Rya knots go with weaving like ice cream and apple pie. You can use rya knots in your weavings to make pops of texture, to make a shag weave, or to add a gorgeous fringe. I’ve paired a fluffy hand-spun yarn with a golden warp thread to make a dreamy weave.
Loom: All-in-One Loom & 20-Peg-Extenders
Yarn: Aunt Lydia’s Crochet Cotton Classic Size 10 in metallic gold is used for the warp. Along with a hand-spun Merino wool thick n’ thin in color Antler from AmandaJFrench on Etsy is used for the weave.
Notions: tapestry needle, wooden dowel rod
Rya Knot Steps:
Step 1: Cut a length of thread that is twice as long as you want your rya knot to hang.
Step 2: Bring the middle of the thread over two warp threads.
Step 3: Take left side of the thread and pass it around the warp thread on the left and pull it up so that it is between the left warp thread and the right warp thread.
Step 4: Now take the right side of the thread, pass it around the warp thread on the right and pull it up so that it also is between the left warp thread and the right warp thread.
Step 5: Pull both the thread ends evenly so that they pull tight against the warp threads creating a rya knot.
Tip: once you have made all your rya knots, weave at least 2 rows of plain weave to secure the knots and tighten them as necessary.
White & Gold Wall Hanging Pattern:
Set up your weave as described here. Double knot your warp thread on pin #2 from the bottom left. Warp your loom so that 18 pins are warp across the top and 19 pins are warped on the bottom, which includes your beginning double knot and your ending double knot of the warp thread. Tie your anchor thread across the top of the warp loops.
Weave 22 rows of the plain weave using your white yarn. This makes the body of the weave.
Next to create the diagonal rya knots, follow this:
- Cut 3 pieces of the white thread 18 inches long. Using 2 warp threads each, tie three rya knots starting on the right side.
- Cut 3 pieces of white thread 14 inches long. Tie 3 more rya knots.
- Cut 2 pieces 12 inches long, tie 2 more rya knots
- Cut 3 pieces 8 inches long, tie 3 more rya knots
- Cut 3 pieces 6 inches long, tie the 3 in rya knots
- Cut 2 pieces 4 inches long, tie the 2 in rya knots
Now that all the warp threads have rya knots tied on them, weave two rows of plain weave below the rya knots.
Following the similar finishing instructions here, cut your bottom warp threads about an inch from the bottom of the longest rya knot thread. The golden warp thread will be all one length across and will peek out as the white thread is at a diagonal. Tie 2 warp threads into a single knot, making sure they are tight against the bottom plain weave row to finish. Carefully remove the top warp loops from the loom pegs, then twist each one and put the dowel rod through the loops.
Enjoy your white and gold weave!
Happy Weaving!
Kate from The Weaving Loom (a blog dedicated to helping others learn to weave)