Nature Weaving is a wonderful activity that works during any season (especially in a winter light on snow!). It also combines creativity with the outdoors, and encourages the exploration of textures, colors and shapes in nature, even in colder weather! Tag us on Facebook or Instagram with your Nature Weaving creations and don’t forget to use #TogetherOutside
Go on a nature walk in your backyard, neighborhood, at HHNM, or your local park and collect interesting grasses, wild flowers, leaves, seed pods, nuts, and pieces of bark that you find on the ground. Collect sturdy 1/4 to 3/4 inch diameter sticks to make your loom frame. Make the loom any size or shape you want- the length of the sticks will depend on the size and shape of the loom you plan to make.
To create the frame, attach the sticks together at each corner by pulling tightly as you wrap yarn in a criss-cross fashion around the sticks to join them into your desired shape. Tie the ends off at the back to complete the frame.
Make the loom by tying a piece of yarn around one of the corners of your frame and begin wrapping it around the frame. Wrapping it around the sticks twice will help keep the yarn taught and prevent it from sliding on the sticks. Get creative! Use colorful yarn or ribbon, string beads along the yarn as you wrap it, or paint the sticks with your favorite colors. Tie the yarn off on one of the corners when you reach the other side of the frame.
Now it’s time to create the design of your Nature Weaving! Weave your treasures through the strings of the loom. You can make a pattern or go willy-nilly. As the seasons change and new natural materials are available, you have the ability to redecorate them anytime you please!