My weaving practice started last July. In my previous blog How to Make A DIY Loom, I was able to create my own customized loom with my Dad. Before I had the loom, I used an old picture frame to practice on. I only weave occasionally. There were times when I could weave continuously for three days then I need to stop. Hello, other priorities! Hello, life! My weaving started to become more frequent when I spent #30DaysinJapan.


In Tokyu Hands and Can Do in Shibuya and Sekaido in Shinjuku, I found great materials and tools I needed for weaving. These are one-stop shops for almost anything---homemaking, beautifying, writing, drawing, painting, woodwork, and various DIY projects.  This shop inspired me to pursue this new hobby. Here are just some of my great finds.

1) Different Types of Yarns e.g. wool, cotton, acrylic, mohair, etc. --- ¥100 (Mura 'to!!) in Can Do 

2) Good Quality Tapestry Needles --- ¥300 in Tokyu Hands

three needles in different sizes

Everything on the label is Japanese so I just assumed that it was made in Japan. ((:

3) Clover Thread Cutting Scissors 10.5 cm --- ¥950 in Tokyu Hands

light and durable

black blade

4) Vanco Cutting Mat A4 size --- ¥1296 in Sekaido

Made in Japan

5. "Naka Pri" (Nakamura Printing) Graphing Notebook A5, 5mm, 80 sheets --- ¥230 (A bit expensive for a notebook though you get the quality you paid for) in Tokyu Hands

large enough boxes

smooth paper

...even Jiji loves it

My weaving progressed while I was in Japan because of these tools and materials. When I am not being touristy, I spent my free time in the afternoon or at night weaving my first project using this loom. It was not easy. I had to undo and re-do some of my weaves. Based on my experience, three factors contributed to my struggles that became breakthroughs as I weaved along.


The first factor was the DESIGN. I had a template in a paper that I could follow. The "good problem" was I deviated from it. I changed the colors that I initially planned. When something did not look right, I switched to a different pattern. The template was a guideline but it also changed and evolved into something else. It's actually an exciting process. I made room for spontaneity. As soon as I felt the hang of it, changing things became normal to me.

Design #1 - ABORTED!

Mix and Match!

Second, I still need to learn the TECHNIQUES. So I had to go through the how-to process one at a time. I had difficulty with tying knots neatly. So, I read and watched step-by-step tutorials made by Kate from the The Weaving Loom and other tutorial videos on YouTube. Since I am a visual learner and I love movement, I found videos easier to follow than pictures. I enjoyed learning the tips and techniques. The most difficult part was ending the weave! There were so many different ways on how to do it and I kept forgetting. According to Kate, weaving takes practice and patience. My most favorite process was changing from one colored thread to another without making a gap. Weaving looks so complicated but it is doable!

The third and last factor that I encountered was TIME. Weaving is time-consuming!!! Doing a single project can take hours especially for a beginner. Since it eats time, it is also extremely tiring. I encountered back and neck aches. When this happened, I took breaks and returned to it at a later time or day. This explains why I weave occasionally too.

When I brought the weave home to Manila, it was still hanging from the loom. I didn't want to mess it up so I had to pack it well. Before I placed it in a plastic wrap, I put bubble wraps around the ends. I am grateful that it stayed intact in my hand-carry bag.

before removing the weave from the loom

Before taking the weave off the loom, I cleaned up the back part first. I weaved in the extra yarns and cut them. I also added fringes at the end of the weave. Then I tied all of them together, creating an uneven tail at the bottom. Tutorials on how to do a hem-stitch and rya knots helped.


So ta-dah! Here goes my first weave: A wall decor. Crafted during my favorite season and portraying  autumn colors, I named it "Fallen."

back part

I still need to weave the white weft threads in.

Despite the struggles in weaving, I consider all of them as breakthroughs because I learned a lot of styles and techniques. As a young weaver, there is still more to learn about finding my style and developing it. I am still weaving through the do's and don'ts.

The output of my first weave is far from fancy. But I am learning not to overdo it and just leave it be. There were tons of ideas that I wish I could do. There is a right time for those. I am just beyond grateful that I got to start and finally finish one.

Hello, Fallen

Weaving has been so therapeutic for me. It calms my nerves and takes me into a different world or era. Wenk! Haha! Actually, it teaches me to focus, makes it capable for me to multi-task despite my inattention (hehehe), and exercises my fine motor skills. Plus, it gives me the thrill of learning something new. Because of these, I feel joy. I am so excited to start a new weave soon and see where this hobby will lead me.

Dear reader, if you are weaving too, let me know. So we can share some ideas and learn from each other.

Always loving learning,
K