Peg loom weaving is a simple, traditional form of weaving that allows you to make thick durable textiles. It is the perfect technique for making rugs, cushions, wall hangings and so much more!
If you’re reading this, I imagine you’re eager to get going on your peg loom so without delay, let’s dive straight in to your step-by-step guide!
Decide What You Are Making
The first stage of making something on your peg loom is to decide what you are making. This is important as it will influence the size of peg loom you use along with how long your warps should be. As such, take a minute to think about your project. It can sometimes be helpful to draw a sketch of what you would like to make, including the final dimensions of it.
Will you make a rug? Cushion cover? Mug rug? Or design a wall hanging? No matter what you choose, once you start weaving, it cannot be removed from the peg loom until it is finished so make sure you’ve not got any other peg loom deadlines on the horizon!
Choosing a Peg Loom
You can get peg looms in many different sizes. This includes different sized pegs and looms with differently spaced peg holes.
Choosing the right peg loom depends on what you are making and what material you are weaving with. In short, the thinner the peg, the thinner the weaving material you can use, and the closer the pegs are together, the tighter the final weave will be.
Have a think about your project and weaving material. If you want to make a thick, chunky rug, use a peg loom with bigger pegs set further apart. If you want to make a wall having using yarn, use a smaller peg loom with thinner pegs set closer together.
Saying this, peg looming is a very forgiving craft so if you are a beginner, have a play with the loom you have and keep an eye on the weave to see the effect of different weft materials.
The length of your peg loom is the limit to the size of the woven piece. Your woven piece is true to size so if you want to make a textile 40cm wide, measure 40cm along the peg loom and use the number of pegs included within that measurement. Remember, you do not need to use all the pegs on your loom!
Refer back to your project plan and figure out how many pegs you want to use.
Measuring the Warp
The warp runs from the top to the bottom of your finished woven piece. It is what the weft (which runs left to right) goes under and over to create a weave.
A singular warp runs from the base of the project up to the top, through one of the pegs, then all the way back down to the base. A strong, cotton string works well for most projects. You want something strong enough to take the weight of your project and not pull apart when pulled taught.
When measuring your warps, you want to take the final length of your planned project, times it by two (to account for the warp going from the base to the top and back down again), and add 40cm to give room to tie the ends of the project and weave them in if desired.
For example, if you are making a rug that will have a length of 90cm, you would cut each piece of warp to 220cm ((90cm x 2) + 40cm).
Setting up the Peg Loom
Once you have cut all the warp strings, it is time to set up your peg loom.
Thread one warp string through the hole at the bottom of each peg. Pull the warp string so the peg sits in the middle of the string.
Once all threaded, tie the end of each string to its neighbour in a loose knot about 10cm from the string ends. We will retie these at the end of the project, but it is important to have a knot in place so your weaving doesn’t slip straight off the end of the warp as you push it down.
If you have an uneven number of warp strings, tie the central three together in a group.
You are now ready to start weaving!
Weaving on the Peg Loom
Take your chosen material and hold it against the peg loom. Leave a 10cm tail then start weaving in front and behind each of the pegs. Once you reach the the last peg, go all the way round it then continue weaving in the opposite direction. And that’s it! You repeat this process of weaving until your pegs are 3/4 full.
It is a good idea to weave in the tail as you go, so each time you reach the tail, hold it vertically against the end peg and wrap your weft around the peg and tail before setting off weaving in the other direction.
Once your pegs are 3/4 full, start the next row and weave along 3 pegs. This acts as a placeholder for which way you are weaving. Then go to the opposite end of the peg loom and lift up the first peg. Push all the weaving down off the peg onto the warp strings. Repeat this process until you reach the 3 pegs at the other end that you wove around.
Finish the row you started weaving then push the weave off those 3 pegs. Congratulations, you have pushed your first bit of weaving onto the warp strings! This will always look the messiest section, but have faith and the more weaving you add, the neater it will become.
Repeat this weaving and pushing process until your piece reaches its desired length. You want to create a tight weave so keep pushing the weave together to see what density it is at.
When you reach your final length, lift all the pegs and push your weaving down and away from the peg loom.
Removing From the Loom
It is time to remove your piece from the loom! Push your weaving away from the loom and make sure the weave density is even across your piece. You can make adjustments at this point by pushing the woven fabric up or down the warp.
This next section is important to take slowly as there is a risk of your weaving falling off the warp which we do not want!
Make sure your weaving is flat on the table so gravity isn’t working against you. Expose the warp string next to the pegs by about 8cm. Cut the first 2 warp strings close to the pegs. Tie these two warp ends together in a tight knot. Pull the knot so it sits snuggly into the weave. Do not pull too tight or it will distort your weave.
Repeat this process with the rest of your warp strings. Try to tie the knots at the same level across your piece so the end is nice and straight. If you have an uneven number of warp strings, tie 3 together in the middle.
Once removed from the peg loom, spin your piece round and retie the warp strings together at the other end of your piece. Again, make the knots snug against the weave and try to tie them at the same point to create a straight edge.
You can either cut all the warp ends to an even length and leave them as tassels or use a tapestry needle to sew them into your woven piece.
And that’s it! You have successfully woven on your peg loom! I hope you enjoyed using this wonderful piece of equipment and are proud of what you made!
For more ideas on what to make on the peg loom, take a look at our gallery and instagram page!
If you have any questions please do feel free to leave them in the comments below 🙂
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