Hi! I’m back again to share another pattern you can weave on your knitting loom. The soumak weave makes a really fun texture and pattern. This stitch makes what looks like a braid on your weaves. I’m excited to be sharing this how to along with a simple pattern that a beginner can make!
Loom: All-n-One Loom and 20 peg loom extenders.
Yarn: Aunt Lydia’s Crochet Cotton Classic Size 10 in white is used for the warp, Red Heart Soft Yarn in White is used for the weft, and a hand-spun Coral Merino wool thick n’ thin from AmandaJFrench on Etsy is used for the soumak
Notions: tapestry needle, wooden dowel rod
Soumak Weave Steps:
Step 1: Pass your weft thread over three warp threads on the right side of the loom
Step 2: At the third warp, bring your weft thread under and around the third warp so that you finish with your weft thread above the warp again.
Step 3: Bring your weft over the third, fourth, and fifth warps, then loop under and around the fifth warp.
Step 4: Repeat this pattern of passing over three warps and looping around the third until you have reached the end.
Step 5: To then weave your soumak in the opposite direction, loop your weft thread over and around your warp and pull your weft thread to the right side.
Step 6: Following the soumak pattern from your bottom row, bring the weft across the same warp threads then loop around the same warp as you did in the row below. Repeat the soumak weave across the new row.
Fluffy Soumak Wall Hanging Pattern Instructions:
Set up your loom as described here. Double knot your warp thread on pin #2 from the bottom left. Warp your loom so that 18 pins are warp across the top and 19 pins are warped on the bottom, which includes your beginning double knot and your ending double knot of the warp thread. Tie your anchor thread across the top of the warp loops.
Weave 3 rows of the plain weave using your white yarn.
Combine 3 threads of your thick n’ thin yarn, we’ll weave them as one to add more texture and volume.
Soumak weave two rows, making sure to soumak weave every 4 warp threads (to account for the bulk of your yarn).
Repeat 4 times:
Plain weave 3 rows
Soumak weave 2 rows
End with 3 rows of plain weave.
Tuck your yarn tails in the back of the weave. For the plain weave rows, follow the instructions here.
To tuck in the bulky thick n’ thin soumak rows, take your tapestry needle and tuck the threads through the back of two warp threads showing. There will be three warp threads showing in the back, I tucked my threads through the middle of one group and then the middle of a second group.
Following the similar finishing instructions here, cut your bottom warp threads and tie 4 threads into a single knot, making sure they are tight against the bottom plain weave row. Carefully remove the top warp loops from the loom pegs, then twist each one three times and put the dowel rod through the loops.
Once your weave is hung on the dowel rod and tied at the bottom, lay it on a flat surface and straighten the hanging warp threads. Using scissors cut each group of four warp threads at an even angle on both sides to form a slight point.
You now have a beautiful and fluffy weave to hang in your home or give as a gift!
Happy Weaving!
Kate from The Weaving Loom (a blog dedicated to helping others learn to weave)
