Print This Craft

This project shows the kids how to Make a Pony Bead Loom that is easy to make and will allow them to have hours of satisfying fun. Beading is a great craft for camp or rainy days or just days when you want to hang out with your friends and make something .

Trivia: 

Virtually every culture, no matter how primitive, has woven on handlooms. Primitive cultures have created magnificent textiles with the crudest of tools.

Supplies

• Shoe Box Lid
• Heavy Thread
• Tape
• Instructions for Using Your Loom

Instructions

1. Using a ruler, mark 1/4″ increments on both ends of shoe box lid as shown. Ask an adult to cut a small notch at each mark with a serrated knife.
2. Tape the end of heavy thread to the back of the lid and wrap it around to the front pushing it down into an end notch. Continue wrapping and push it down into the notch on the opposite end. Then around bottom and up to the next notch. Continue until you have one more thread than the number of rows in your pattern.

Using Your Pony Bead Loom

You need:

• Bead Loom
• Pattern
• Pony Beads
• Rat-tail Satin Cord
• Tacky Glue

Instructions:

1. Click on Printables and print out the flag pattern or for other pony bead patterns or select another pattern of your choice.
2. Dip one end of the cord into tacky glue. Spread the glue with your fingers to cover the last 4″ of the cord. Let dry. The stiffened end will make weaving easier. Tie the other end of the cord to the top of the last thread. String the first row of beads onto the cord
3. Bring the string of beads under the row of wrapped thread. Hold cord snuggly up against the threads, fitting each bead in between 2 threads. Double back through the beads with the cord on top of the threads this time. Pull cord all the way through. This row of beads will now be securely anchored in place.
4. Continue the pattern, weaving each row of beads snugly up against the previous row.
5. Finish by tying cord to the last thread. Cut anchoring threads from the loom and tie them together in pairs up against the beads. Put a dab of glue on each knot and trim close when dry.

Patterns, Templates and Printables

Click on a pattern to open it in a new window to print