Bags You Can Weave on an Inkle Loom

One of the most frequent questions I hear when demonstrating inkle weaving is: "Can you join the strips together to make wider things?" My answer is usually something like: "Yes, you can, but if you want to make blankets, you should start with a larger loom." There are so many things you can do with a narrow weaving and I want folks to understand the beauty of this simple loom for that purpose.
Over the years, I have made several nice bags by joining inkle bands. Often, I use this little wool one to hold change when I do events. The flap of the bag simply folds over the top of my belt or sash and then is fastened on by buttoning.



















































You can see me wearing it here in one of my favorite photos. Looks like I forgot to button
the flap!


On this green one, I used the woven strap as a gusset and as detail on the front.





































This one with a Celtic knot pattern turned out great. I was able to use the whole band without cutting, by folding it for the flap. The strap is attached on the back.

























Since I had so many photos to include with this post, I made them all small.
You can just click to enlarge. One day, I hope to figure out how to format these small photos so they line up like I want them. This time they are sort of random.


I had thought to do a tutorial here to demonstrate the joining of bands and the construction of a bag. Better yet, I found this Handwoven Magazine article which does an excellent job. Thank you to author Amy Abbott.