Paper weaving
Learn how to make beautiful pictures using paper weaving with Lucille Randall
Published:
With paper so readily available in a huge variety of colours and textures, it’s so easy to get creative with different effects. From the brightly coloured crafting paper, to gorgeous handmade papers, to recycling magazine pages or newsprint, the only limit is your imagination. You can shape your woven paper into cute hearts, or keep the ribbons raw as in our tutorials. When it comes to patterns, start with some bold, simple up and over designs, then start looking for inspiration.
Eye-catching geometric designs look fantastic and you can create surprisingly striking patterns. In fact, in Asia, paper weaving is a revered, traditional handicraft with artists creating the most intricate designs of beautiful landscapes, flowers, animals and birds.
You can also put your new weaving skills to practical use and whip up pretty items for the home such as placemats or a set of coasters, plus you can find tutorials online on how to use rolled tubes of newspaper to create surprisingly sturdy baskets in all shapes and sizes. Need a new pen holder? Get paper weaving! And of course, if you make a mistake, just scrunch it up and start again!
Read on to learn how to do paper weaving – all you need is some paper and a pair of scissors!
Looking for more creative inspiration? Learn how to get into nature photography, how to make soap at home or how to make a linocut leaf stamp.
You Will Need
- Coloured paper
- Scissors
- Washi or low-tack tape
Step 1
Using a cutting mat, craft knife and metal ruler, start by cutting your coloured and white papers lengthwise into 1cm strips (or you could use a paper guillotine).
Step 2
Lay your vertical strips of paper out, fairly close to each other. You may wish to use a little Blu Tack or a length of low-tack tape along the top of the strips to help hold them in place on your work surface.
Step 3
Using the photos as a guide, start weaving your horizontal strips under or over the vertical strips as necessary. The patterns are simple repeats, so it’s easy to add your own variations.
Step 4
Continue row by row, then gently shuffle the strips into place and close any gaps once you’ve finished. You can secure the completed pattern with a little tape on the corners on the back.
You’re done! Display your paper weaving in your home or have a go at creating your own designs.
About Project Calm Magazine
This article was first published in Project Calm Magazine issue 3. Unfortunately Project Calm is no longer available in print, but many Project Calm back issues are available on Readly.