Once I got home, the first thing I tried, as a sort of proof-of-concept, was to weave something out of sewing thread, using a small piece of cardboard I'd cut slits into. I ended up making what might be the tiniest tapestry in existence, of a pink hill against a lavender sky. It came out very rough, and sewing thread was obviously a terrible material for it, but it gave me the confidence to try something more substantial.
Next I made a small box loom (7 x 11 x 4 inches) by cutting the top and sides off of a cardboard box, and inserting a bunch of small nails into either end. I cut alternating slits and holes into a piece of cardstock to form a heddle, and cut a bunch of spoon shapes out of cardboard to serve as shuttles. I then bought a few colors of Sashiko (Japanese embroidery) thread, warped up the loom and began weaving. (I used Sashiko thread because that was the only yarn-like thread I could find at my local fabric store.)
The inspiration for the little tapestry I made this way was a family trip the Greek island of Rhodos, and watching the sun rise over the Aegean Sea. While the sides came out pretty lumpy, I actually quite like the overall result. Once I was done weaving, I cut the piece off the loom, tied the ends of the warp into little bundles, and suspended it from a stick I found outside my apartment.
