Introduction: How to Weave a Small Table Mat With Home Made Loom
This is my first instructable and here I have shared on how to Weave a small table mat of size 12 inches by 12 inches, made with Acrylic Nylon hand knitting yarn. You can use this table mat to keep your small items like mobile phone, FM Radio, Blue tooth speakers and all.
I have been encouraged by my family members who have already joined this wonderful DIY website to join and post my hobbies as instructables here. Hope you all enjoy it.
Step 1: Home-Made Loom
I have used a home-made loom for this project. My husband made this loom for me. It is square in size with 12 " by 12 " inner dimensions. The frame is made of 3/4th inch thick plywood with one inch width on all sides. The nails on the frame are spaced at 1/2 " center t center
Step 2: Materials and Tools
You need two different matching colors of Acrylic Nylon hand knitting yarn. I have used Sea Green and Light Biscuit colors. The yarn packs are 100 grams each. about 25 to 30 grams of each color are required for this project.
Different sizes of crocheting needles will also come in handy while weaving the mat.
Step 3: How to Start
First I have started with sea green colored yarn
- Tie one end of yarn on the nail on one edge
- Use a colander or such container to keep the yarn. This will prevent the yarn from rolling on the ground
- The gap between the nails are almost equal to 10 times thickness of the yarn. So we will use about 8 strands of yarn in between.
- Start from the 4th nail and warp 4 circles of yarn around the opposite nail. This will give us 8 strands of yarn on each row.
- Make three rows like this with same color
Step 4: Continue to Warp
Continue to warp three rows at the center and three rows on the other edge as shown with the same color. There is no need to cut the yarn but can be taken along the outer edge of the nails
Step 5: Warp on Other Side
Take the yarn along the outer edge of the nails and warp perpendicular same as earlier rows
Step 6: Start Warp With Other Color
Now we can start warping with other color yarn
- Tie one end of yarn with the nail on one end
- Warp as earlier on the outer edge
Step 7: Continue to Warp
Continue with the light biscuit color on all the spaces between sea green colored yarn
Step 8: Warp Perpendicular
- Once warping on one side is completed, start warping perpendicular to all the empty spaces in between.
- Tie the loose end of yarn on a nail and trim the yarn
Step 9: Weaving
- Lift one layer of warped yarn from the nail on one end. You can use a crochet needle or any other suitable hook for this.
- Use a safety pin as shown to hold the layer of yarn. This will prevent the yarn from getting separated
- Start weaving from other end alternately inserting the safety pin with the yarn in an up-down pattern
- The second layer is weaved opposite to the first one, again in an up-down pattern as shown
- Continue to weave till you reach the other end
Step 10: One More Layer on the Outer Edges
After weaving the already warped yarn I found that there is some gap at the edges. So I added one more layer of light biscuit colored yarn at all edges and weaved them together
Step 11: Crochet Around the Edges
Now we will crochet around the edges using yarns of both the colors. Here I have used 6 mm crochet needle for this
- Keep both the yarn packs in a container and take both the yarns together and tie a knot
- Start crocheting from one end all around the edges between the spaces
Step 12: Crochet Second Layer and Lock the Edges
We will crochet second layer around the edges which will help us lock the weave in its place. Start from one end as earlier and complete all around. Tie the yarns at the end and trim
Step 13: Cut Edges and Finish
- Using a craft knife, cut all the edges of yarn from the nails.
- Now you can take out the completed mat from the frame.
- Trim the edges using a pair of scissors. Our mat is now complete
You can use this small ,at to keep your items like Mobile phone, Radio, watches and other small items

Runner Up in the
First Time Authors Contest 2016

Participated in the
Homemade Gifts Contest 2016
15 Comments
6 years ago
We use to make mats like this when I was at junior school nearly 70 years ago using rafia and string. We did not need to make a frame as we made circular ones.
Reply 6 years ago
I would love to know more about the raffia and string mats!
Reply 6 years ago
Actually my description could have been better. The finished circular mat is really more of a 'spiral' than a circle. But I hope it helps you make the circular ones.
Reply 6 years ago
I don't have any pictures. But. The construction starts by winding a couple of turns of raffia around the end of the string. This end is the folded to form a very small circle but with the covered end laid alongside and inside the the forming circle. Then a couple of turns of raffia are made around both sections of string to hold them together using a large needle (sack needle). A couple more turns of raffia are made around the INNER next section of string only. Then a couple of turns of raffia are made around both pieces of string to hold that section together. This sequence continues until you have the round mat of your choice. A good example to look at are the 'woven style' baskets yo often see in Arabic countries.
Reply 6 years ago
The raffia/string mat is made like a coiled basket. That is very interesting. Thank you so much for your reply.
Reply 6 years ago
i'd like to see circular ones, & know how to make them without a loom/frame. in the late '60s, my sister & made some for our mom, 1'x1', with bright yarns, but we did not cut the edges; we left loops. our mom still uses them to this day!
6 years ago
great instructions, josephine! :^D
6 years ago
Very nice. I was wondering if you could single croquet the very edges of the piece as you removed it from the loom instead of cutting the yarn ?
Reply 6 years ago
That's exactly what I would be doing! Nice tutorial, thanks ?
6 years ago
Your directions are very well written! Thanks for sharing.
6 years ago
It's "Wrap" not "Warp".
Reply 6 years ago
Indeed it is warp in weaving. The warp is the yarn going across the loom and the yarn going up and down is the weft.
Reply 6 years ago
It's "warp," not "wrap." Are you a weaver?
6 years ago
Wonderful - great instructions and pretty colors! Thank you for sharing.
6 years ago
Very pretty, I love the colors you chose :)