In this workshop we entered the world of traditional weaving with wooden framed looms. Estonian weaving has a long and vibrant history, with each region having its own unique patterns and styles. Weaving wasn’t just a skill; it was a way to express creativity and keep traditions alive. Patterns and designs often had special meanings and they were passed down from generation to generation.
Children made carpets on small looms and bigger looms.
The process of setting up the Loom: First we got a whole bunch of threads ready. These are called the warp threads. They are like the backbone of the fabric and will run lengthwise. These warp threads needed to be carefully measured and wound onto a special part of the loom called the warp beam.
Then, each warp thread is threaded through tiny holes in things called heddles and then through a reed. The reed helps to keep the threads evenly spaced. This part can take a little while and needs to be done carefully and patiently!
First the recycled fabric strips were chosen and with the help of the teacher the strips were tied to looms and then the fun part started.
Then started the fun part of weaving. Children chose the recycled fabric strips for weft threads. These ran across the width of the fabric, going in and out of the warp threads. (The weft thread is wound onto a shuttle, which is like a little boat that you pass back and forth through the raised and lowered warp threads.)
Every time you pass the shuttle with the weft thread across, you use a part of the loom called the beater to gently push the new weft thread into place, making the fabric nice and tight.
Kids enjoyed the process and said it is a very focused and fun and also social activity. It’s a great way to be creative and make something beautiful with your own hands. It is also a great way to learn about the history of how people used to make their own clothes and textiles. It’s like making art with threads, and it’s a skill that people have been using for thousands of years. As in old times people used to sing during working, we were also singing old folk songs to make the workshop feel even more like traveling back in time to our ancestors.
Wonderful mini “flying” carpets were made for their other project called “miniature-world”. Looms will be placed in the school hall for everyday use.
