I found basket weaving very rewarding, but there were a couple negative aspects:
- I only needed so many baskets in my life, and could unload only so many on my friends/co-workers.
- Basket weaving is best done when the reeds are wet, and that’s somewhat messy or requires timing (you can’t just walk away from the setup and return to pick up where you started).
I first turned to pattern weaving. There is great content online, and this is an excellent book that’s accessible to beginners:
You can buy the slotted heddle or make it yourself:
I built a simple rig to facilitate the process:
I made a number of different patterns, but ultimately got bored with the limited combinations.
I then came across tablet weaving (also known as card weaving), which allows a greater variety of possiblities. There are a lot of patterns available on Pinterest, and there are some great videos (e.g. Lady Elewys).
I use an Inklette loom which is well-sized for my lap or for a table.
It’s more complex than pattern weaving, but I like how self-contained the projects are, and the final output.
If you ever get offered a bookmark from me, it was probably made in this method. 🙂