SQUARE WEAVING
Coffee bag weaving is a traditional craft in Finland. The plastic material of Finnish coffee bags is very durable and easy to handle. It also helps that most people in Finland drink a lot of coffee and getting the material for weaving is easy and most times free. There are a few different weaving techniques, and the coffee bags can also be sewn with a sewing machine.
Here you will find instructions for making unique coffee bag baskets and bags using square weaving technique! With square weaving, you can make durable baskets and bags without a sewing machine, glue or tape. Coffee bags are woven into squares, which are connected to each other with a ribbon or string from hinges formed at the edges of the squares. Square weaving can also be applied to the weaving of non-square shapes, resulting in different shapes and sizes for bags and baskets. The different colors, patterns and sizes of the coffee bags provide limitless possibilities for creative design and weaving. At the same time, recycling the material of the coffee bags makes weaving a practical and inexpensive craft.
Watch a 1 minute video to see what square weaving (ruutupunonta) is:
Square weaving is a weaving technique that can be used to make woven squares from, for example, empty coffee bags. In this guide, Presidentti coffee bags have been used, with the green thin patterned layer on top removed. Six strips are woven side by side in both vertical and horizontal directions (6×6 square), i.e. a total of 12 strips will be woven into one square. You can see the woven squares of the patterned coffee bags and the different strip widths in the pattern design guide and the square weaving patterns.
From the woven squares, you can assemble e.g. baskets and bags. You need five squares to make a small basket and you get a handy shopping bag from 14 squares. There are many possible shapes and sizes of bags and baskets, and these guidelines focus only on making the most common designs. Square weaving can also be applied to the weaving of corner pieces, for example, which further increases the countless possibilities of square weaving and creative solutions.