Stick weaving may or may not be period to Europe during the Middle Ages but it was done during that period by the American Indians. It is an excellent children's activity.

Soda straws may be substituted for sticks. For a finer weave, weaving needles may be substituted.

Items needed:
6 to 8 soda straws
1 skein of yarn or most of a skein
scissors

1. cut a piece of yarn for each straw, the length should be double what you want the finished length of the piece to be. If making a belt, 4-5 yards is a good length that makes a finished belt that is about 2 yards long.

Thread a piece of yarn through each straw and tie the ends of the individual yard pieces together.

Hold all the straws in a line in the palm of one hand.

Take the end thread from the skein of yarn and begin weaving yarn in and out around the straws. Completely incircle the last straw and begin going back the other way. On the return trip the yarn should go around the straws on the opposite side. Continue weaving the yarn back and forth around the straws. Try to keep the tension even as you go.

When the yarn fills up most of the straw, pull the straws up and push the woven area onto the warp threads. You may have to pull the woven area down from the bottom if it's too tight to push it from the top.

Continue weaving in this manner until the warp threads are filled or are nearly so.

In order to keep the band from unraveling, you will need to secure the warp ends at both ends of the band. You can clip the loops apart and tie the warp ends with each other or you can tie the entire end in a knot to prevent unraveling.

You will need to clip the ends where the straws are so that the straws can be removed.

Bibliography

Burningham, Veronica. Weaving Without a Loom Turnbridge, Kent: Search Press 1998. ISBN 0-85532-818-5

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Unless otherwise noted, all text is copyright 2004 P. Girard

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