Cardboard Loom

You just found a Mindfulness/Friendship Art Project, Well Done!!

Provided by Chango PTA, Mrs Juda & Mrs Proler



This project is just for you and can create a beautiful bracelet/bookmark for you

OR

a gift of friendship to show a loved one you care

Its just for fun and ALMOST everything you need is in the bag

(You will need some scissors and a pencil)

When you are done ask a grownup to take a picture of what you have made and share it @ChangoPTA - Facebook

Enjoy this story while you create - Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett Read by our very own Mrs Juda

If you have access to your school Epic account you can read it here too - Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett (If you need access please email Mrs Proler)

Every kit is slightly different but you will find (at least):

  • an almost finished piece of card with a circle drawn on

  • 7 long pieces of yarn in a rainbow of colors tied at one end

Make your loom and to build your bracelet/bookmark- Steps

  1. We need to cut and mark up the loom first.

Cut the pre-drawn circle out of the card (it can be hard to cut so ask a grownup to help). We drew round a Pringles can for the perfect size, in case you want to make another loom.

Step 1: Cut out the circle

Step 2: Make a hole

Step 2: Using a big pencil poke a hole all the way through the middle of the circle. (it doesn't have to be perfectly in the middle) The hole needs to be big enough to fit the knot of the yarn through later.


Step 3: Using the same pencil, mark 8 lines around the edge of the cardboard circle. These need to be reasonably evenly spaced around the edge.

Step 4: Using a pair of scissors snip along the lines drawn in step 3. BUT not all the way to the center, these hold the yarn in place.

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5: Feed the knotted end of the yarn through your completed cardboard loom.

Step 6: Leave the knotted end on one side and on the other side (it doesn't matter which side) and slip each color of yarn through a slit made in the loom, as shown in the picture. There should be 1 empty slit, 7 pieces of yarn and 1 empty slot.

Step 7: To build the rope/bracelet/bookmark... This is the mindfull bit, calm counting to 3 and turning of the circle in a methodical way. It might take a little practice but that's ok.


I find it easiest to turn the empty slit to my right, but as long as you decide on 'resting' spot for the empty slit and keep it that way, everything else works.

So as in the images below.

(Picture 1) Empty slit to the right...Count 3 pieces of yarn (in the images below Yellow = 1, Dark Blue = 2, Light Blue = 3)

(Picture 2) Pull out 3 (Light Blue) move it into the empty slit.

(Picture 3) Turn the NEW empty slit to the right.... (The next colored yarn to move will be Red... and So on..


Every so often give the knot underneath a gentle tug to keep the rope design growing evenly without kinks


N.B. The key to a successful rope design is even, not to tight, but not slack either, tension and these steps above. Everything else happens like magic!


Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Watching it grow from the back.

If the instructions given don't help watch this video of the steps... This person likes the empty slit toward them but the rest is the same.

Step 8: Keep going until the desired length is achieved. (The great thing about the slits in the loom is you can stop, leave it, and come back to it without it coming unwound) Then unhook all the yarn and tie in a knot. Cut the remaining yarn off and you are finished!


It can be a bracelet/Bookmark, bag/key chain charm, ring... can you think of anything else to use it for?

Woven Bracelet

Woven Bookmark

Learn More and Keep Creating

Our wonderful Art teacher, Mrs Juda, created a few more videos for you to explore yarn in different ways...

1. Weaving a spiders web with Mrs Juda

2. Rectangular loom weaving with Mrs Juda


If you want more projects like this or something else, maybe you have an idea or a topic please let us know. (Contact Arts in Ed. Chango with your ideas and share your projects)