DIY Knitting Loom

When we first announced to our kids that we’d be making handmade holiday gifts for each other, their reactions were less than enthusiastic. But as the shock wore off and the ideas started flowing, our children soon discovered the ancient proverb, “‘Tis more blessed to give than to receive.”

For the next few weeks, they got lost in a world of toymaking, sourcing materials from scrap lumber piles and forest floors. Kids can be remarkably creative when under the influence of their own imaginations. Mom and Dad got into the act as well — after all, it was our idea in the first place!

Here’s one of our favorite gifts from our handmade holiday experiment. Many scarves have been knitted on this homemade loom! It’s perfect for making small knits, such as washcloths and scarves, and it’s suited to ages 6 through 12. It can be easily made out of any scrap wood — pine works great — and nails you have in your shop; we used joist hanger nails.

• 1x4 or larger piece of lumber, at least 12 inches long
• Drill
• 1⁄8-inch and 3⁄4-inch drill bits
• Jigsaw
• 11⁄2-inch nails

Cut the piece of lumber to measure 21⁄4 inches wide by 12 inches long. Measure and then mark one side of the board with a 10-inch-by-3⁄4-inch slot down the center.

Drill a 3⁄4-inch starter hole about 1 inch in from each end of the board. Using a jigsaw, cut out the center section between