Find two Y-shaped sticks of similar size. Knot one end of wool to the base and weave it over and under alternately between the uprights, working upward row by row. Changing colour is as simple as knotting a new thread to the previous end. A small woven textile grows between the sticks, built entirely from materials found on a walk, and can be worn or hung as a finished object.
What you need
- two Y-shaped sticks found outdoors
- wool in several colours
- scissors
How to do it
- 1"Let's find two sticks and turn them into a loom." Find two Y-shaped sticks of roughly the same size and set them upright and parallel.
- 2Knot the wool at the base and weave it over and under between the uprights, working upward.
- 3Pull each row down gently. The tighter the weave, the better the textile holds its shape.
- 4When one colour runs out, knot the next to the end. Continue until the sticks are full.
Variations
- If they don't want to weave: start your own row and hand over the wool the moment it's their turn in the pattern — "your turn, under then over" — handing off mid-rhythm pulls them in more than an invitation does.
- Stop at a natural colour change: "new colour, new day" — leaving the weave paused between colours makes coming back to it feel like a continuation, not a restart.
💡 Parent tip
The weave tightens toward the top as the sticks narrow. Pull each row down firmly before moving to the next one. An uneven weave is completely fine — it produces a texture that no machine-made fabric ever has. This needs wool and a careful hand on hand — if things are already heated right now, use a physical/sensory reset instead, like Stone Balancing or Sit Spot.
What your child develops
- Textile construction — weaving is the structural basis of all woven fabric
- Pattern as sequence — the over-under rhythm is a repeating binary alternation
- Working with found materials — sticks as a loom connects making directly to the environment
Safety notes
- Trim any sharp stick ends before beginning. Supervise scissors.
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