Natural weaving with a ‘Y’ branch
This type of natural weaving involves gathering your own natural materials including a natural loom. A ‘Y’ shape stick works really well for this.
What you can do with a ‘Y’ shape stick :
- construct a triangle den and learn the properties of strength
- plot a curve using only straight lines (more on that later)
- quickly create a loom for weaving natural materials
You will need:
- ‘Y’ shaped branch,
- a penknife,
- string
- natural weaving materials (grass/flower stems/found wool/leaves)
Natural weaving – how to.
Step 1
Create cuts at equal intervals along the ‘Y’ shape stick, up each branch. These are to slot the string into that will become the ‘warp’ threads. These will run horizontally and the vertical weaves will be made with the natural items.
Wedge the ‘warp’ string back and forth across the ‘Y’ stick and lodging into the notches you made until it is filled up.
You can see in this picture the spacing of the warp threads is wide. This is good for youngsters, as a first weaving experience.
Step two
Then its easy. Gather grass or flower stems and weave over and then under the threads. Attention spans vary but these are short simple weaving activities that encourage fine motor skills. It may take practice to encourage the threading in and out. It may appear a simple exercise but has many benefits. Weaving is a staple craft in the Waldorf Steiner curriculum.
Natural Weaving on a straight loom
You can, of course, use natural grasses to weave into a straight loom at home. I have also threaded shells on the warp strings as extra texture. I like the combination of the wool with the dried grasses in this example, and has the added bonus that will last.
natural materials to try to weaving with:
- feathers
- grasses – can be plaited first if thin grass
- leaves
- sticks
- grass seed heads – create nice bobble texture
This post is a resource post for June of the The 365 Nature Journal – a calendar of nature activities and observations for anytime of the year.
