Once you get the hang of it weaving can be a relaxing process and can make some pretty amazing finished products. This woven bowl is no exception.
Learning the basics of weaving….
Is your student an accomplished weaver? If not I suggest checking out this paper weaving tutorial. Paper is sturdier and easier to handle when your kiddo is just trying to figure out all this under over mumbo jumbo. Paper weaving can be done in one short sitting and is a good way to get the basics down an frustration to a minimum when breaking out the yarn.
What do you need to weave a bowl…..
Yarn, any kind will work but thicker yarn will make the come together more quickly. Yarn can be expensive to buy but I’ve found it’s also something people tend to have stored away for “someday.” They are often willing to part with their stash if they know someone will be using it. Ask around you might end up with enough free yarn to weave bowls for everyday of the week!
Or make this project a green one by recycling an old t-shirt into yarn. Check out the directions here. It’s easy and the resulting yarn is thick enough to make it perfect for this woven basket to add up quickly. And we all have an old t-shirt or two lying around!
Get the free woven bowl template…
You’ll need my free printable weaving template. It’s sized to print on 11 x 17 printer paper.
Use the subscribe form below to become a KItchen Table Classroom and get instant access to my Free Resource Library,
After filling out the form go check your email and confirm that you meant to subscribe. After confirming your subscription you’ll immediately receive your weaving template download.
This template for the a woven bowl is also, in my Resource Library, in easy to print PDF form. This weaving template can be found under the heading “Art Tutorials and Printable prompts.” You’ll also find hundreds of other printable resources, all free, to encourage you in engaging your kiddos in being creative and learning more about art,
You’ll also get a weekly email from me with my newest art projects, printable resources, and seasonal ideas!
Already a Kitchen Table Classroom subscriber…
If you’re already a Kitchen Table Classroom subscriber you can still use the simple form above to get your free bowl weaving template. It’s a quick and easy way to get your free download and get started weaving!
Getting started on your bowl weaving…
The template is 9 inches across, exactly the size of a paper plate. The paper plate template makes a great base for your weaving because it’s slightly sturdier than regular paper. If you wanted to use tag board or even a recycled cereal box would work well.
Print out your weaving template and trace it on whatever thick material you’ve chosen. Paper plates work great but use what you have. Trace the shape and cut it out. Bend the flower petal shapes upward about 90 degrees. They won’t stay this upright but it’s a good place to start.
Weaving means in and out, over and under…
To start your woven bowl you want to slide the end of your yarn into one of the slits and push it clear down toward the base of your bowl. Leave the tail hang out and don’t worry about it for now. It will be tucked in later. Work around the petal shapes making sure the yarn goes under one, over the next one.
Because the template has an odd number of petals the weaving can continue on around in the correct pattern. If the template had an even number of petals the second row of weaving would mimic the pattern of the first row instead of being the opposite, as it should be.
Keep this in mind if you want to make your own woven bowl template instead of using the one provided above. Having an odd number of petals to weave around is crucial.
Weaving with multiple colors…
When done with one color simply snip the yarn and let the tail hang. Tuck in the second color and continue weaving being sure to maintain that same over, under pattern. Keep weaving and pushing the yarn down close to the base as you work.
Continue on adding rows of color and leaving the letting the a few inches of “tail” hang out. When the yarn has gotten as close to the top as possible stop. Tuck the tail of the last piece into the previous rows and do the same with the the other tails. It is easier to wait and do this at the end because the yarn is pushed down more tightly at this point.
More weaving projects for kids…
Learning to weave is a great skill for crafting, improving patterning skills, and fine motor skills. It can be tricky to master but once your kiddos get it there is so much they can do! After you’re done learning how to weave a bowl check out these other weaving art projects at the Kitchen Table Classroom.
Learn to weave with this introduction to paper weaving. It will only take about fifteen minutes but it’s a great way for kids to get the idea of over/ under and alternating. (This post has a great step by step video tutorial right in the post!)
Celebrate the art of kente cloth that combines patterning, weaving, and printmaking- all on paper!
Try a seasonal weaving with this Christmas tree or Easter egg weaving.
Weave two similar paintings together for a finished product that looks way more intricate than it really is. These will make you look twice!
And if you loved weaving a bowl with yarn I know you’ll want to try weaving a paper basket. This sweet square basket comes with a printable template for getting started!
What do you do at the top, to finish off the bowl? And how do you hide all the little tails you’ve left hanging along the way? I’d love to do this in my art room; it’s adorable and I know my students would love it!
Thanks!
Hi Brooke,
What I did was leave all the tails out till the end. When the rows are close together and pushed down it is easy to tuck them back in without bothering anything. I did the same thing on the top row- just tucked the tail in to the rows below it. If you were worried about it coming undone you could always add a dot of glue to it. I hope that helps!
I’ve done these with my fourth graders and to keep the string from coming undone I hole punch the top of each petal and then weave the string in through that. If you want to cover the top edge you can loop over and through the next hole. Using a needle makes the process very easy!
That’s a great idea Jackie! Thanks for sharing!
Can you post a picture of the top? I am unsure how the top of the petals will look. Do you cut the petals off, do they show, or do you cover them some way with yarn?
Thanks
Hi Shelley- I’ll try to get a pic included. The top of each petal does show a bit. We just tried to weave as close as we could to the top and didn’t worry about the structure that sticks out. If that bothers you kids could even paint the plate before they started weaving so that it looked more intentional.
At first I thought you hadn’t finished this post and I was looking for the next page. I think the final pictured bowl is actually the finished bowl, and because you can see the paper plate rim at the top, you actually CAN guess that there is a paper plate hiding in there!
Hi Susan- true fact, you can see the plate, even when it’s done. I still think it’s a pretty cool transformation from plate to bowl. 😉
How sturdy are these bowls..
Very Cute & Quick!!
Is gluing the only way to sea??
Sturdiness depends a bit on how tightly they are woven. Ours were definitely sturdy enough to be filled with lightweight items and hold their shape. We didn’t actually use any glue on ours at all- just tucked the tails down into the previous weaving. But i do think a dab of glue would help make that more secure.
What a fun Mother’s Day project this would be for Kindergartners also learning about patterning… patterning in the action of weaving as well as the design made with yarn choices! Many thanks for sharing!
I love this project! I am having a problem keeping the yarn in place…it keeps sliding off the tabs as I get closer to the top. any suggestions? Thanks!
You could tape the yarn at the bottom as you get started. After you go around a few times you shouldn’t need that but it might help in the beginning!
How do you finish the bottom, do you leave the paper plate showing?
We did leave the paper plate showing on the bottom. But you could easily spread some white glue and lay yarn in a spiral so that it appeared to be woven. The white bottom didn’t bother me at all though!
How long did the weaving take? If the plates were already cut, could a 2nd-4th grader finish in 40 minutes? I’m looking at doing this with a big group. Thanks!
They could do it in forty minutes of they were using puffier yarn, I’d say. Thin yarn would probably take two sessions!
I would love to try this with my Senior Citizen Group! I’ll send pictures when we try it. Do you have other projects you suggest for the elderly?
If your students tire quickly using yarn with some volume will make the baskets add up more quickly! Good luck~ I’d love to see what they do!
How much yarn do you need per bowl?
Wondering how much to buy for a classroom to do this?
Hi Charly- It’s hard to say because it depends so much on the volume of the yarn. Chunky yarn adds up much faster than fine yarn. If you’re worried about cost this DIY t shirt yarn would be a great alternative. https://www.kitchentableclassroom.com/how-to-make-t-shirt-yarn/
This does look finished at all!! you just wrapped yarn around a paper plate!!! Might be a good project for kids but that’s it.
Haha- you got it Heather! That’s exactly what this is- a project for kids! Have a good one!
The v cuts in paper plate to center, what are measurements?Betty Annecharico
Hi Betty! Check out the printable template- that’s the easiest way! It’s in my Free Resource LIbrary for my subscribers!