Introduction: How to Weave a Criss-Cross Table Mat With Home-made Loom

About: I am a retired Science Teacher for Higher Secondary Education. Now spend my time on Gardening and other hobbies

This is my third instructable on weaving with home made loom. Here I have used Criss-cross pattern to weave this beautiful table mat. If you look at the close-up pictures above, you can see that all junctions of yarn are tied crosswise to form the pleasing flower shapes.

Please go through the following steps to see how to make this attractive 12 inches x 12 inches table mat using the home-made loom..

Step 1: Material Required

  • Acrylic Nylon Hand-knitting yarn Sea Green color
  • Acrylic Nylon Hand-knitting yarn Peach color
  • Home-made Weaving frame for making 12 inches x 12 inches Table mat
  • Crooked Needle for winding yarn to be used in criss-cross pattern

Step 2: How to Start

First we will make the border with sea green colored yarn

  • Place the yarn in a plastic basket so that it will not roll on the floor and collect dust
  • Take one end of yarn and tie it to any one of the corner nail on the weaving frame.
  • Leaving the first nail adjacent to the center one, wind the yarn on the second nail, take it across and make five turns
  • Now you will have ten strands of yarn wound across at the end
  • wind 3 such layers on the frame on nails 2, 3 and 4 from the corner nail

Step 3: Border With Sea Green Yarn

  • Take the yarn along the outer edge of nails to the fourth nail on the opposite end
  • Here again wind 5 turns of yarn on nails 4, 3 and 2 from the corner nail at that end
  • Turn the yarn 90 degrees on the corner nail and wind another 5 turns on nails 2, 3 and 4, perpendicular to the already wound yarn.
  • Take the yarn to the other end and repeat the same procedure.
  • Tie the loose end with the corner nail and trim the yarn

Now we have 3 layers of sea green yarn at the border with 5 turns each on nails 2, 3 and 4 on all around.

Step 4: Middle Portion With Peach Colored Yarn 1

We will use the peach colored yarn for the middle portion

  • Tie the loose end of yarn to any one corner nail
  • Place the yarn in a basket so that it will not roll around on the floor
  • Starting from the adjacent nail with the sea green yarn, wind 5 turns each on the middle portion

The last picture shows the completed winding of yarn at this stage

Step 5: Middle Portion With Peach Colored Yarn 2

  • Take the yarn along the outer edge of the nails and repeat the same procedure for winding perpendicular turns to the already wound peach colored yarn
  • Tie the loose end of yarn to a corner nail and trim excess.

The last two pictures show the top and bottom views of the loom after completing this step.

Step 6: Wind Sea Green Yarn on Crooked Needle

  • Now we will start tying the criss-cross pattern of all junctions
  • Wind few turns of sea green colored yarn on the crooked needle. Do not wind more as you will find it very difficult to pass the needle through the gaps. Once the wound yarn on the crooked needle is finished, you can tie and join more
  • The crooked needle will help the yarn from slipping out of the needle while tying.

Step 7: How to Tie the Criss-Cross Pattern

This step will guide you on how to tie criss-cross pattern at the junctions of yarns. You will have to follow the same procedure all along for completing the mat

  • Please see the first picture where I have marked one junction with a red square.
  • There are 4 opening around the junction marked as 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • First tie the loose end yarn in the crooked needle at the center
  • Holding the yarn in your left hand, insert the crooked needle through opening 4 from top
  • Bring the crooked needle with the yarn through opening 2 from bottom
  • Twist the yarn in your left hand and pass the crooked needle through the twist
  • Pull and tighten the yarn. Now you have a cross knot between opening 2 and 4
  • Holding the yarn in your left hand, insert the crooked needle through opening 1 to the bottom
  • Make a twist of yarn in your hand and bring the crooked needle up through opening 3 inside the twist
  • Tighten the yarn to form the knot between openings 2 and 4
  • The criss-cross pattern on one junction is complete. Follow the same pattern all along on all junctions

Step 8: Complete Criss-Cross Pattern With Sea Green Yarn

  • Once you reach the other end, make a 90 degree turn and continue along the border
  • After completing one full round, turn to inside junction and continue following a spiralling pattern.
  • After completing all three outer layers, your criss-cross pattern will end at inside corner of sea green colored yarn
  • Tie the loose end and trim the yarn

Step 9: Criss-Cross Tying With Peach Colored Yarn

  • Wind few turns of peach colored yarn on the crooked needle and tie a knot adjacent to where you have finished with sea green colored yarn
  • Start tying the criss-cross pattern following a spiralling path inside.

Step 10: Finish at the Center

  • Continue with the criss-cross pattern following the spiralling path and you will reach the center portion of the mat
  • Tie the last knot at the center making a criss-cross pattern and trim excess yarn

Weaving and tying of the mat is complete.

Step 11: Cut and Remove Excess Yarn at Edges

Now we need to remove the mat from the weaving frame

  • Using a craft knife, first cut all unwanted turns of yarn along the edges of nails around the frame and discard the loose strands.
  • Then start cutting the yarns at the center of each nail and free the mat at one end of frame

Step 12: Remove From Frame and Finish

  • Once you cut and free one end, then all turns around the nails will become loose.
  • Gently free the mat from the nails one by one and cut at the center of all edges with a pair of scissors.
  • Trim any unwanted strands of yarn at the edges.

Our criss-cross patterned Table Mat is finished in all respects.

Makerspace Contest 2017

Participated in the
Makerspace Contest 2017