mav scb February 3, 2024 We first published these instructions for weaving on branches five years ago in 3191 Quarterly Issue No. 8. This week, after blustery winds scattered my walking path with bare, forked branches, I remembered what a great craft it was for keeping hands (and worried minds) busy in the winter months. I am so happy to finally share the instructions with you online. Happy weaving! —SCB My mother, who was a weaver, taught me how to make these branch “looms” when I was a child. It is how I learned the basics of weaving—the warp and the weft. My weavings as a child used the scraps of my mom’s plant-dyed yarn, tall dried weeds from the yard and found feathers. My memory of them feels emblematic of my seventies California childhood, and I had great fun recreating new versions in my adulthood. I used wool yarns, roving and leather scraps for the ones shown here, but there are endless possibilities of materials to incorporate—thin fabric or wool scraps, bark, flax, metallics—or maybe just weeds from your yard. Materials: Forked tree branch. You will need a sturdy forked tree branch. The wood should not be so brittle that it will snap under pressure, but still resistant to bending. Recently pruned branches work great. You can make your weaving as large or as small as you like. Yarn, sturdy string or twine for the warp. Yarn, roving, fabric, leather or other fiber for weaving and embellishing. Yarn needle. (A blunt needle with a wide eye for threading yarn. You can find plastic, wood, and metal versions at craft and yarn shops.) Instructions: :: Start by tying the end of a length of yarn or twine securely to your branch. :: Bring your yarn across to the other side of the branch and wrap it tightly three times around that branch. :: Return the yarn to the other branch and repeat the wrapping. Make sure your yarn is staying taught. Repeat this process, moving between the two sides, spacing the yarn evenly. You are creating a warp! :: Extend your warp until the end of the branches and tie securely. :: Thread a length of yarn on your needle. Begin to weave by passing the needle over and under each strand of the warp. Pull the yarn all the way through, leaving just a small (2-3 inches) tail at the end. :: When you reach the end of your warp, begin weaving back, making sure your weave is the opposite of your first row (yarn passes under where it had passed over, etc.). :: Continue along this way, adding more yarn as needed (always leave a small “tail” of your behind), switching colors and weights of yarn as it suits you. I recommend gently pushing your work down with your fingers to achieve a tight weave. ::When you are satisfied with your weaving, decide which side will be your front and which the back, and then weave all your little tails through the back side. Hang or prop your weaving for display. Share TWITTER FACEBOOK TUMBLR PINTEREST EMAIL