Every handweaver remembers their first warp. The loom is threaded, the shuttle is wound, and suddenly the possibilities feel overwhelming. The temptation is to jump straight to intricate overshot or complicated lace, but the weavers who stick with the craft are usually the ones who spent their early weeks perfecting the basics. Simple patterns are not a compromise — they are the foundation on which all your future cloth will sit.
The four patterns below are all achievable on a rigid heddle loom, a simple four-shaft table loom, or even a basic floor loom. They require no special equipment beyond what you already have, and each one teaches you something valuable about how yarn behaves under tension. Work through them in order and you will find your selvedges improving, your beat becoming more even, and your confidence growing with every scarf, sampler, and tea towel.
Plain weave, sometimes called tabby, is the simplest interlacement possible: the weft passes over one warp thread and under the next, then reverses on the following pick. On a rigid heddle loom you achieve it by alternating the heddle up and down. On a shaft loom, you raise shafts 1 and 3 together, then 2 and 4.
Its simplicity is exactly why it is so useful. Plain weave gives you a balanced, stable cloth that shows off variegated yarns beautifully, and it is the perfect structure for experimenting with colour and yarn choice rather than pattern. Try a warp of undyed cotton and a weft of hand-dyed sock yarn — the results can be surprisingly sophisticated.
Basket weave takes plain weave and doubles it up. Instead of alternating single threads, you float two or more warp ends together and pass the weft over and under them in matching groups. The result is a chunky, tactile cloth with a natural grid texture that looks far more complicated than it actually is.
This is the pattern to reach for when you want a quick, satisfying project — a cosy table runner, a sturdy bath mat, or a cushion cover that feels substantial in the hand. Because the floats are short, basket weave is durable and does not snag easily, which makes it a good choice for everyday household textiles.
A two-by-two basket weave is the standard starting point. Thread your loom in pairs of the same colour if you like, or alternate colours for a checked effect. Just remember that the fabric will be denser than plain weave at the same sett, so consider sleying slightly more openly than you would for tabby.
Twills are where weaving starts to feel magical. Instead of alternating, the weft passes over two or more warp ends and under one, stepping across the warp with each pick. The floats create the diagonal lines that characterise denim, tartan, and most woollen suiting.
The three most beginner-friendly twills are:
On a four-shaft loom, 2/2 twill is usually threaded straight draw (1, 2, 3, 4) and treadled 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-1. If you are on a rigid heddle, you can still sample a twill effect by using pick-up sticks to create a false damask, though the true twills need at least four shafts. Sample first: twill draws in more than plain weave, sometimes by as much as ten per cent.
Log cabin is technically a plain weave variant, but it looks like something far more elaborate. You alternate two colours in the warp in small blocks, then weave the weft in the same alternating sequence. Where the colours align you get solid squares; where they oppose you get horizontal and vertical bars that appear to interlock.
It is a wonderfully forgiving pattern for new weavers because any irregular beat simply reads as part of the texture. Choose two colours with strong contrast — navy and natural, rust and cream, charcoal and mustard — and keep your yarns the same weight throughout. A log cabin scarf in lambswool is a classic first gift project and takes only a weekend.
Before you commit a whole warp to any of these patterns, weave a sample. Ten centimetres of cloth will tell you more than any book. Wash it, press it, and note the sett, the yarn, and the finished handle. Keep a notebook — future you will thank present you.
Remember that every experienced weaver you admire once struggled with an uneven selvedge on a plain weave scarf. The patterns above are not stepping stones to be rushed through; they are the vocabulary of the craft. Learn to speak them fluently, and the more complex structures will follow naturally. Happy weaving.
Weaving Den shares practical, down-to-earth guidance on hand weaving and textile craft for uk hobbyists for readers across the UK.
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