Weaving

textiles · crafts · ancient skill · threads

Warp and weft. The threads that go up and down are called the warp, and the threads that go side to side are called the weft. These two sets cross over and under each other to make cloth.

Looms do the work. A loom is a device that holds the warp threads tight while you weave the weft threads through them. This makes the job much easier and faster than doing it by hand.

The pattern matters. The way threads are interwoven, whether they go over one and under one or over two and under two, creates different patterns and changes how the cloth looks and feels.

Ancient and worldwide. People have been weaving for thousands of years in almost every culture around the world. It's one of humanity's oldest crafts.

Many ways to weave. You don't always need a loom. People can weave using backstrap looms, tablet weaving, or other simple techniques that work without fancy equipment.