Basic Triangle Weaving

Note:  This is not the only way to weave on a triangle loom, but it is a good place to start and (in my opinion) the least confusing.

First, let's discuss the equipment you will need to weave:

• A triangle loom (duh)
• Some yarn (in the photos I use commercial acrylic yarn because it is highly visible.  If you can afford wool or another natural fiber, it is well worth using something good)
• An afghan crochet hook (this is a crochet hook with a really long handle) to pull the yarn through the weaving.
• A fork or afro-comb or other tool to pack the yarn once it is woven (optional)
• A tapestry sewing needle (somewhat blunt, large eye)

The Weaving Process

For the purpose of these instructions, I am using the Book Loom (instructions here).  The process is substantially the same on all triangle looms.

1. Start with the right angle point of the triangle either pointing toward you or away from you.  I like to work with it pointing away, so that is what you will see here.
2. Tie a slip knot in your yarn and put the knot around one of the corner nails at the end of the long leg of the triangle.  (I did it around the left side in the photo below, but you can just as well start on the right.)
3. Stretch the strand of yarn along the long-side row of nails on the inside of the triangle.



Slip knot tied around the end nail on the left, along the row of nails on the inside.

4. Go around the end nail, cross on top of the yarn and up to the first nail from the corner on the right (or left) short leg of the triangle.



Detail of yarn going around right hand nail, up to second nail, back across to the left



End of second row, yarn passes over nail, over first yarn and down to the left of the second nail from the end on the long side of the triangle.

5. Stretch the yarn back across the triangle toward the left, pass it over the top of the second nail from the corner of the left leg of the triangle, then down to the first nail from the end on the left side of the long leg of the triangle.
6. You have now woven your first and second "rows".  This is probably as good a time as any to discuss a couple of interesting facts about what we are doing.  It may not be apparent yet, but it soon will be, that the way this weaving is done is by lacing loops through loops.  The weaving is one long chain of nested loops until at the very end you secure it by weaving one last single strand up the middle of the triangle.  As you weave, your work proceeds from the 45 degree angle corners toward the center of the triangle.  Every thread is both a warp and a weft, and each of them is the same length, but the shape changes as work proceeds from the outer corners to the center.



Pulling up the first loop.  Note that it goes under the first crosswise  thread it encounters and over the next one.

7. From here on out, you will always be pulling up a loop of yarn from the long side of the triangle up to the next open nail on the short side of the triangle above it, weaving over and under the threads it encounters on its way up.
8. Put one side of the loop over the open nail on the short leg of the triangle, then open and stretch the loop so it goes across the triangle to the next open nail on the opposite side.  Pass it over that nail.  You now have a rather awkward loop that is probably sort of hung up on the nails on the long side of the triangle.  Carefully maneuver the loop over the nails on the long side of the triangle across toward the right until you can pull it straight toward you and pass it under the first open nail on the right side of the long leg of the triangle.  Notice that you pulled up one loop, but you actually wove twice, once on the left side, and once on the right side of the triangle.  You weave one time and you get a second one for free! 



Pulling the loop across the triangle from left to right,  note how the yarn is caught on the bottom row of nails.



The loop has now been untangled from the bottom row of nails and is being wrapped under the first nail from the right side of the long leg of the triangle.

9. 
   



Preparing to pull up a loop on the right.

10. Working on the right side of the triangle this time pull up a loop. weaving over and under the prior threads.  When we started weaving on the left side, the loop went under the first thread.  On the right side, the loop goes over that thread.  This will be consistent as you work:  weave under the first thread when working on the left, over it when you work on the right. 



Work progresses from the corners toward the center

11. Continue weaving, working toward the center until all the nails on the short legs of the triangle have been used.  



All the nails have been used.

12. Now measure off enough yarn to go from the long side, up to the 90 degree corner of the triangle, plus at least 6 inches more.   Cut the yarn at that point.  Thread your tapestry needle, and working  straight up from the long side of the triangle toward the 90 degree corner, weave over and under the open threads at the center of all the en-laced loops.  Pull the yarn completely through, This will stabilize the triangle and complete it.  



Starting to weave the final strand



Completed triangle



Completed triangle after being removed from loom.  Notice how all the edges are automatically finished!

13. If you have not made any mistakes, at this point every thread of the triangle should be completely woven into the structure.  There is no need to hem the triangle or crochet the edge or take any other action to keep it from unraveling.  If you have made a mistake, don't despair   I will discuss mistakes and how to fix them in another posting.