Creating pin loom prairie points

Caroline Fylpaa is an inventive weaver who had a problem. She was weaving the gorgeous blanket shown on the right and she wanted to  finish it with Prairie Points. (I had to look up Prairie Points and now understand that it is usually a quilting technique that makes a right angled triangle used to edge a blanket.)

She noted, "My pin loom weaving started with a trip to Goodwill. I found a loom for 49 cents and it had directions! I hated traditional table top weaving due to the amount of waste and non-portability. I am a spinner in love with drop spindles, I do have and use a wheel, but sometime less is best!" 

In this case the challenge was, make a Prairie Point to match the 4" x 4" square with just a 4" loom to work with.

She noted that she tried to fold the 4" square in half on the diagonal, but that makes too big a triangle.

She realized that she had to make a 2" x 4" loom, which she did.




Caroline says, " This is my adjustable bar made from an oak strip and a metal dog comb. I had to pull out some of the teeth to get the pattern right.

I carved the oak strip to hold the dog comb stable on the weave it loom. I hand carved it all with a wood carving knife and had blisters on top of blisters! I used cocktail toothpicks as shims to ensure a snug fit."

Here is it in place on the loom with an adjustable snug fit. I am really impressed with the fact that not only can Caroline make a 2" x 4" rectangle, she can also weave a 1" x 4" or a 3" x 4" as needed.


Below is her Prairie Point, corners of the 2" x 4" folded in and stitched closed.  She noted that she is making a very pastel Blankquilt, almost finished. The yarn is a 70/30 Targhee wool and nylon sock yarn from Montana, described as beautiful and lofty.

"All it needs is a few more points, weaving in the ends and fulled."

 I am really hoping that she will consent to send a picture of her finished blanket as well.

  Thank you, Caroline. 

Update on the Prairie Points Blanket

Caroline Fylpaa, the pin loom weaver and pin loom maker of Prairie Points fame (see the original post HERE) was kind enough to send a picture of her finished blanket. Caroline noted that her Grandmother's Nine Patch with Prairie Points did well at the Beltrami City Fair and was then accepted for the Minnesota State Fair. Caroline reported that this blanket was woven in a 70/30 Targhee wool and nylon sock yarn from Montana, "beautiful and lofty." "Plus I always full a weaving project, it smooths things out... similar to blocking after knitting." 

It would have been cool to get to see Caroline peeking out from behind her creation, but I sympathize with the idea of preferring to be represented by one's work.  This blanket has finally convinced me of just how well a sock yarn works on a pin loom.



The blanket came a long way from her  beginning squares, with a 2x4" square constructed for each prairie point, woven with her own, handcrafted, adjustable weaving bar. 

The ultimate prize-winning pin-loomed Mother of Groom outfit

Caroline Fylpaa, designer-weaver of the Prairie Points technique, shares her most recent creation, a prize winning summer outfit worn with great style at her son's wedding.


She reported, "the shell was made with a stripe on the left side front to back, the skirt was made of alternating striped and plain blocks set on point, wool and rayon, rayon mix, stripes were rayon boucle, perfect for a summer wedding and party."

And in addition to winning all our applause for the "Fabulous Hand Designed and Handmade Mother of Groom Outfit of the Year," she took home a two ribbons as well!


Stay tuned, Caroline has promised to send further information on her pattern including how she worked that perfect fit.  I am hoping that she will also give us details about those two ribbons. Congratulations, Caroline!

If you haven't seen Caroline's Prairie Points blanket, check it out here.

So many many many ways to pin loom

I have to admit that I spend most of my free time either weaving or thinking about weaving or thinking about a different way that I might use pin loom weaving. (You may sense a theme here.)

What I'm not doing enough of is looking around at the phenomenal approaches that others are taking with pin looms. So here are just a few of the wonderful projects I've run across. Each weaver gave me permission to share their incredible work.

Laura Waskiewicz Sapko 

Laura's scarf takes advantage of the repeat in her yarn, with some active input from the weaver. Laura noted, "I used double strand alpaca lace yarn. I had two balls so I could line up the repeat (or not as desired). I used one strand to chain 3 in a zig zag between two squares making two 12 square strips. Then chain 3 in a zig zag to attach the two strips to each other. The edge is chain 6 scallops from bump to bump with two in the same spot at the corners. I did three rows of it."

Katheryn Rider Carras

Katheryn is likely not the first person to look at a 4" square and say, "you know, you could use that as a backing for rug hooking" but she is definitely singular in her range and output. I am blown away by the time, care and artistry in each woven, hooked square.

Karen Young

Karen shared some pictures of her most recent purses. I particularly like her integration of two different loom products in the purse on the right. (And I am thrilled to see that she used some of my ideas in the Light Shoulder Purse.

Karen wrote, "Here is my take on the Light Shoulder Purse.  I used a white warp for 2 layers, one layer red warp and then wove green in chain stitch.  Finished this a while ago, except the snaps and button covers. Made myself get it out and finish it now as this will be my Christmas purse.  Found the Nutcracker pin to cover one of the snaps.  I'm going to keep that in mind as a way to change the look on the more all season purse that is still sitting in yarn balls waiting for three other projects to be finished first.  Enjoyed making the pattern.

The other purse was a combination of techniques.  Wove a (almost) square to finish a warp on the floor loom.  It was approximately 26 x 28.  Folded into a triangle and then folded the ends in. Wove squares and felted them for the cover on the bottom, partly to cover the seam.  Wove small squares to fasten the rings for the handle.  Turned out well.  Want to try this as an all pin loom project in the future." Thank you, Karen. I could totally see this being a fun pin loom project.

Carolyn Flpaa

You may remember Carolyn as the weaver of the astonishing Mother of the Groom outfit as well as the clever and prize winning Prairie Points. Check out some new close-ups of the top and skirt which I added to the original post... which you will find here--
The ultimate Mother of Groom outfit!

All proof of pin loom weavers doing thrilling work. Thank you so much for letting me share!

And one more thing--

Pin Loom Support Group

If anyone out there hasn't checked out the Facebook Pin Loom Support Group yet, I would encourage you to sign up. You do have to request entry into this group but if you know what a pin loom is, you will feel very welcome and at home there.