In order to step up and improve my weaving technique, I fashioned myself a small cardboard and duck-tape loom.  That way, I can complete smaller scale weaving projects without committing a lot of time and effort to a project that may not turn out.  The smaller loom is also more travel friendly.  A big plus in the summer months when you want to be mobile and spend a your time outside.  I packed up this loom, and brought it with me to the beach recently.

The downside to the cardboard loom is that there are only so many small utilitarian things that you can weave.  I ended up with a small pile of weavings that had no practical use.  After giving it some though, and realizing that I know a lot of people with summer birthdays, I have decided to branch into weaving mug mats and corresponding bookmarks to gift to people.  We will see how this goes.

Materials:

• Small Loom
• Weaving Needle
• Embroidery Needle
• Medium Weight (3) White Yarn
• Lace Weight (0) Yarn or worsted Embroidery Thread
  • Sky Blue
  • Navy
• Scissors

Wrap:

• 28 strands of a light – medium weight (3) white yarn: you will probable have to double wrap each notch to fit all of the strands onto the loom.

Weft:

1. Use a navy blue worsted embroidery thread to fasten and anchor the bottom of your weave using a hem stitch.
   • Make three rows of a plain over (o), under (u) weave organizing the wrap threads as you go so that they are evenly spaced.
   • Using your weaving needle tightly hem stitch the three rows into place.
2. Using the same white yarn as your wrap weave a row of chevrons.
   • u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o
   • u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u
   • o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u
   • o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o
   • u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o
   • u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u
   • o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u
   • u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o
   • o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o
   • o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u
   • u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u
   • u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o
   • o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o
   • o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u, o, o, u, u
   • The easiest way to describe the chevron pattern is to weave in a sequence of two under, two over, and starting every other row with a single over or under before resuming the double sequence.  This will give you a basic angular pattern.  In order to change the direction of the angles, and complete the chevron, you only need to weave two rows, back to back, beginning with a double sequence before returning to the regular sequence of every other.  I have highlighted this change over in blue.  I have also highlighted the over segments in purple so that you can visualize the pattern better in the sequencing recorded above.
3. Using a sky blue worsted embroidery thread:
   • Weave two rows of a plain over, under weave
   • For the third row continue the plain over, under weave until you reach the central wrap strands where you will go over three strands to start the diamond before continuing with the plain weave.
   • Forth – eighth rows continue the plain over, under weave while working in the diamond – highlighted in blue.
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • Weave Block Pattern:
   • o, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, o
   • u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u
   • o, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, o
   • u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u
   • Weave five rows of plain over, under weave:
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
4. Switch to the white yarn and create another sequence of chevrons.
5. Switch to the navy embroidery thread and weave another variant of the block pattern:
   • o, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, o
   • u, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, u
   • o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o
   • u, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, u
   • o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o
   • u, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, u
   • o, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, o
6. Switch to the white yarn and create another sequence of chevrons.
7. Switch to the navy embroidery thread and weave another variant of the block pattern:
   • Weave five rows of plain over, under weave:
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • Begin the 1st block pattern:
   • u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u
   • o, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, o
   • Switch to the sky blue embroidery thread and continue block pattern:
   • u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u
   • o, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, o
   • u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u, o, o, u, u, u, u
   • Weave five rows of plain over, under weave:
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
   • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
   • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
8. Switch to the white yarn and complete two rows of the plain over, under weave.
9. Switch to the sky blue yarn and weave:
   • o, u, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, u, o, o, o
   • o, o, o, u, u, u, o, o, o, u, u, u, o, o, o, u, u, u, o, o, o, u, u, u, o, o, o, u
   • u, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, u, u, o
   • o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, o, o, o, u, u, o, u, u, u

• Switch to the white yarn and create another sequence of chevrons.
• Switch to the sky blue yarn and weave:
  • Weave five rows of plain over, under weave:
  • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
  • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
  • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
  • u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
  • o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
  • Create small diamond pattern in the next three rows:
  • u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
  • o, u, o, u, o, o, o, o, u, o, u, o, o, o, o, u, o, u, o, o, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o
  • u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, o, u, o, u, o, u, o, u
  • Weave five more rows of the plain over, under weave.
• Switch to the white yarn and create another sequence of chevrons.
• Switch to the navy embroidery thread and weave three rows of plain over, under weave
• Hem stitch over the three rows of navy plain weave to finish off the project.