nails
Gently remove one by one using the crochet needle. Once you removed half of the mat then you can easily take out the mat without the help of crochet needle

You can see the mat removed from the frame in the last picture.