Start and finish a weaving - i show you how

I always start my weaving with the same technique—and I finish them the same way too—because it gives a strong and neat foundation. First, I thread the vertical yarn onto the loom (in this post I show you how to do it). I keep it fairly tight, but not overly tight, since it will tighten more as I weave. Then I make a twining stitch at the bottom edge of the loom using the yarn I’ll later use as my weft.

In the video below, I show how to make a twining stitch. It keeps the vertical threads in place and gives your weaving a clean, straight edge.

In this video I show you how i start and finish weaving.

Starting with a twining stitch has two big advantages:

• It creates a straight line, which makes the bottom edge of your weaving straight.

• It leaves enough yarn to remove the weaving from the loom and secure the ends neatly at the back.

I also finish my weaving with a twining stitch at the top. This way, both edges match, and the whole piece becomes more stable and polished.

Starting off my woven piece with a chain stitch.

If you’re making a wall hanging, you can even leave some yarn hanging from the bottom as a decorative fringe. Those threads can easily be added with rya knots—which I’ll show you in an upcoming post.

Let me know in the comments if you like this technique :)