Weaving Mat

Topic: Weaving on a Serrated Card Loom (Art & Craft) — Age 7 — Kenya

A mat is a small piece of weaving you can sit on or put a cup on. We will make a simple mat using a serrated card loom — a cardboard or wood strip with little notches (teeth) that hold the warp threads. We can use local materials like sisal, raffia, banana-fibre strips or plastic strips.

Materials (easy to find in Kenya)

• Cardboard strip or thin wooden strip with little notches (serrated card loom)
• Raffia, sisal, banana-fibre strips or old plastic bag strips (weft and warp)
• Scissors (adult help)
• Large needle or blunt Awl (for pushing threads)
• Ruler and pencil
• Glue (optional) and a small stone or heavy book to press

Quick safety notes

• Ask an adult to help with scissors and sharp tools.
• Work on a clean table. Keep fingers away from the needle tip.
• Take breaks if your hands get tired.

Steps to make a small mat (simple)

1. Make the loom: cut a cardboard strip 20 cm long and 5 cm wide. Make small notches (1 cm apart) along the top and bottom edges. These are the "teeth".
2. Tie the warp: take a long strip (warp). Hook one end in a top notch, stretch down and hook in the opposite bottom notch. Repeat until the loom has 8–12 warp threads (these are the vertical threads).
3. Start weaving (weft): take another strip (weft). Weave it over one warp, under the next, over, under — across the loom.
4. Push the weft down gently with your thumb or the back of the needle so it sits close to the previous row. Keep going row by row.
5. Change colours or materials when you like to make stripes or patterns.
6. Finish: when the mat is the size you want, tie the warp ends together in small knots or make a fringe. Glue the edges if they need extra strength.

Easy picture: how over-under looks

(Green = warp, Yellow/Red = weft rows)

Tips for a nice mat

• Keep the warp threads straight and tight but not too tight.
• Push rows down after each pass so the mat becomes firm.
• Use bright colours to make pretty Kenyan patterns — stripes look lovely.

What you will learn

• How to make a simple loom (serrated card loom).
• How to weave over and under to make cloth or a mat.
• To use local materials and be creative.