How to Make a Drinking Straw Weaving Loom

Introduce children to weaving with this simple drinking straw weaving loom. This is an easy and fun craft!

Have you tried straw weaving using a drinking straw weaving loom? We learned how from my friend Katherine of One Inch World. It’s easy to make a straw weaving loom, and easy to weave on that loom! Straw weaving is a great relaxing activity for kids – a great way for kids to relax or decompress after school.

Setting up the loom is easy. All you need for straw weaving is straws, scissors, and yarn. A crochet hook can be helpful, but it is not necessary. Tape is also helpful, but also not necessary.

Decide how wide your want your weaving to be. Two to four straws wide is easiest to manage, but if you want a wider loom you can use masking tape to hold the straws together until you have woven enough to keep your loom in place. If you look at the top photo in this post, Johnny is weaving on a six-straw loom, and there is a piece of tape across the bottom to hold it all together. That tape will be removed as he weaves.

How to Make a Drinking Straw Weaving Loom

Cut some drinking straws to a length that you can comfortably hold in your hand.

To set up your loom, cut one length of yarn for each straw you are using. Your yarn should be twice as long as you want it to be, because you will be doubling it up and threading it through the straw lengths. Tape the yarn in place at the top of the straw, once it has been threaded through. If you don’t have tape on hand, cut some shorter bits of straw to keep the yarn in place, as shown below..

Tie the ends of your yarn together, just to keep everything neat and tidy. Now it is time to start weaving!

Put your yarn over one straw and under the next. At the end, do the same thing – now putting the thread over the straws that you just went under and under the straws you just went over. If you want to change colors, simply tie the two colors of yarn in a square knot, as shown below, and trim the ends.

When you are done weaving, slide the weaving off of the straws. Tie the ends of the yarn together to form a fringe, as shown on the piece the top of this post. We think this technique makes great rugs for doll houses!

Share comments and feedback below, on my Facebook page, or by tagging me on Instagram. Sign up for my newsletter to receive book recommendations, crafts, activities, and parenting tips in your inbox every week.

MaryAnne Kochenderfer

Website

MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.