Weaving as Art Therapy for Beginners - A Self- Care Workbook

Perfect for a beginner

I was gifted a table top hand loom and was in search of a good book to get me started. This book has clear explanations and lots of illustrations. I’ve quickly got the loom dressed and I’ve started my first sampler trying out the basics of the different patterns. I’m looking forward to tackling the projects covered in future chapters.

Wonderfully Thought Out Book

As an artist and creative facilitator I’ve been really looking forward to reading through this book and I’m not disappointed. It gives a great overview of the equipment and materials you’ll need, including low cost options and how to make your own loom. It covers instructions on how to dress / warp the loom and the set-by-step photos are really useful and easy to understand. The Useful Techniques chapter was really helpful, giving tips and how-to instructions on things like yarn butterflies and figure of eight shuttle wrap. As someone who uses the arts in a therapeutic way with the young people and adults I work with, I enjoyed the Off-Loom Weaving chapter as I’m passionate about combing creativity and nature for increased wellbeing. This chapter talks through off-loom techniques that could easily be done when out in nature. The Therapeutic Weaving activities were also of particular interest to me. They are thoughtfully written and include ways to make the activities accessible and flexible, something that in my own work is essential. It’s full of mindful ideas, such as the Weaving a Doodle, Sensory Weaving and Weaving Hope for the Future activities that I particularly liked and can see myself using within my work. I’m really impressed with this book and can’t wait to delve more deeply into it with the the people I support and within my own practice.

excellent

This book is clearly written, and it is an excellent resource to learn weaving. Besides explaining the materials and how to build a loom, the author guides the reader in all the technical aspects of tapestry weaving, using clear step-by-step photographs. Alternatives to using a frame loom are proposed, and how to use different types of materials, there comprised recycling materials. Finally some guided projects are proposed, and the benefits of weaving for our wellbeing are also highlighted. I like the way the book is organized, the honesty of the author, who is an expert weaver who also suggests the benefits of weaving on health, giving the resources to contact art-therapists in the well organized bibliography. A pleasant read, and a resource I'll return to many times in the future.