TM

Guide to Inkle Weaving:

Free Inkle Loom Patterns,
Plans, and Projects

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inkle-loom project

Originally Published in Handwoven, March 2009

sharon kersten

structure
Warp-faced plain weave
with pick-up.

Equipment
Inkle loom to accommodate at least a 4 ft warp
length (this loom allows
80"); smooth string or
strong sewing thread for
tying heddles; popsicle
sticks; kitchen laminate
samples to use as shuttles; small pick-up stick.

Yarns
Warp: #10 cotton crochet
thread or 5/2 pearl
cotton, 25 yd white and
25 yd black (or DMC
embroidery floss, 4 skeins
light, 4 skeins dark).
Weft: same as light warp,
about 8 yd.

other supplies
See list of supplies and
materials for constructing
the inkle loom.

Warp length
34 ends alternating
1 dark/1 light 80" long
(this length will depend
on the inkle loom).

setts
Warp: about 45 epi.
Weft: about 13 ppi.

Dimensions
Weaving width: 34".
Woven length: 26".
Finished size: hatband
3
4" 26" plus 5" braided
fringe at each end.
2

Guide to Inkle Weaving

Make a loom and weave

a hatbandin two days
w it h o ut b re a k i ng t he b a nk !

Heres how to construct a loom, warp it, and weave a project all
within a weekend. This lightweight, portable loom is suitable for
small projects like hatbands and bookmarks. It can easily be
disassembled for travel when needed!

o build this loom, youll need to gather a

few basic handtools and take a trip to
your local hardware store or big-box home
improvement center.

M a k i n g t h e lo o m
Cut the CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) pipe into two 16" front pieces, two 212"
back pieces, seven 6" cross pieces, three 5"
pieces for castle uprights and heddle string
rod, six 112" pieces for joining T and L
connectors, and one 7" shed rod. Push pieces
together as shown on page 3.
For the tensioning device: Arrange on each
24" threaded rod: 4" space, washer, 2 nuts, 9"
space, 2 nuts, washer, and about a 10" space.
The 4" space goes into the back arm; the 10"
space into the castle assembly. (The washers
keep the nuts from sliding inside the T
connector.) Snug the 2 nuts so they are finger
tight only. Moving the two sets of nuts toward
each other loosens the tension, away from
each other tightens the tension. (Place elastics
as in Photo a, page 4, to prevent the loom from
coming apart when it is not warped.)
Using a ruler, measure from washer to
washer to check that both sides of the loom
are the same length. The measurements
should be within 18" of each other.

What youll need

Tools Coping saw, hacksaw, miter box and
saw, or PVC pipe cutter (if available); utility
knife; not-your-sewing scissors; tape measure
or ruler; pencil; slip-jaw pliers (to loosen any
stuck pipes, if needed).
Materials and other supplies One 10 ft
length 12" CPVC pipe (you can cut it in half to
transport), ten 12" T connectors, six 12" L
connectors, two 12" cap pieces, two 38" 24"
threaded rods (20 threads/inch), 8 nuts to fit
threaded rod, 4 washers with bigger outside
diameter than ends of T connectors, transparent tape, 2 packages of 14" elastic cord.

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Project
castle

This small,
portable inkle
loom can be made
in a weekend!

crosspiece

shed rod

back piece

threaded rod

heddle rod

shuttle from
laminate sample
crosspiece

Guide to Inkle Weaving

front piece

Assembly order:
Lay the CPVC pieces out in the positions shown.
Push the CPVC connections together snugly. If
you lift the loom up and the connections separate,
wrap the end of the pipe with transparent tape and
reconnect. Do not use any glue to assemble the
loom so that you can take the loom apart for
transport and reassemble it later.

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1. Threading

open
heddle

(Discard the extra black thread.)

1
2
3

Taping the ends on the bottom

front cross piece with 6" tails at
start and finish, wind a continuous warp of 34 ends holding 1
black/1 white together and keeping a finger between them; do
not cross threads as you wind.
Weave in popsicle sticks (Photo
d), picking up the sheds by hand
and changing the black/white
alternate order to match Figure
1. Slide sticks to bottom of loom
frame, smoothing the threads.
Discard the extra black thread
and tie together end tails.
Attach and secure the shed rod
(Photo e). Push the lower shed
down. Insert popsicle sticks to
keep the shed down while you
are working. Loosen the heddle
rod from its elastic (Photo b)
and place it about halfway between the end of the loom and

Cut a shuttle from laminate sample (see page 3). Weave at least
7" plain weave with popsicle
sticks to preserve the fringe.
Weave 1" plain weave with
white weft (the heddle rod in
the down position lowers the
mostly light warp threads so
the mostly dark threads are on
top; the heddle rod released
and the shed stick moved forward raises the mostly light
threads). Hemstitch over the
first 2 rows. Then weave the
hatband following Figure 2.

end

To weave the pattern: Copy

and enlarge the graph in Figure
2 so you can read it easily and
use a marker to check off each
row. Weave the pattern repeat
for about 25" or the length necessary for your use. The graph
shows only warp threads 1025
(count them from the right);
the others are controlled by the
sheds and not the pick-up
stick. The first few rows will
look strange the first time
through. Stop for breaks only
between S motifs (it takes 10
to 15 minutes to weave each
one). End with 1" plain weave
and hemstitch as at the beginning. Weave another 7" of popsicle sticks for fringe and then
weave the remaining warp for
bookmarks or samples.

pw
D D

D D

D D

D D

D D
D D

D
D D

D D

D D

D D

D D

D D

D D

D D

D D
D D

D
D D

D D

D D

D D

D D

D D

D D

D D

Remove the band from the

loom. Divide the warp threads
into two halves, then do a 3- or
4-strand braid with each half
and secure with an overhand
knot, matching all braids for
length and knot placement;
trim ends evenly.

repeat

the castle upright. Slip one end

of each string heddle around
the heddle rod, pass the doubled string of the loop over one
warp thread in the lower shed,
then pass the other end of the
loop around the heddle rod
(Photo f). Continue, taking
threads from the lower shed in
order and making sure you
catch only one thread at a time.
Then carefully slide the heddle
rod back to the bottom of the
castle and secure it with the
elastics (Photo b).

Tie 20 heddles (3 extra for repairs or other projects) around

the castle upright (Photo c) with
a surgeons knot (a square knot
with two twists on the first half).

2. Pick-up
pattern

D D
D D

D
D D

D D

D D

D D

D D

D D

pw
start
thread up in regular
shed (heddle down)

thread up in regular
shed using shed stick
thread brought up
with pick-up stick
D

thread pushed down

with pick-up stick

Assembly and
warping
e

Photos by Sharon Kersten

Guide to Inkle Weaving

a. Assembled frame and placement of elastics, b. the heddle

rod, c. the heddles tied around
castle (the loom is weighted
with a large telephone book),
d. sheds to straighten thread
order, e. the shed rod, f. the
position for heddle rod during
threading.

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Stars & Stripes

Originally Published in Handwoven, March-April 2002

A my A bbott

Many thanks to our readers for sharing

creative patriotic fabric projects with us.

fter the tragic events of September 11th, I wanted to do something to help lift the spirits of
the members of my teachers team. I decided to make patriotic pins. There were
already many pins of the crossed ribbon
style being worn, but since I was planning to weave an inkle band for at least
fifteen pins, I knew I needed a style that
would conserve band length. With this
in mind, I designed a bar-style pin.
Using the basic principles of inkle design, I created a pattern of stars (a single thread of white between two threads
of blue) on one half of the band with
stripes of red and white on the other.
The weaving is simply a matter of alternating sheds.
As I began to weave the band, I was
very pleased with the stylized outcome.
My colleagues, too, were pleased, and so
many other teachers in my school have
requested pins that I have now made
nearly ninety of them!

Weaving the band

PROJECT at-a-glance
Weave structure for band

Warp order and length

Warp-faced plain weave.

41 ends, 2 yd long for shaft loom,

2 yd long for inkle loom.

Equipment

Inkle loom or 2- or 4-shaft loom (warp

width is "); 12-dent reed; 1 shuttle.
Yarns

Warp and weft spacing

Warp: 54 epi (4-5 in a 12-dent reed).

Width in reed: ". Weft: 10 ppi.

Warp: 5/2 pearl cotton (2,100 yd/lb),

blue, 30 yd; natural, 35 yd; red, 38
yd.
Weft: 5/2 pearl cotton (2,100 yd/lb),
blue, 14 yd.

Notions and other materials

Yarn sources

Take-up

5/2 pearl cotton is available from most

retailers.

0% in width, 11% length. Amounts produce a band " 55" (1618 pins).

Guide to Inkle Weaving

Scraps of chip board (a cardboard

available at craft stores), heavy drawing
paper, craft glue, 1618 one-inch pin
backs, hot glue gun.

This is a very flexible project. It can be woven

in 5/2 pearl cotton, as given in Project at-aglance, but doubled 10/2 pearl cotton would
work as well. You can use any kind of loom
to weave the band.
Wind the warp and prepare the loom following Figure 1 and the directions in Project
at-a-glance. If you are using an inkle loom, you
will need only a 2-yard warp. For a shaft loom,
wind a 2-yd warp to allow for the additional
loom waste.

Amy Abbott lives in

Tulsa, Oklahoma.
When she isnt weaving,
spinning, knitting, or
being a mom, she teaches
elementary school art.

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Inkle-Band Pins
Since the warp in this warp-faced band is
quite dense, if you are using a 4-shaft loom,
thread 1-2-3-4 to spread the threads among all
1. Warp
color
order

5x

3x

blue
12 2
2
white
14
1
3
15
5 red
41

Weave the fabric for the

flag pins on an inkle loom
or a shaft loom. The fabric is
quick to weave and the pins
are easy to make. These pins
make great gifts for guild or
study group membersor
for other friends!

the shafts. This will make the sheds easier to

open than they are when threads are crowded
on shafts 1 and 2.
The blue and white stars form the upper
part of the pin. Although the weft doesnt
show in the band, a blue weft is recommended so it wont peek through at the top
selvedge. Place the weft flat in the shed and
keep band width at an even ". Weave approximately 55" (the 11% take-up occurs on
the loom), remove from the loom, and press.
Assembling the pins
To assemble the pins, youll need the supplies listed in Project at-a-glance. For each
pin: Cut a piece of chip board 2" long and
a tiny bit narrower than the width of your
woven band. Cut a piece of band 3" long.
With the band lying on the work surface
wrong side up, spread the craft glue on the
piece of chip board and carefully center the
chip board on the band. Let the glue dry for
a minute.
Next, apply a bead of glue to each end of
the band (this can get a little messy) and fold
the ends to the back of the pin. Squish the
ends around a little and coax the raw edges
in so they cant be seen from the front. Allow
glue to dry completely. I sandwiched my pins
between two layers of waxed paper and dried
them under heavy books. Cut heavy drawing
paper a little smaller than each pin and glue
it to the back, covering the raw fabric edges.
Allow to dry completely. With hot glue, attach a pin back horizontally to the back of
each pin near the top edge.
6

Guide to Inkle Weaving

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inkle-loom Project

Originally Published in Handwoven, September-October 2008

christi eales ehler

structure
Warp-faced plain weave.

Equipment

Bands, bands, bands,

and more bands!
fo r b e lts, b o o k m a r ks , st r a p s , ha nd l es , a nd tr ims
in colors inspired by Guatemalan jaspe cloth

Inkle loom, belt shuttle.

Yarns
Warp for apron straps: 10/2
pearl cotton (4,200 yd/
lb, UKI), Navy, Silver, Dark
Sierra, Purple Passion,
Yellow, and Cobalt.
Warp for belt (second
band from left in the photo
on this page): 5/2 pearl
cotton (2,100 yd/lb, UKI),
Cobalt, Black, Flaxon, Bali,
Garnet, Deep Lilac, Hunter, and Gold.
Weft for apron straps,
10/2 pearl cotton, Navy.
Weft for belt: 5/2 pearl
cotton, Cobalt.

Warp length
63 ends 116" long for
apron straps, 72 ends 88"
long for belt.

setts
Warp for apron straps:
about 70 epi. Warp for
belt: about 52 epi.
Weft for apron straps: 13
ppi. Weft for belt: 10 ppi.

Dimensions
Finished sizes: 78" 94"
for apron straps;
138" 68" for belt.

Guide to Inkle Weaving

Jaspe is the Guatemalan term for ikat. These inkle-woven bands

take advantage of the unique design principles of Guatemalan
jaspe fabrics as well as their rich and glorious rainbows of colors.

y daughter can see the speedometer from

her aisle seat. Its reading zero, she
reports. That makes us laugh, but as we hurtle
around another sharp curve, I offer a silent
addition to the religious petitions adorning the
dashboardmay dis protect not just this bus
driver but all the passengers, too!
Its Tuesday, market day in Salcaj, a major
weaving center in the western highlands of
Guatemala. Thats where were headed, bumping
over dusty roads in a retired U.S. school bus
turned public transport, squashed three to a seat
with a lot of local folks who share our destination.
Weve come to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala,
to study Spanish, and Ive made it a point to
work textiles into my conversational practice at
the language school. Salcaj is the place my
tutor told me to look for a kind of cloth Id been
admiring: jaspe. Because jaspe is popular for
the traditional skirtscalled corteworn daily
by indigenous Mayan women, the best quality
fabric is found where the Guatemalans shop,
not in tourist markets.
Our trip inspired a lifetime of weaving
ideasthese bands are just the beginning.

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Project
Inkle-woven bands and belts make
ideal projects for experimenting with color.

Guide to Inkle Weaving

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or all pages in this issue to be copied for personal use. weavingtoday.com

1a. Warp color order for apron straps

2a. Warp color order for belt (second band from left, page 7)

4
2
2
Cobalt (C)
4
2
2
Yellow (Y)
8
4
4
Purple Passion (P)
4
2
2
Dark Sierra (D)
7
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Silver (S)
2
2
2
2
2
4
2
2
4
2
2
2
2
2
2 Navy (N)
36 2
63

2
2
8
4
4
10
4
2
4
10
4
2
4
10
4
2
4
8
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
8
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
16 4
4
4
72

1b. Threading for apron straps

P
S
N
D
N
N
P
N
Y
N
C
N
N
S
N
heddle N
open
N
N
D
N
S
N
P
P
N
Y
N
C
N
N
N
S*
N

S
N

N
N

N
N

C
C

N
N

Y
Y

N
N

P
P

P
P

N
N

N
S

D
N

N
D

S
N

N heddle

open

Gold (G)
Hunter (H)
Deep Lilac (L)
Garnet (R)
Bali (B)
Flaxon (F)
Black (K)
Cobalt (C)

2b. Threading for belt

2x 2x 2x 2x 2x 2x 2x 2x

2x 2x 2x 2x 2x 2x 2x 2x

heddle C K B R
L
H
F
C
B
L
G
R
C
F
H
L
R
B
K
C
open
C
F
B
R
L
H K
C
B
L
G
R
C
K H
L
R
B
F
C

S* = center thread

Warp an inkle loom under moderate tension following the color and
threading order for apron straps or
belt using the heddle method you
prefer. I like to use double-loop
heddles (see Inkle-Loom Tips),
placing them as I wind on each
pair of warp threads. Note that the
specific required yardage is not
given for each yarn since the
amounts are small and the exact
yardage will depend on the potential warp length of your inkle loom.
Note also that you can weave
these pieces on a floor loomsimply remove the reed, thread for
plain weave, and use the belt shuttle as a beater.
Wind a belt shuttle with the weft
yarn and weave the band in plain
weave. Use the beveled edge of the
shuttle to beat after changing sheds.
For a smooth selvedge, hold the
weft loop with your non-shuttle
hand during each pick, applying a
small amount of tension until the
weft is pulled all the way through

the shed. Then tug it firmly. Check

weaving width often with a ruler or
seam gauge. To maintain a consistent beat, loosen the tension slightly after every inch or two of weaving.
Cut the warp threads close to the
end of the warp, reserving loom
waste for fringe, if desired. Wash
with mild soap in warm water with
a cool rinse. Roll in a towel to blot
excess water, and dry by air or machine, removing before completely dry. Machine zigzag or serge the
raw ends of the band when cutting
it into segments.

Design Ideas from Jaspe Cloth

First choose a solid dark background color.
Next, select several different contrasting
colors of similar value for narrow stripes
and a light color for the dashes to suggest
the jaspe (ikat) effects.
For stripes and dashes: Start with a design
unit of 2 warp ends for each colored stripe
and 1 end for each dash. Set every stripe or
dash off by at least 2 ends of the background color. Always check stripe color and
proportion with a yarn wrap.

Sew apron straps onto an apron as

desired. I copied a favorite apron to
make a pattern to use with the
jaspe fabric that inspired the strap
design. For the belt, I sewed two
D-rings by hand to one end and finished the other end with a 3" twisted fringe. You can use these bands
for bookmarks or straps for totes
or how about handwoven basket
straps?

Inkle-Loom Tips
Read inkle threading drafts from left to
right since the loom is threaded from
the base of the peg outward.
To determine the maximum yardage
you can produce on your inkle loom:
Photos by christi eales ehler

1. Measure the warping path.

2. Subtract 12" for the portion of warp
that cannot be woven (loom waste).
3. The maximum yardage is 90% of
the measurement you calculated in
Step 2 (multiply by .9).
9

Guide to Inkle Weaving

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Pincushion and straps

structure
Warp-faced plain weave.

Equipment
Inkle loom with pegs at least
5" long; 75 string heddles (5
heddles for trim); 2 belt shuttles; large-eyed sewing needle.

Yarns
Warp: 5/2 pearl cotton
(2,100 yd/lb, Halcyon Yarn),
Lipstick, 85 yd; Melon, 75
yd; Soldier Blue, 123 yd;
Ruby, 95 yd. Weft: 5/2 pearl
cotton, Lipstick, 40 yd.

Other Supplies
4 yd lightweight fusible
interfacing; polyfill stuffing.
1

inkle-loom project

Originally Published in Handwoven, November-December 2008

amy abbott

A pincushion necklace
for you or your loom
a w id e in k l e-wov en b a nd i s d i v i d ed i nto t wo
n arrow e r b a nds to m a k e ha ndy ha ng i ng str a p s .

The unique split straps and the tubular inkle-woven trim make this
project an interesting departure from traditional inkle bands.

Warp length

1. Warp
color
order

151 ends 2 2 yd long for two

pincushions (allows 18" for
fringe, 7" for take-up, 15" for
loom waste and sampling).
1

2. Threading
heddle
open

setts
Warp: 60 epi. Weft: 10 ppi.

Dimensions
Weaving width: 2 12".
Woven length: 25" each
pincushion and straps.
Finished size: 2 12" 3"
each pincushion with straps
1 14" 16 12" and 5" fringe
end of straps.

Tubular trim

1
2

structure
Tubular plain weave.

Yarns
Warp and weft: 5/2 pearl
cotton, Lipstick, 17 yd.

Warp length
11 ends 1 12 yd long (4" takeup, 14" loom waste).

setts
Weft: 810 ppi.

Dimensions
8" 1 yd.

10

Guide to Inkle Weaving

3x 5x

Ruby
Soldier Blue
Melon
Lipstick

5x

8x

1
1

1
1

1
1

1
1

5x
2
6

Because inkle looms are warped from left to right, read these drafts from left to right.

3x

4x

For the pincushions and straps: Thread an

inkle loom with 151 ends 2 12 yd long following
Figures 1 and 2. (Attach the heddles as you
warp or after winding every inch or so, since it
can be difficult to attach them to such a wide,
dense warp after it is completely wound.)
Sample first to establish width and beat (a wide
band requires a very firm beat). Weave 7" for
the first pincushion. To weave the straps, divide
the warp in half (75 and 76 threads). Bind one
half with a bit of string to keep the halves separate (photo a) and begin weaving the other half.
When its time to advance the warp, unwrap the
other half and weave it using the second shuttle.
When the woven halves are equal in length, advance the warp. Continue, alternating between
straps until they measure 18". Allowing 9" for
fringe, repeat for a second pincushion and
straps. Cut the warp from the loom in the sampling area; machine stitch raw edge. To prevent
tangling during finishing, braid the fringe loosely.
For the tubular trim: Wind 11 ends Lipstick 1 12 yd
long. Weave a tube 1 yd long with Lipstick by always inserting the shuttle from the same side
and drawing the weft up tightly.

5
6

38
49
30
6 34
151

3x 5x

3x

Handwash the pincushion/strap fabric gently in

warm water with mild soap. Rinse in cool water.
Roll in a towel and then dry flat. Unbraid fringe
and cut apart at the bottom of the second pincushion section. For each pincushion section, cut
lightweight fusible interfacing slightly smaller
than the fabric and fuse to wrong sides. Trim raw
edge. Turn this edge under 34 " and then fold the
section in half (interfacing inside), bringing the
folded edge to just below the straps. With 5/2
Lipstick, handsew sides securely, leaving the top
open.
Attach the tubular trim: Tuck one end of the
inkle-woven tube into the pocket (photo b).
Sew the tube to the side, bottom, and other
side. Tuck the other end of the tube into the
pocket. Stuff the pocket with polyfill and sew
the top closed, securing the ends of the trim.
Join the ends of the straps, making sure they
hang properly. Take a bundle of 8 or 9 warp
threads from each strap and tie them together
firmly in a square knot, joining the edges of the
straps. Continue until all warp ends are secured
in this manner. Then twist the threads from
each bundle into a twisted fringe and secure
ends with an overhand knot.

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Project
b. Tuck one end of the tubing into the
pincushion pocket and stitch the tubing
to the pocket (down one side, across
the bottom, and up the other side). Tuck
the second end into the pocket, stuff the
pocket, and stitch the pocket closed.

Photos by amy abbott

a. When you start weaving

the straps, tie off half of the
warp threads to keep them
separate from the side
youre weaving.

c. This project requires an

inkle loom with 5" pegs or
longer to accommodate
such a wide band.

11

Guide to Inkle Weaving

d. Wear the
pincushion
around your
neck or hang
it from the
castle of your
loom.

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