When you give your Valentine the key to your heart, give them a Hand Woven Key Fob to keep it on!
This weft faced Key Fob weaves up quickly using worsted weight cotton yarn and an 8 dent Heddle.
Don’t have a loom? Don’t worry, Kromski has several different sizes for you to choose from! Or you can opt to weave this as a backstrap project with a minimal investment.
You will need:
2 contrasting colors of Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn. We have selected red and white for this Valentine project.
Key Fob Hardware and Pliers
Fabric Glue
Kromski Harp Forte – any size – with an 8 dent heddle
OR
One 4″ 8 Dent Reed, Heddle Hook, Warping Peg and Clamp, 8″ or 4″ Stick Shuttle, 2 Dowel Rods and some rope or additional yarn to form the strap for your back. It helps to lay a towel under this to protect your back as well. That’s all you need to get started weaving fun and useful straps and belts!
Here’s our Pattern:
Cut 12 strands of Red yarn, 36″ long
Cut 11 strands of White yarn, 36″ long
Gather all 23 strands together and tie a knot in one end of the bundle.
Tightly secure the Warping Peg and Clamp to the edge of a table or desk. Place the bundle over the peg. Or tie them onto the rear dowel rod if you are using the Kromski Harp Forte then warp the heddle as follows.
Holes: R R W R W R R W R W R R
Slots: R W W R W W W R W W R
Attach the other end to a dowel tied around your waist, or alternately, the front dowel rod of your loom.
To Weave:
Wind the weft yarn onto one side only of the Stick Shuttle.
Use the heddle to create the shed. However, do not bring the heddle forward to beat, rather, use the strait edge of the Stick Shuttle to push the weft into place. In other words, pass the weft though the shed and then bring the shuttle back into the shed, leaving a loop of yarn to the side as you do this. You will need to press very firmly in order to create the warp faced fabric. Snug up the weft so that the width of the fabric is 1″ (the same as the Fob Hardware).
Weave for a total of 10″.
Use a small amount of fabric glue to secure the ends before removing it from the loom or trimming off the warp.
Fold the woven piece in half and use the pliers to attach the hardware to the fob. Be careful when attaching the hardware as the pliers will tend to mar the surface of the metal. This can be avoided by placing small bits of cardboard or fabric between the pliers and the metal.
Add the “Key to Your Heart” and give this to your special Valentine!
Pattern design by Dona Carruth