Flower Looms

Weaving the first layer of the flower

• Tape the raffia to the side of the loom next to the first peg, allowing about 36 inches (about an arm's length) excess.
• Weave while keeping the ribbon attached to the spool.
• Starting with the first peg (they will be numbered 1 through 12), make a figure 8 between the first peg and the peg directly across the circle.
• One figure 8 (slant stitch) is a single layer; do two more on the same pegs.
• Move to the second spoke and make 3 layers.
• Work your way around the loom until you get back to the first one.
• Holding the ribbon down with your thumb, tape the end to the side of the loom and cut off of spool.

Weaving the middle layer of the flower

• Using a different color from the first layer, allow a few inches of excess and tape to the side of the loom.
• Do the same weave as the first layer, but work on the row of pegs closer towards the center of the loom, and only make 2 figure-8 layers instead of 3.

!: Make sure ribbon is flat and doesn't twist.

• As before, hold down the end of the weave and tape it to the side of the loom.

Weaving the final layer of the flower

Outlining the final layer

• Untape the 36 inch long excess string from the first layer.
• Thread the ribbon through the needle.
• Do a back stitch between each petal.
  • Go over and under one petal, then go over two petals and go under the further petal.
• Continue around the circle counter clockwise.
• Pull fairly tight since you want to make the outline of a circle in the center of the flower.

!: Try not to pierce through the material with the needle

• Work your way around the circle to the first backstitch (the needle and ribbon will be on the bottom of the loom).

Filling in the outline

• Come up back through where you started the smallest circle.
• Weave in the figure 8 pattern around entire circle to fill in the outline. 

• Count three spokes over and start the backstitch.
• Move back two stitches (coming up one over from where you started).
• Continue the same pattern (over three, back two) around the whole circle.
• Go back over first slant stitches.

 Securing the weave

• Go under and then through a spoke you haven't gone through yet.
• Weave the ribbon down and between the middle petals.
• Repeat for several more rounds to make sure it's sturdy and that you go through each spoke of the middle color.

Final Touches

• Remove tape from the strings taped to sides of loom.
• If any strings got caught in the weave, tug them out gently.
• Lightly pull the petals off the loom pegs, working around the circle (go around circle several times rather than completely pulling a petal off at one time)
• Tie everything together in the back to prevent unraveling.
• Put glue over ties in the back and leave to dry.

!: Fluff the strings so the petals look fuller using a pair of scissors (go between the loops of the petals and open the scissors slightly to push the petals out).