One of the first ways to get started is to use part of a cardboard cereal box. Cut one side off of a large size box. This will make a nice placemat size piece. Measure in two inches and mark off regular intervals on the *long sides* of the box. Now make quarter inch slits into the cardboard on the marks. Do the same on the short sides. How close these are depends on your yarn thickness, but for commercial worsted weight I'd suggest six to the inch.
Then wrap your yarn around the cardboard putting it in the grooves as you wrap around and around and around. You now have the warp (up and down threads) to make two place mats, one on each side. To fill in your weft (the sideways yarn) thread a long piece of yarn on a tapestry needle. Hook it securely in the top groove of the unwrapped side and start threading the needle over one thread and under another.
Keep doing this over one thread, under another thread pulling your yarn along. This is called a balanced or tabby weave. When you get to the end of the row. Reverse and on the next row go *under* then over. As the yarn runs out re-thread your needle and start the new piece overlapping the last several inches. Keep on in this way until the cardboard is covered. Voila!! A placemat... Do the same on the other side. Voila a matched set... Cut the threads and either bind the edges or tie them off in fringe.
Another cheap way to get started is to buy one of those little looper looms one used to make potholders on in childhood. They are under $4 dollars at places like Wal-Mart. Wind a warp and fill in like your cardboard loom. You have nice squares for piecing into afghans or for other projects. My 4-H leader used to make wonderful coverlets with scrap yarn using this simple loom.
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