DIY Network

Pile Patch There are many uses for this hand-woven monogram patch. From "Uncommon Threads" episode DUCT-219

Allison Whitlock and members of Wonder Weavers jump headfirst into the world of weaving with this classic monogram patch design. The project, woven on a small frame loom, is pleasingly portable, and the decorative patch can easily be put on a pillow or hung on a door.

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Liz Gipson shares the basics on the proper way to warp the loom; she also starts off the monogram patch by weaving some of the beginning steps.

	Pile Patch
	The finished patch, applied to a pillow

Materials:

Maysville cotton carpet warp, 25 yd. #7 Red-Brown at 1,600 yd/lb (for warp thread)
Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride wool singles in the following colors (for weft thread):
15 yd. M-180 Ruby Red, 12 yd. M97 Rust, 2 yd. each M41 Turkish Olive and M-14 Sunburst Gold, 6 yd. M-89 Roasted Coffee
Mini Loom from Schacht Spindle Company (with 2 shuttles, 6" weaving needle and beater)
double-pointed knitting needles, US size 10 (2)
double pointed knitting needle, US size 8 (1)
tapestry needle
pick-up stick
scissors
cutting mat with grid

Note: Cotton carpet warp, Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Yarn and the Schacht Mini Loom are available at specialty yarn shops. The Mini Loom Weaving Starter's Kit costs about $30 and comes with 2 shuttles, a beater, weaving needle, loom, yarn and instructions.

Warping the Mini Loom

1. Attach the cotton carpet warp thread to the tie-on hole. Skip the first three pegs and at the fourth peg begin winding thread back and forth between the pegs until 29 warp ends have been wound. Secure the end with an overhand knot and cut off the yarn.

2. Wind a small flat shuttle with cotton carpet warp. Wind yarn from the front side on one end to the back of the outer end of the shuttle. Take the yarn from back around the front on the other side (making a figure-8). Keep winding in this way to fill this side of the shuttle. Wind a figure-8 on the other side if more yarn on the shuttle is desired.

Figure A

3. Twine across the bottom of the weaving; this helps secure the spacing and forms the base of the weaving. Measure cotton carpet warp 6 times the width of the weaving, fold the length in half and twine across the warp in an over-under pattern about 1-1⁄4" from the bottom of the loom. Secure end by tying a loose overhand knot (figure A).

4. Insert the pick-up stick, or shed stick, by weaving in an under-over-under pattern all the way across the warp. Push this stick up to the top of the loom. Stand the pick-up stick on edge to raise every other warp thread and make an opening, or shed, between the alternate threads.

5. Insert the shuttle into the shed, leaving a tail of yarn hanging at the edge. Pull the shuttle out the other side, leaving a strand of yarn (weft) behind as you go.

6. Press the weft into place with the beater. This is now 1 woven pick, or row. Slide the pick-up stick up to the top of the loom until it is needed again.

7. To make a shed for the second row, use the knitting needle to pick up every thread that was not picked up by the pick-up stick. Insert the shuttle into the shed, and weave back across to the other side.

8. Push this row into place with the beater. Remove the knitting needle (the pick-up stick remains in place between the warp threads).

Tip: To help prevent the warp threads from pulling in at the edges, insert the weft at about a 45-degree angle. It should be snug against the edge warp but not pull in nor leave a loop weft at the edge.

	Figure B
	Figure C

9. Continue to weave with cotton carpet warp in this manner until 1⁄2" (or about the 14th
row) is reached. This will form the header, or hem. Press the weft into place so that it completely covers the warp. Cut off yarn and tuck end back into the weaving (figure B).

Weaving the Patch

1. Wind a shuttle with red yarn (figure C) and begin weaving the patch. Press the weft into place with the beater. Tuck in the end at the selvage (avoid bulk by unwinding the tail of the weft, so it's half the thickness before tucking it in) and weave two rows (or picks.) Make a row of red rya knots (also called ghiordes) using 6" lengths for the knots.

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