Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Pin loom weaving raffia, yes, it can be done

Raffia is definitely a summer fiber-- colorful, light, perfect for light breezy projects. But I have run into a number of pin loom weavers who questioned whether it's possible to weave with raffia, and my major concern, would it be fun to weave with raffia?


To answer the first question-- can you use raffia on a pin loom, the answer is a definite "Yes". Not only can you weave with it, you can add all sorts of patterned weaves to add to the summery feel. 

The second question-- "Is it fun?"  took me some weaving exploration to discover. 

If you have read many of my posts, you may have noticed that having fun while weaving is a top priority for me.  When I first wove with raffia it was definitely not fun. 


I first tried weaving with three layers of raffia, using a cotton yarn for the fourth layer and found the process to be frustrating and not fun. Not only was it extremely difficult to weave, but the several layers of raffia made for an overly-complex weaving surface. It was difficult to do and didn't look that good. But I found an answer. 


The answer was to use just one layer of raffia, letting the colors and pattern of the fiber shine through, and completing the weaving with a complementary colored cotton yarn. It worked beautifully whether you do the weaving in a plain, tabby weave or bust out an overshot pattern. (Reminder- you can find great overshot patterns at Eloominations.com.)

In terms of projects, I decided on a summer table setting, with raffia/cotton mats for coasters, drinks mat and place mats. I am still working (albeit slowly) on a summer table runner, using a variety of colors in the raffia and cotton.

So consider tackling a new fiber for the pin loom, and have a fabulous fibery summer!

4 comments:

  1. Beautiful! I have a skein but have been hesitant to use it. I will now give it a try. Just to clarify, your first layer is raffia and the rest are cotton?

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    1. Shawn, yes. The first layer is raffia, the rest is cotton (or you could use a blend of cotton/acrylic/ etc.)

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  2. I’ve completely forgotten how to change yarns layer to layer. What is the easiest way to do so? Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. I was wondering that as well but since it hasn't been answered yet I'll give you my guess: I'm thinking you could either use a weaver's knot to connect the new yarn to the previous one or you could tie the yarn off with a slipknot and attach the loop to the corner pin before starting again with the new yarn. It should all be held together by the interlocking layer anyway.

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