Pipecleaner/Straw Weaving

November 2010Renee Miller

To begin, you need: 6 pipecleaners, 6 drinking straws, and masking tape.

Loosely tape the six straws together at the top and bottom.

Place one pipecleaner in each straw. Twist two together at both ends.

Next, you will need 2 colors of yarn and a sewing needle.

Double knot one end of a piece of string on the first straw. (I used 5 yards of yarn.)

Start weaving: over and under each straw.

At the end of each row, wrap the yarn around the last straw and weave back.

As you weave, push up the finished rows up against the tape.

Weave the first color of yarn about halfway down the length of the straws. If you run out of yarn, tie a new piece to the tail of the first yarn.

At the end of the first yarn color, double knot the yarn around a straw on the end. Weave the tail into the straws.

Note: My straws were taped too tightly, which is causing the widening of the straws.

Tie the second yarn to a straw on the end with a double knot.

Variation: You can tie this yarn onto the end of the first colored yarn.

Weave through all six straws to get the top of the legs or “pants.”

To start the first leg, weave on only three of the pipecleaners.

Weave all the way down the leg. Double knot the end of the yarn on one of the straws and weave in the tail.

I cut off the tape on my “legs” and twisted the pipecleaners together, to keep from sliding out of the straws. This let me make the legs longer.

Cut a new piece of yarn and double knot it to a straw on the end, for the next leg.

Weave the yarn down the leg.

At the end of the second leg, double knot the yarn onto a straw and weave in the tail.

Untwist the pipecleaners at the “feet” only.

Remove the tape from the top of the weaving.Slowly start to shift the yarn to the top of the weaving.

Gently pull out the first straw. Make sure you are not pulling on a pipecleaner. It may help to have a friend hold the tops of the 6 pipecleaners while you remove the straws.

Once all of the straws are removed, push up all of the yarn, so your weaving is tight. Twist the three pipecleaners at each leg and twist into a foot shape.

For the arms, get three pipecleaners.

Twist the top of the three pipecleaners together.

Braid or twist the pipecleaners together.

Twist the ends together.

Cut the pipecleaners in half to create two arms. Retwist the new ends.

Push the end of one arm through the weaving between the first and second pipecleaners. Twist the end around the arm.

Repeat for arm 2.

Use a glue gun to glue on eyes and a nose.

Variation: Buttons may be sewn on for the eyes and nose.

More information about pipecleaner weaving can be found at:

• http://www.pipecleanerweaving.com/• http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/do/strawweaving.

html

• http://www.ehow.com/how_6496389_use-straw-weaving-loom.html

This project was adapted from the Arts and Activities article: Straws are for More than Sipping

by Barbara Herberholz, December 2004