Tips for Buying Yarn Directly from Farmers p.

28

Winter 2024

What’s Your

9 PROJECTS
from brilliant hues
to natural tones

Step Up Your
Ice Dyeing
with Ikat and Shibori

longthreadmedia.com
H A L C YON YA R N
H A LCYO N YA R N .CO M • BATH , M AI N E
D eli ght in g w e ave r s s ince 1 97 1 !

Newport Linen
and 5/2 Cotton
Kitchen Cloths.
Kits available!

SHOP OUR NEW WEBSITE!

 When we say we have it in stock,
we mean it!
Warehousing isn’t pretty, but it is
vital for us, because we don’t just
say we have something in stock--
we really do! When we order, we
try to prepare for what you want
months in advance.

We stock 20 to 70 tubes each of

Brassard’s 78 colors in 8/2 Cotton,
order Perle Cotton by the pallet,
and get Baby Wolf looms by the
half dozen.
Are we out of something some-
times? Sure, it happens. But more
is usually already on its way so we
can tell you when to expect it.

Yarn Barn of Kansas

Email sign up.
800-468-0035 yarnbarn-ks.com Shop!
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THE WOOLERY Akron Seatle
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tel: (502) 352-9800 www.weavingworks.com FRANCE
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 50
Content s
Handwoven Winter 2024, Volume XLV Number 5

FE ATURES
9 WEAVE TOGETHER 2025
Treat Yourself to a
Wonderful Weaving Retreat
HAN DWOVEN EDITORS
Learn more about the inspiring teachers and
wide range of classes in store for attendees.

14 NOTES FROM THE FELL

The Changing Language
of Weaving Drafts
T O M K N I S E LY
Twists and turns in notation over the years can lead to
confusion when weavers work with old drafts.

18 VINTAGE WEAVERS
Conquering Vision Challenges
C Y N T H I A E V E T T S A N D T I N A F L E TC H E R
Good nutrition, exercises, and smart weaving
practices all benefit aging eyes.

28 How to Source Yarn Directly

from a Farm
R O B I N LY N D E
The ins and outs of finding and buying yarn from
DE PARTME NTS
its producer.
4 FROM THE EDITOR
What’s Your Color Style?
37 Fun with Ikat and Ice Dyeing
N ATA L I E D R U M M O N D 8 WHAT’S HAPPENING
How to combine the techniques—and open new Jeremy Frey’s Baskets at the Art Institute of Chicago
avenues for exploring color and pattern in weaving. 12 GOODS
Tiny Loom, Sari Silk Yarn Bundles, Weaverly
72 YARN LAB Ornament, and Color Cards
Cozy Meets Functional: 76 READER’S GUIDE
Heather Prime Alpaca Project Directory
ANGEL A K. SCHNEIDER Yarn Suppliers
A soft, strong yarn in rich, heathered colors for Finishing Techniques
warm wearables and household décor.
77 BEYOND THE PRINTED PAGE
Bonus Projects for Handwoven Subscribers
80 ENDNOTES
Cherishing Learning to Weave

2 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

PROJECTS IN THIS ISSUE

22 34 42

ON THE
COVER
Bluebird Towels Perpetual Pinwheels Ikat and Ice Scarf
CHERYL WHITE | 4-Shaft | Overshot ROBIN LYNDE | 8-Shaft | Color-and-Weave NATALIE DRUMMOND | 4-Shaft | Plain Weave
with Floats

46 50 54

Op Art Table Linens Concentric Squares Scarf Cascading Silk Blouse

TIEN CHIU | 8-Shaft | Doubleweave JEANNE RALSTON | 8-Shaft | Doubleweave DIANE G. CROWDER | 8-Shaft | Advancing Twill

60 64 68

Hargrove’s Dinner Party Interlocking Block Towels Alpaca in Your Lap Blanket
JOE WIXTED | 4-Shaft | M’s and O’s REGINA MCINNES | 8-Shaft | Summer and Winter JEFF SMITH | 4-Shaft | Twill

BONUS PROJECTS FOR SUBSCRIBE RS

77 77 77

Celebration Romper Inspired by Indigo Pillows Natural Charm Dish Towels

MALYNDA ALLEN | 8-Shaft | Plain Weave TEGAN FRISINO | 4-Shaft | Overshot MELANIE SMITH | Rigid Heddle or 3-Shaft | Twill
and M’s and O’s

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 3

 I imagine that, from the outside, most weavers seem
pretty similar. We search out and buy large pieces of WINTER 2024, Volume XLV Number 5
FROM TH E EDITOR

equipment and then shove the dining table aside to

fit it all in the house (I promise, this is the very last
loom I’ ll buy . . .). We get worked up about sticky EDITORIAL

sheds, fragile warps, and wobbly selvedges. Any EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Anne Merrow
EDITOR Lynn Rognsvoog
money left over from loom-buying gets spent on yarn
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Christina Garton
or weaving books or workshops. We seem passionate MANAGING EDITOR Lavon Peters
about “structure,” of all things. Sometimes we even touch strangers’ hand- PROJECT EDITOR Angela K. Schneider
wovens while they’re wearing them! TECHNICAL EDITORS Malynda Allen, Rona Aspholm,
Deanna Deeds, Greta Holmstrom, Susan E. Horton,
But if nonweavers want to learn just how varied we are, they can simply Merriel Miller, Bettie Zakon-Anderson
eavesdrop as we talk about color. They might hear: EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Katrina King

• Neutrals are best. Color is nothing but a distraction from my one COPY EDITOR Katie Bright
PROOFREADER Deirdre Carter
true love—texture.
• Neutrals are boring. They’re a distraction from my one true love—color. CRE ATIVE
DESIGNER Samantha Wranosky
• Color, yes! But not that color, which everyone agrees is terrible and
PRODUCTION DESIGNER Mark Dobroth
should never be used! PHOTOGRAPHY Matt Graves
• I’m only happy weaving with colors I’ve dyed myself. PHOTOSTYLING Briana McDivitt-Smith
• Naturally colored fiber is the only kind I weave with. I simply adore
natural, brown, gray, greenish, and that other brown.
• Natural colors are fine, as long as I can perk them up with a touch
of red or lime green.
Because color is a broad topic and we all have strong opinions, this issue
includes projects woven in naturally colored fibers and others using neutral
palettes. Some of the projects use commercially dyed yarn. Some designers FOUNDERS Linda Ligon, Anne Merrow, John P. Bolton
dyed the colors themselves using conventional dyes, while others used PUBLISHER John P. Bolton
historical methods. One project uses colors from a line created by the DIRECTOR OF MEDIA SALES & BRAND PARTNERSHIPS Julie Macdonald
designer’s small company. And if you look closely, you’ll find a touch of red DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Haydn Strauss
DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL CONTENT & STRATEGY Tiffany Warble
in one neutral project and a broader swath of lime green in another.
DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & CUSTOMER SUCCESS Rachel Martin
We know that many weavers feel uncomfortable with color. They might
like a project but not the colors it’s shown in—and they feel uncertain Handwoven® (print ISSN 0198-8212; online ISSN 2381-2303) is published
about choosing a different palette. We’re going to work on that. In fact, quarterly by Long Thread Media LLC, 1300 Riverside Ave, Ste 206, Fort
Collins, CO 80524; phone (888) 480-5464. Periodicals postage paid at
one project in this issue includes tips for finding and trying out colors Fort Collins, CO, and additional mailing offices. All contents of this issue
of Handwoven® are copyrighted by Long Thread Media LLC, 2024. All
that appeal to you. And we’ll be digging more deeply into color at rights reserved. Projects and information are for inspiration and personal
use only. Handwoven® does not recommend, approve, or endorse any of
handwovenmagazine.com and in upcoming issues. the advertisers, products, services, or views advertised in Handwoven®.
Nor does Handwoven® evaluate the advertisers’ claims in any way. You
What’s on your loom? Please show us on Instagram or Facebook should, therefore, use your own judgment in evaluating the advertisers,
products, services, and views advertised in Handwoven®. Reproduction
by using #handwovenmagazine. And send your
FOLLOW & SHARE in whole or in part is prohibited, except by permission of the publisher.
weaving questions and comments to handwoven Subscription rate is $39.99/year in the U.S., $49.99/year in Canada, and
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Explore our videos! Please allow six weeks for processing address changes.
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YouTube Shops: If you are interested in carrying this magazine in your store, email
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Share your projects Contact us: For questions about purchases made on the website,
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For advertising information, call Julie Macdonald at (888) 480-5464

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FUTURE THEMES
For editorial inquiries, email [email protected].
SPRING 2025 SUM M E R 2025 FALL 2025
Easy Breezy Going on Vacation Welcome Home VISIT US ON THE WEB
Pack away your warm winter Trips to the beach or lake Weave pillows, rugs, throws, longthreadmedia.com
textiles and welcome springtime and lazy evenings around the and more to make your house handwovenmagazine.com
with a range of lacy, open, and firepit call out for easy-care, feel like your personal
transparent weaves. easy-to-carry items. comfort zone.

4 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 SPONSORED CONTENT

Holiday Find the perfect gift this season for the creator in
your life. These are some we can’t stop talking about!

Gift Guide
New Inkle Loom from
Louët in Two Sizes
Make your own bands, belts, and embellishments with a
new inkle loom from Louët. Unique rubber bands keep your
warp securely on the pegs. Choose your favorite size: Mini
or Standard. Available through a Louët dealer—find your
nearest dealer using the link on our website! www.louet.nl

“65 Roses” Silk Scarf Kit from

Treenway Silks
Designed by the fabulous Peg MacMorris, this
lovely scarf pairs two different silk yarns and
features a limited-edition variegated yarn.
Treenway Silks donates 10 percent of “65 Roses”
sales to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in honor of
Andrea’s Angels, to help fund research for a cure.
www.treenwaysilks.com

Kromski’s Presto—
Find Your Style for the Holiday
With simple setup and ease of use, the Kromski Presto is
ideal for both new and experienced crafters. The rigid-
heddle loom is available in 10-inch or 16-inch unfinished or
Kromski’s Light Pink “Color of the Year.” Find your style with
Kromski. We offer a wide selection of intricately-turned,
beautiful spinning wheels and looms. www.kromski.com

6 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 SPONSORED CONTENT

Sweet Dreams in Ringspun Cotton

Weave the Sweet Dreams Blanket with LoftyFiber’s new
U.S.-grown, combed, and ringspun cotton. This plain-weave
blanket kit, suitable for multi-shaft and rigid heddle, is
available in different colors of the 8/4 and Pillow Soft Boucle
cottons. Take note, these blankets are soft, cuddly, and may
induce napping! Order the kit at www.loftyfiber.com.

Riverbed Hand-Painted Cotton Warp

from Shiny Dime Fibers
“Riverbed” colorway, featured in the Winter issue of Little Looms
magazine (article by Michele Marshall). Hand-painted and pre-
wound 8/2 ringspun cotton warp. Smooth and unmercerized,
great for weaving towels. Also lightweight, soft, and comfortable
for wearing! Available in three- and six-yard lengths.
Visit www.shinydimefibers.com.

Inkle Kit from Heritage Spinning & Weaving

This plain-weave inkle weaving kit includes Heritage’s best-selling Cardinal
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spool of braided heddle cord. Celebrating 25 years of business in 2025. Visit
www.heritagespinning.com.

Spread the Love Mug Rug Kit

with Vermont Weaving Supplies
This kit is a small, fun project with big yields. The 15-page pattern
includes directions for weaving an Atwater-Bronson lace heart
on rigid-heddle, four-, and eight-shaft looms, plus weaving twill
hearts on an eight-shaft loom. Includes yarn to make 25 mug rugs,
envelopes, and stickers. The pattern is written as a tribute to Dena
Moses’s mom with stories, photos, and a recipe.
Visit www.vermontweavingsupplies.com.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 7

W H AT’ S H A PPE N I N G

Images courtesy of Eric Stoner

Delicate, Intricate, and
Sinuous Vessels Woven from
Black Ash and Sweetgrass
Jeremy Frey grew up on the October through mid-February (see
Passamaquoddy Indian box for details).
Township Reservation in Maine, Frey draws on his heritage for the vo-
descended from a long line of cabulary of his works, while innovating
weavers. He learned traditional within these long-standing forms and
basketweaving techniques from techniques. His baskets explore shapes,
his mother and other family textures, elaborate weaves, and layered
members, as well as from an colors. Many of the pieces feature im-
apprenticeship at the Maine ages intricately embroidered with dyed
Indian Basketmakers Alliance. porcupine quills. Frey has recently ex-
As a teenager on the reservation, perimented with using the baskets in
Frey was pulled into the epidemic of printmaking, as well as creating his
drug abuse. While he was getting first time-based-media work—both of
sober, his mother encouraged him which are included in this exhibit. Clockwise from top left: Blue Point
to keep his hands busy with The New York Times recently pub- Urchin (overhead view), 2016, ash,
sweetgrass, and dye, 5" × 9" × 9";
weaving. He quickly fell under the lished an article profiling Frey and Defensive, 2022, ash, sweetgrass,
spell of basketmaking, and he his work. You can find it at nytimes and dye, 12½" × 7½" × 7½"; Observer,
2022, ash, sweetgrass, porcupine quill
learned to harvest and prepare the .com/2024/04/26/arts/design/jeremy
on birch bark, and dye, 13½" × 10½" × 10½".
natural materials he works with. -frey-baskets-indigenous.html. You
Jeremy Frey: Woven is a mid-career can learn more about Frey and his
retrospective exhibit of more than work at karmakarma.org/artists
What: Jeremy Frey : Woven
50 complex and elegant baskets he /jeremy-frey. When: Oct. 26, 2024–Feb. 10, 2025
wove over the past two decades. A printed exhibit catalog is Where: Art Institute of Chicago,
The exhibit is on view at the Art available. 111 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL
Institute of Chicago from the end of —Handwoven staff Info: artic.edu for hours and tickets

8 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

Treat Yourself to a

W E AV E TOG E TH E R 2025
opportunity to make new weaving
friends—including instructors and
Wonderful Weaving Retreat Handwoven and Little Looms editors.
It really is a great place to spend
By Handwoven Editors
quality time with talented weavers.
What do you call a gathering who are tired of plain weave but There’s no need to worry about lo-
of weavers? We call it Weave don’t know what to do next. gistics. All meals and most classes
Together with Handwoven, and We’ve also lined up classes on will take place at the beautiful
the next time it happens will be loomless fiber techniques. Angela K. Heritage Hills Resort. For classes not
March 23–27, 2025, in beautiful Schneider has a workshop on kumi- at Heritage Hills, students will be
York, Pennsylvania. himo braiding—perfect for making transported to Red Stone Glen Fiber
This weaving retreat has classes, bag handles—and Mary Shackleford Arts Center—the teaching home of
community, and fun, and it is a great offers classes on traditional finger Sara C. Bixler and Tom Knisely.
place to try out multiple weaving weaving and a short sampler work- Students taking classes at Red Stone
techniques with a minimum of shop on twining. Glen will arrive to find their looms
stress. Our lineup of teachers in- Some of the classes are weaving- warped and ready to go.
cludes several who should be famil- adjacent. Karen Donde is teaching two Speaking of looms, we have looms
iar to readers of Handwoven. classes to get your design juices going, available for all classes. You can
Karen Donde is offering a class and Tom Knisely will lead a workshop bring your own loom if you’d prefer,
covering a host of structures related on finishing techniques for rugs. but if you don’t have one or if lugging
to the simplest of all weaves—plain Know somebody who isn’t a one along would make travel too dif-
weave. Among them are double- weaver yet but wants to be? We’ve ficult, don’t worry one bit. All rental
weave, deflected doubleweave, hon- got intro-level classes for pin-loom, costs are included in the Weave
eycomb, turned beiderwand, M’s and rigid-heddle, inkle, off-loom, and Together price (although a deposit
O’s, and huck lace. You’ll learn how tablet weaving. may be required).
the various structures work and then Along with three full days of weav- Visit weavetogether.handwoven
weave samples of each. ing classes, there will be exciting magazine.com to learn more about
John Mullarkey, tablet weaver speakers, a marketplace filled with Weave Together 2025, the teachers
extraordinaire, is returning with a weaving and fiber goodies, and lots and classes, and what to expect,
repeat of his popular shoelace- of opportunities for community. including how to purchase tickets
weaving class. He’ll also be teaching Lodging and all meals are included; and sign up for classes. Space is
two other beginner-friendly classes. you’ll be eating alongside your fellow limited, so don’t delay. We hope to
Jennifer B. Williams will be attendees, allowing plenty of see you in Pennsylvania!
teaching three inkle classes for
weavers of all levels. Whether you’ve
never warped an inkle loom or are a
seasoned bandweaving veteran,
Jennifer has a class for you.
Bands not your thing? Long
Thread Media’s own Angela K. Sara C. Bixler Karen Donde Tom Knisely John Mullarkey
Schneider, whose popular weaving
videos you may have seen, will be
teaching pin-loom weaving. She’ll
also be teaching rigid-heddle–
friendly classes, as will Angela Tong
and Sara C. Bixler—they’re the
perfect choice for beginning weavers Angela K. Schneider Mary Shackleford Angela Tong Jennifer B. Williams

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 9

 NEW

Shuttle Race
Ashford folding table looms will
now include a shuttle race, which
eliminates all shuttle diving, and
makes your weaving faster and
more enjoyable!

Scan QR code to see the

shuttle race in action!

NEW Retrofit Shuttle Race Kit

The shuttle race is also available as a retrofit kit to fit all Ashford folding four, eight
and sixteen shaft table looms manufactured after 1998 with *curved beater arms.
NEW The kit is quick and easy to install, it includes the shuttle race, new curved beater
arms, bungy cords and spanners.
Available to fit all 16”, 24”, and 32” folding table looms.

Easy to fit on old and new looms - even on warped looms!

NEW Boat Shuttles

A beautifully shaped and well balanced NEW Boat

NEW
Shuttle XL includes the NEW extra-long nylon Boat
Shuttle Bobbin. The XL nylon bobbin is 50% longer
– which means 50% more yarn capacity.

Visit www.ashford.co.nz/where-to-buy for your local Ashford dealer.

Jack Loom
Expand as a weaver -
choose the loom that will
suit your needs now and
in the future.
Eight shafts,
10 treadles,
38" weaving width.

ashford.co.nz/
one-warp-one-wardrobe

Cottolin Ashford Book of Weaving

A lovely blend of 70% Cotton Patterns From Four to
30% Linen. The combined Eight Shafts
softness of cotton and By Elsa Krogh
crispness of linen result in
a woven fabric that is very All of Elsa’s favourite patterns
versatile. This durable yarn - a mixture of classic weaves
can be substituted in any and modern techniques - for
project requiring 8/2 cotton. fashion and homeware.
92 pages.
Available in 18 vibrant
modern colors, 200gm cones.
Warp Thread Weights
Use these handy warp thread
Hobby Bench weights to weigh floating
Adjustable height and tilt options, selvedges, supplementary or
handy storage shelf with a smooth broken warp threads. Hold
lacquer finish. long lengths of warp
thread around the
central spool.
Sold in pairs.

Warp Yarn Stand

Wind your warps without fuss on this
handy six-cone stand. Smooth yarn Fringe Twister
guides ensure tangle and snag-free Create the perfect twisted
warping. Rubber feet for stability. fringe or decorative cord.

Caterpillar
Cotton

Dealer enquiries welcome [email protected] ashford.co.nz/blog

 Favorite Finds
GOODS

A bookmark-sized loom, sari silk yarn bundles,

a weaverly ornament for the holidays, and
color cards to help you design

Photos by Matt Graves

The Gift of Weaving
Make small gifts at home or on the go with this bookmark loom
kit from Mabel and Maple. The kit includes three random colors
of yarn, a tapestry needle for weaving, a comb for packing, and
the important part, a small loom! The frame measures 2½ inches
by 8 inches—just the right size for a bookmark or a bracelet.
mabelandmaple.etsy.com

Rustic Color
Add some texture to your next project with these mini recycled sari
silk bundles from Unfettered Art and Supply. Available in your choice
of over 50 different colors, they can be purchased in 4-, 6-, or 10-pack
bundles. Each mini ball is about 35 feet long. Weave them on their
own or use them as accents in a larger piece. unfetteredco.etsy.com

The Perfect Present

Are the weavers in your life hard to shop for? Showcase their
love of weaving at the holidays and all year long with this
fun ornament from Sadler Creations. Made of porcelain and
measuring about 3 inches in diameter, it’s a great way to show
a weaver some love. sadlercreationsllc.etsy.com

Choose a Palette
Need a little help choosing colors for your next project?
Let the 180-card Palette Scout from Zollie help. Each
card displays a color or shade, along with ideas for
using it in various palettes. A booklet lays out color
theory basics, and challenge cards help you break out
of your color comfort zone. zolliemakes.com

12 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 SCHACHT SPINDLE

Cultivate | Create | Connect

USA Made | Shop at SchachtSpindle.com

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 13

NOTE S FROM TH E FELL

The Changing Language

of Weaving Drafts
BY TO M K N I S E LY

While weavers have been writing down their drafts for hundreds of years, modern weavers may find the notation
used in older drafts to be a mystery—to say nothing of the handwriting.

Even relatively recent drafts can be

confusing. Let’s take a moment to
compare two classic pattern books:
A Handweaver’s Pattern Book by
Marguerite Davison (published in
1944) and A Weaver’s Book of 8-Shaft
Patterns, edited by Carol Strickler
(published in 1991).

MARGUE RITE’S NOTATION

In Marguerite Davison’s drafts, the
threading is represented by short
vertical marks within four horizon-
tal lines. The tie-up in the upper
right corner uses x’s to indicate
which shafts should be connected
to the treadles. The photo at left on
the next page shows Davison’s draft
for Six Thread Bird’s Eye, which has
a tie-up with both plain-weave and
twill treadle combinations. Her
drafts usually include several differ-
ent ways to treadle the pattern,
along with a photograph showing
the woven result of each treadling.
So, if you warp your loom with
this threading, tie up the treadles as
shown, and use the first treadling
variation, as you weave, you’ll see
the cloth shown in the correspond-
ing photo, right? Well, maybe!
avin g.n et Remember those x’s in the tie-
Ima ge cou rtes y of Han dwe
ups? They mean the draft was writ-
In his preface to The Weavers Draft Book and Clothiers Assistant, printed in 1792, ten for sinking-shed looms, such as
John Hargrove explains how to sley cotton, linen, and worsted warps, as well as counterbalance looms. But if
how to interpret the harness leaves (shafts), threadings, and treadlings of the drafts
included in the book. you weave on a jack loom, as many

14 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 NOTE S FROM TH E FELL
weavers in the United States do, you image on the next page). Handwoven treadling order moves from top to
should be aware that it makes rising magazine and Interweave Press bottom following each horizontal
sheds. And the fabric you weave will (which published this book) used o’s row, one by one, with single-color
be upside down compared with the in their published drafts at that wefts shown as slashes, and weft
sample photo. time, too. color order shown as colored blocks.
To weave the fabric as shown on a If you were using a counterbalance
rising-shed loom, you need to lift the loom like I was, you had to reverse- STE PPING BACK SE VE R AL CE NTURIES
opposite shafts of the ones required think the tie-up for use on a sinking- If you browse through the archive
on a sinking-shed loom. But never shed loom. (My next loom was a documents on Handweaving.net,
fear—it’s not hard. Simply reverse the countermarch with a double set of you may find pattern books from
tie-up! My version, below right, shows lamms. You tie each treadle to both the eighteenth and nineteenth cen-
the revised tie-up using o’s (the sym- sets of lamms; tie-ups written for turies with very confusing weaving
bol that indicates a tie-up written for countermarch looms show both x’s drafts. When I find an old draft that
the rising-shed loom). The threading and o’s, and you must tie for both the interests me, I take my time figur-
and the treadling stay the same. rising and sinking sheds. Oh my!) ing out whether I understand what
And when it comes to tie-ups, it Now take a moment and flip a few all the notations mean, sometimes
doesn’t matter what type of loom pages to a draft in this issue of Hand- referring to modern drafts with
you’re weaving on, sinking-shed or woven. Then come right back. Did similar structures.
rising-shed. After you take your you notice the differences in current Let’s take a look at a draft from
piece off the loom, if you prefer the draft notation compared with what John Hargrove’s The Weavers Draft
reverse, turn it over and enjoy we see in Davison or Strickler? Book and Clothiers Assistant, printed
that side. The threading order is now shown in the late eighteenth century. The
with numerals or colored circles on draft, shown at the bottom of the
NOTATION CHANGES OVER TIME shafts instead of dots and slashes. next page, is listed as Number VI
Carol Strickler’s 8-shaft pattern The tie-ups use numerals to indi- and is titled Large M’s and O’s.
drafts (remember, that book was cate which shafts are tied to which At first glance, Hargrove’s draft
published in 1991) show the tie-ups treadles, rather than x’s or o’s seems to follow modern drafting
with o’s, meaning they were written (although they still assume you’ll be conventions. There are four horizon-
for rising-shaft looms (see the top weaving on a rising-shed loom). The tal lines in what looks to be the
Photos by Tom Knisely

Left: Six Thread Bird’s Eye from Marguerite Davison’s A Handweaver’s Pattern Book (originally published in 1944). The tie-up uses
x’s, and the threading and treadlings use tick marks. Photos show samples of each swatch. Right: I wrote out two versions of
Davison’s Six Thread Bird’s Eye—with x’s for sinking-shed tie-ups on the left and o’s for rising-shed tie-ups on the right.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 15

NOTE S FROM TH E FELL

threading area, with a succession of

numbers that read from right to left.
The numbers jump from line to line.
The tie-up is in the upper left,
which looks odd to modern eyes—
but it shows x’s, so I interpret it to
be written for a sinking-shed loom.
The treadling order is written
under the tie-up, as it is in modern
drafts. The treadling is read from
top to bottom, and the numbers
indicate the order that the treadles
are to be pressed.
I believe I understand this draft,
but I’ll still reference a modern pat-
tern book that shows drafts for M’s

Photos by Tom Knisely

and O’s and compare them to what I
understand Hargrove to mean. I’ll
also run the old draft through weav-
ing software or do a drawdown with
a pencil and graph paper, just to
make sure I totally understand Har- The draft for a two-block twill from A Weaver’s Book of 8-Shaft Patterns, edited by Carol
Strickler (published in 1991). The tie-up uses o’s, the threading uses shaft numbers, and
grove’s notations. treadlings are represented with tick marks. Photos show samples of each swatch.
Below is my version of this old
draft rewritten to follow modern
drafting notations. The next step is connecting with my new friend John TOM KNISELY is a regular contributor to
to put on a warp and weave a sam- Hargrove. I would love to have him Handwoven and has written five books
ple of it. In fact, the project on page over for a beer and nibbles and talk on weaving.
60 in this issue follows this draft! weaving all night long. I know I
This may sound a little crazy, but could learn a lot from him.
for me, working on an old draft is Happy Weaving!
almost like going back in time and Tom
Image courtesy of Handweaving.net

Left: My version of John Hargrove’s Large M’s and O’s using modern weaving notation. Right: The original notation.

16 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

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VINTAG E WE AV ERS

Photo by Cynthia Evetts

The sample was not living up to Sam’s vision. Blue and green blurred together, as did brownish and orange, resulting in a drab design.

Vintage Weavers:
Conquering Vision Challenges
Good nutrition, exercises, and smart weaving practices benefit aging eyes
C Y N T H I A E V E T T S A N D T I N A F L E TC H E R

Sam promised to weave a hatband using earthy colors for a special friend. typically sees. Disturbances occur
She selected an array of green, blue, orange, and brown cotton warp when this field has holes or blocks
threads to represent the colors of nature they had enjoyed on a recent hike. or seems to pull in on itself and get
Sam then began sampling on a comb, using her warp colors to approximate smaller. The field can also grow
their scenic view. She tried several combinations of thick and thin stripes cloudy, dark, or dim and might even
both horizontally and vertically, along with blocks and dots to add interest. bend or wave. Eye and eyelid chal-
lenges include refraction changes,
But trying to capture the image of experience increasing vision changes heavy or droopy eyelids, decreased
nature was harder than she had as they age, usually in the form of eye moisture, and increased light
anticipated. The warp colors blended refractive errors such as near- or sensitivity.
into a series of blurry blobs and hazy farsightedness. This is especially We will discuss common vision
lines rather than a distinct design. true for women, who report that challenges that can affect weaving,
Discouraged, Sam set the project vision challenges escalate when ways to optimize visual health, and
aside and decided to try again later. menopause kicks in. how weavers with aging eyes can
Typically, vision challenges are keep weaving.
AG ING E YES related either to the field of vision Low vision is not just limited to
Research on eye health in weavers or to the eye and eyelid themselves. weavers—it’s a common effect of get-
across the world shows that they Field of vision refers to what the eye ting older. Eyes begin to show signs of

18 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 VINTAG E WE AV ERS
aging when people turn 40 years old. Here are some of the best choices: G IVE YOUR E YES A WORKOUT
In the United States, leading causes • Vitamin C from citrus fruits, You might wonder if eye exercises
of low vision and blindness are age- peaches, red bell peppers, toma- can help your sight. Experts at
related macular degeneration toes, and strawberries Harvard advise would-be exercisers
(damage to the center of the retina), • Vitamin E from avocados, to use caution.
cataracts (lens clouding), diabetic almonds, and sunflower seeds You might try eye exercises if your
retinopathy (retina damage caused by • Vitamin A from vegetables and eyes are having trouble working
too much blood sugar), dry eyes, fruits including carrots, sweet together. Classic examples are
temporal arteritis (blood vessel potatoes, cantaloupe, and apricots difficulties maintaining eye focus,
inf lammation), and glaucoma • Lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxi- double vision when weaving, or
(increased eye pressure). Other pesky dants in leafy green vegetables challenges with depth perception,
eye disorders include amblyopia (lazy such as kale, spinach, and all of which can make accurately
eye), strabismus (crossed eyes), and romaine lettuce threading a loom difficult. Proceed
astigmatism (irregularly shaped lens For readers weary at the thought of with caution when considering eye
or cornea that blurs or distorts vision). so many leafy greens, egg yolks and exercises that promise to keep you
cold-water fish high in omega-3 out of glasses or prevent squinting,
FE E D YOUR E YE S fatty acids (including salmon, tuna, eye spasms, frequent blinking,
In previous Vintage Weavers arti- sardines, halibut, and trout) are all glaucoma, or macular degeneration.
cles, we’ve recommended all kinds good sources of nutrients that Which exercises are helpful? First
of foods to promote health. While combat eye disease. Tina’s Italian and foremost, make sure you blink
we wish we could report that a dark physician husband would also like frequently when focused on a visual
chocolate and red wine diet is best, to share the good news that some task. Here are other common (and
our eyes actually need a rabbit diet vegetables, including tomatoes, useful) eye exercises:
full of antioxidants. What you eat have higher levels of antioxidants • Focusing 20-20-20. When
can make a big difference in main- when they have been cooked. This focused on a task, pause every 20
taining central vision, staving off means a big pot of marinara sauce minutes and look at something 20
cataract formation, making tears, bubbling away on the stove can sup- feet away for 20 seconds.
and promoting sharp night vision. port healthy vision! • Palming. Cup your palms and
cover your closed eyes for 30
seconds, until you register noth-
ing but darkness. Keep your eyes
free from any pressure from
your palms.
• Making Figure Eights. Imagine a
big number 8 lying on its side.
Slowly follow it with your eyes in
one direction and then the oppo-
site direction.
• Rolling Your Eyes. Without moving
Photos by Tina Fletcher

your head, look right and left and

then up and down several times.
• Shifting from Near to Far and Back
Again. Hold one thumb near your
face and one farther away. Focus
Left: Every week, Rick does a quick check with an Amsler grid to make sure he doesn’t
have any emerging problems with blind spots, lens irregularities, or his central vision. on the near thumb for two sec-
Grids are available online or from eye doctors. Right: Sandra gives her eyes a workout onds, then on the far one, then on
with a Brock string, a device that aids with the Shifting from Near to Far and Back
Again exercise. something across the room, and

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 19

VINTAG E WE AV ERS

then on something even farther colors with high contrast in wide Try artificial tears or drops
away. Repeat several times. stripes or big plaids. recommended for dry eyes and stay
hydrated. It is easy to get absorbed in
CHALLE NGES AND REMEDIES Lenses harden, making fine print weaving and ignore feelings of thirst.
Here are some of the vision difficul- and small details harder to see. Keep water nearby as a visual reminder
ties older weavers might experience, Close-range activities, such as to stop and drink now and then.
along with practical solutions for reading weaving drafts, are
managing them: more challenging. Eye pupils become smaller and less
Use a magnifying glass or a tablet responsive to light changes, result-
Contrast sensitivity diminishes, or computer screen to enlarge ing in light and glare sensitivity.
causing patterns to blend into drafts; weave with larger fibers or Generally speaking, adjust lighting
backgrounds and making details those with high contrast. inside, wear sunglasses outside, and
more difficult to distinguish. use a screen filter on smartphones,
Use greater contrast to ease this Retinal rod cells weaken. Seeing at tablets, and computers.
difficulty. Consider intensity of color, night or in poor light becomes diffi- When weaving, use natural light
yarn size, and texture to create cult. Rods are responsible for low- for distinguishing yarn colors. Filter
more contrast. light vision, and the eyes no longer harsh sunlight with sheer curtains
adjust and focus as they once did. or screens, and provide focused
Lenses develop cataracts, which Honestly, eat carrots. Also, choose lighting with lamps during detail
make everything seem like you’re light bulbs that work best for you in work such as dressing the loom or
looking through blurry yellow lamps that provide light where you picking up warp ends.
goggles. Whites appear dull, pinks need it most.
look dirty or orange, and blues Usable vision diminishes, despite
may seem greenish. Eyes produce fewer tears, making wearing glasses.
Ask someone else to review color them dry and itchy, especially in If this happens to you, it’s time for a
choices, or purchase fibers in prese- postmenopausal women. visit to the eye doctor. Many causes of
lected color bundles. Use your smart-
phone or digital camera to take a pic-
ture of your fiber selections, and then
change the picture to black and
white. This allows you to compare the
intensity of the colors and determine
if they are distinct (see photo at right).
When selecting light bulbs, choose
those that produce blue or white light
and avoid yellow.

Maculae degenerate, causing cen-

tral vision to decline while periph-
eral vision is unaffected.
Photo by Cynthia Evetts

Expect that tasks requiring visual

focus will be slow and labor-
intensive. Consider asking a friend to
help with drafting, warping, and
finishing tasks. Create wide warps
rather than narrow bands so shuttles Sam selected a second set of fibers for her project based on a grouping that had good
will be in your peripheral vision. Use contrast in a black-and-white photo.

20 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 VINTAG E WE AV ERS
Photos by Cynthia Evetts

Nature inspired but did not dictate the color combinations for Sam’s weaving. Adjusting the photo for higher contrast and brighter
colors created a better palette for selecting fibers.

diminishing vision are abnormal and original washed-out shade. She -therapy/guide-to-vision-therapy
should not be ignored. Your eye-care added bright white for contrast, and /vision-therapy-faqs/how-is-a -brock
professional (physician or ophthalmol- she strategically placed bold colors -string-used.
ogist) is your best source for informa- between the more muted tones to Why use an Amsler grid? Read about it
tion and medical advice about your ease the visual challenges she was at my.clevelandclinic.org/health
vision health. experiencing. The resulting hatband /diagnostics/amsler-grid-eye-test.
Think about using low-vision aids, was striking and well received by a Download a free printable Amsler grid at
which include smartphone apps, tele- grateful friend, just in time for brightfocus.org/macular/publication
scopic glasses, lenses with light filters, another hike. /amsler-grid-eye-test.
magnifying glasses, and magnifying For seeing true color, CNET recommends
sheets. Some of these devices are RESOURCES GE Reveal bulbs. Read more at cnet
handheld or can be laid directly on V ision problems .com/home/kitchen-and-household
paper drafts or your current warp. You Learn more about age-related eye prob- /best-led-lights.
can adjust e-books, tablets, and other lems at my.clevelandclinic.org/health For advice about making good choices
devices to provide larger, darker print. /diseases/common-age-related -eye with reading glasses, visit warbyparker
-problems. .com/learn/reading-glasses-strength.
R E M E M B E R SAM? Using caution with eye exercises: health
The hatband had been all but aban- .harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions Together, CYNTHIA E VET TS and TINA
doned when a friend suggested Sam /the-lowdown-on-eye-exercises. FLETCHER have 85 years of weaving
work near a window with lots of The American Academy of Ophthalmology experience, 80 years of occupational
natural light. The original design offers excellent advice for techniques therapy practice, 49 years in higher
simply needed more contrast to be and assistive devices to compensate education, and 20 years of friendship
visually appealing—and to avoid for poor vision. See aao.org/eye-health and shockingly similar interests.
the nightmare of warping strands of /diseases/low-vision-assistive-devices. They are definitely vintage weavers.
very similar colors. Sam chose a V ision aids
turquoise blue to represent the sky For more information about Brock
and a deeper green replaced the strings, see optometrists.org/vision

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 21

 4 -S H A F T

Bluebird Towels
C H E RY L W H I T E

STRUC TURE YARNS WARP LE NGTH DIME NSIONS

Overshot and Warp: 10/2 Ring Spun, Combed Georgia cotton (unmer- 399 ends 5 yd long Width in the reed: 20".
plain weave. cerized cotton; 4,200 yd/lb; Georgia Yarn Company), (allows 13" for take-up Woven length: (mea-
Warm Navy, 90 yd; Lt. Cornflower, 1,030 yd; Carolina and 41" for loom waste). sured under tension on
EQUIPME NT
Blue, 875 yd. the loom) about 126".
4-shaft loom, 20" SET TS
Weft: 10/2 Ring Spun, Combed Georgia cotton, Finished size: (after hem-
weaving width; 10-dent Warp: 20 epi (2/dent in
Warm Navy, 74 yd; Lt. Cornflower, 749 yd; Carolina ming and wet-finishing)
reed; 2–5 shuttles; a 10-dent reed).
Blue, 576 yd; Persimmon, 288 yd; Old Brick, 423 yd. four towels, about
5–7 bobbins; double- Weft: 20 ppi (plain
17" × 26" each.
bobbin shuttle (optional weave); 29 ppi (overshot,
but recommended). combined tabby
and pattern).

When I started weaving, I was drawn to color. Even though the beige
1970s were in full stride, I wove colors. I collected rainbows of yarn and
enjoyed warps with many hues—some subtle, some bright and bold.
When my husband and I added dyed yarns to our Georgia Yarn
Company cotton line, I was determined to have colors that weavers
could blend and contrast with one another. Choosing what colors

Photo by Skyler Ewing via Pexels

to use was an adventure (see “Creating a Custom Color Line” on
page 24) but well worth the effort.
I wove these towels as spring began arriving at my studio. While
feeding the birds, I thought of their lovely variety of colors, and east-
ern bluebirds came to mind with their bright blue and rust feathers.
I designed these towels to reflect those wonderful avian visitors.
For my draft, I chose the Cross of Tennessee from Josephine Estes’s
Miniature Overshot Patterns for Hand Weaving, one of my favorite
For her design, Cheryl was inspired by the bright
overshot draft books. The lovely patterns have short floats, making colors of the eastern bluebird.
them ideal for towels and smaller items. This particular draft with
its cross and table lends itself well to multiple colors in warp and
weft. I find it slow to wind, as I count and change colors, but fast
to thread, as the color changes create an automatic check of the The tabby and pattern colors change with
threading. If you end a threading block before a color finishes, each block. Try it once to see the effect. If
something needs checking. you don’t want to deal with frequent color
Adding color to the warp and weft of an overshot draft can be changes, try using one color for the tabby or
fun—and it’s not difficult. Patterns with definite blocks and tables, the pattern weft. If weaving the plain-weave
such as this one, are a good place to start. I chose Carolina Blue towels or the towels with a border and sec-
for the table of this design and added Lt. Cornflower for the cross. tion of plain weave, you might want to
A three-end stripe of Warm Navy in the center of the point adds weave 4 picks of navy and an even number
interest and makes a nice plain-weave check if you don’t want all of picks of the Carolina Blue (I wove 26) to
overshot for your towels. square the design. I alternated sides with

22 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

the color changes to avoid buildup following the draft in Figure 2. 3 Spread the warp with scrap yarn
of the selvedges. Centering for a weaving width of using plain-weave treadles 5 and 6.
Even if you are weaving these in 20", sley 2 per dent in a 10-dent
winter, I hope you think about the reed. Sley the last 5 ends 2-1-2. 4 Towel 1 is overshot on the full
brightly colored feathered visitors towel. Weave a 1½" plain-weave
that will soon be on their way 2 For the plain-weave and tabby hem using Lt. Cornflower and end-
with the changing of the seasons. picks, wind 1 bobbin each of Warm ing on treadle 5.
May these pretty bluebird colors Navy, Lt. Cornflower, and Carolina
brighten your day! Blue. For the pattern weft, wind 5 Continue to weave following
doubled strands of Persimmon and the treadling in Figure 2 while
1 Wind a warp of 399 ends 5 yd Old Brick onto separate bobbins for using tabby. Note: The Persimmon
long following the warp color use in a standard shuttle, or wind 2 pattern weft is always paired with
order in Figure 1. Warp the loom bobbins of a single strand per color the Carolina Blue tabby, and the
using your preferred method, and use a double-bobbin shuttle. Old Brick pattern weft is always

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 23

 C R E AT I N G A C U S T O M C O LO R L I N E
When you select colors of yarn for a project, do you
ever wonder how those specific hues were chosen
when that yarn was dyed? I can tell you how we did it
at our small company.
In 2011, my local weaving group wanted to make a
project for which we all used the same yarn. My hus-
band, Michael, sourced that yarn for us—and that was
the beginning of Georgia Yarn Company Our business
quickly expanded to include cotton, silk, linen, and
other fibers. Our primary customers have always been
handweavers, but we also number knitters and crochet-
ers and even doll makers and fishing enthusiasts among
them. (Those last two groups are interested in silk for

Photos courtesy of Cheryl White / Georgia Yarn Company

making doll hair and fishing flies, respectively.)
After a time, we added natural Georgia-grown ring-
spun cotton in a variety of weights to our product offer-
ings (to the delight of our enthusiastic customers). Later,
I designed a snowflake towel kit and had a few colors
of 8/2 unmercerized cotton custom-dyed for it. The
kit’s popularity and the difficulty of finding 10/2 cotton
at that time led us to develop a standard color line of
unmercerized 10/2 cotton, starting with the red and two
greens I’d used in that kit.
Colorful decisions
Choosing our colors was a challenge. Michael sug-
gested starting with a line of 10 colors, but we soon real-
ized that neutrals alone would take at least half of those
slots, and we needed to go bigger. I collected scraps of
yarn, paint chips, and fabric swatches to find a group of Top: The Penfield Store, shown here in 1941, was a
colors that my weaving experience and color sense told gathering place for the community. Georgia Yarn Company
bought the long-abandoned building to hold its yarn
me would blend well. My choices leaned toward shades inventory. Bottom: The line includes hues Cheryl enjoys
and tones, while Michael preferred purer colors. We par- weaving with as well as colors she and Michael developed
ticularly disagreed on greens: Shamrock was Michael’s based on customer requests.
choice, and Olive was mine (we compromised by adding
both to the list). Dreaming up color names was lots
of fun. practices in place for receiving, processing, and selling
In the end, our first run included 28 colors. We sent yarn. We did have to rent warehouse space for a while
our color samples along with written descriptions and a to store it all.
supply of our 10/2 unmercerized cotton to the dyehouse, Our 10/2 line currently has 37 colors, and it seems
and soon the beautiful colors we envisioned began to grow by a few shades each year. And we have pur-
arriving for approval a few hanks at a time. chased the historic Penfield Store to hold all those
cones—no more need for warehouse space!
Business challenges If you’d told me 40 years ago that we'd have a busi-
Ordering enough yarn for a project or getting a box ness connected to my greatest passion, I wouldn’t have
holding a few cones is one thing; receiving a tractor believed you. But to my unending delight, today we live
trailer full of yarn is another. Our first order included and work in a small Georgia community, shipping our
all the colors in the new line, most in 100-pound own colorful line of locally grown cotton to weavers
amounts, so the sheer size of that delivery was daunt- around the world.
ing. Fortunately, we already had a solid set of business
—Cheryl White

24 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 2. DRAFT
6x Towel 1
3x 3x 6x 2x 3x 1 2 3 4 5 6
4 4 4
3 3 3
2 2 2
1 1 1

15x
cont’d
HEDDLE COUNT Warm Navy 3x 2x 6x
Shaft 4 86 Carolina Blue

2x
Shaft 3 93 Lt. Cornflower
Shaft 2 114 Old Brick (used doubled)
Shaft 1 106 Persimmon (used doubled)
Total 399

1. WARP COLOR ORDER

6x
18 3 Warm Navy
175 25 25 Carolina Blue

use tabby, colors indicated in bars at left

6x
206 19 14 14 19 Lt. Cornflower
399 ends total

paired with the Lt. Cornflower or several picks to protect the weft.
Warm Navy tabby. Remove the towels from the loom.

6 After repeating the middle sec- 10 Cut the towels apart between

7x
tion 7 times, end with the balance the scrap yarn picks and zigzag
picks, the border, and a 1½" Lt. stitch the raw edges.
Cornflower plain-weave hem.
Weave 2 picks with a contrasting 11 Turn the raw edges under ½"
scrap yarn. and then ½" again. Press. Stitch the
hems by hand or machine.
7 Towel 2 is patterned in a blue
plaid, without overshot elements. 12 Wet-finish by machine washing
Weave it in plain weave following the in warm water. Tumble dry until
weft color order in Figure 3. Weave damp-dry. Remove from the dryer
2 separating picks. and steam-press.

8 Towel 3 combines a plain-weave RESOURCES

plaid body with overshot borders Cheryl used the Cross of Tennessee draft
(motifs A and B on one end and from Josephine Estes’s Miniature
6x

motif A alone on the other end). Overshot Patterns for Hand Weaving,
Follow the treadling and weft color edited by Mitchell and Thompson
order in Figure 3. At the end of (Saunderstown, RI: Weavers Guild
Towel 3, weave 2 picks of contrast- of Boston, 1994), 41.
ing yarn.
From her studio in Penfield, Georgia,
9 Towel 4 combines plain weave CHERYL WHITE weaves, teaches, and
2x

with narrow accent overshot designs colorful projects using Georgia

stripes. Follow the treadling and Yarn Company yarn. She can be found
15x

weft color order in Figure 3. Weave at handweaver.us.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 25

 M A K E I T YO U R O W N
3. WEAVING AND WEFT COLOR ORDER
Towel 2 Towel 3 Towel 4
Plain weave 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
4 4 4 4 4 4
Blu r
e
ina we

3 3 3 3 3 3
Ca Corn avy
rol flo

2 2 2 2 2 2
Lt. rm N

Photo by Matt Graves

1 1 1 1 1 1
Wa

15x
hem 30 15x

8x
16
26
9x

16
4
hem 16
use tabby, colors indicated in bars at left

Wondering if you might prefer these towels

woven in a different set of colors? A yarn wrap

5x
is a quick way to take a look. The lower wrap

8x
shown here uses Cheryl’s complementary
Motif A
13x
color palette, while the upper one is a very
different group of colors pulled from a pillow
8x

we found at the retailer Anthropologie (using

Georgia Yarn Company’s 10/2 unmercerized
cotton in the colors Peach, Persimmon, Herb,
Smoked Pearl, and Gold).
If you don’t even know where to begin
with colors, try this. Collect some images that
appeal to you (at retailer or home-decorating
8x

magazine websites, or flowers from your

garden, or a favorite outfit). Take a good look
13x

at them. Are you drawn to a particular color or

8x

group of colors? That’s where you should begin.

How to make a yarn wrap
Start with a narrow piece of sturdy white
cardboard or chipboard (such as the Bristol
6x

Motif B
board shown here). Affix a piece of double-
sided tape along the back and wrap your yarn in
Repeat Motif A snug groups around the cardboard, pressing
8x

it to the tape as you go. Your goal is to include

15x
8x

groups of yarn showing all the colors in the

approximate order and proportions of the
2x
6x

warp’s design.
8x

This style of yarn wrap doesn’t show

13x

interlacements, but it gives you an idea of

how colors look when placed next to each
8x

other. You don’t even need to have the exact

project yarn on hand—use what you’ve got in
2x

the appropriate colors. At this point, you’re

8x

making a rough draft rather than a final plan.

If the wrap’s not feeling quite right, make
Repeat Motif A
another one using a different group of colors
from your collection of images. When you’ve
15x

made a wrap you like, you’re ready to plan a

warp using your personal set of colors.
—Handwoven editors

26 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 Stories of Cloth,
Thread, and
Their Makers
NE W
ES
EPIS O D G
Start Listening Today!
R E A M IN
ST long threadmedia.com/podcast
N OW

SPONSORED BY

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 27

S P OTLIG HT

Photos by Robin Lynde

Rose wears a heavy wool coat before shearing. All Jacob sheep have horns, and their fleeces are naturally multicolored.

How to Source Yarn

Directly from a Farm
BY R O B I N LY N D E

Why might you want to buy yarn from the farmer who produced it? Maybe G ROWING AND SE LLING WOOL
you discovered an intriguing yarn at a fiber festival, or you fell in love with While I don’t know what goes on
a cute sheep or found a particular breed with characteristics you admire behind the scenes at large yarn
and want for your weaving. Or perhaps you’ d simply like to support growers retailers, I assume that it’s vastly
in your region by buying locally. different from what happens at my
farm. I have my hands on every
I have a flock of more than 70 Jacob caring for my sheep or getting aspect of every fleece from the
sheep (a small multihorned, spotted fleeces to a mill for spinning, I enjoy moment the lambs are born, to
breed), and each year I proudly sell weaving with these yarns. shearing day, to skirting and sorting
a batch of natural-color yarn to My farming and weaving experi- wool, to delivering wool to a local
eager weavers and knitters. I also ences combine to give me a broad mill, to finding customers for the
process and sell yarn spun from a perspective on the ins and outs of resulting yarn.
neighbor’s flock of white-faced buying yarn directly from the pro- You could say the process of
sheep of Targhee, Rambouillet, and ducer that you may find helpful. growing wool begins anew each
Polypay breeding. And when I’m not Let’s begin with how wool is grown. year, the day after shearing. All year

28 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 S P OTLIG HT
long, I monitor sheep health and Typically, I end up with about 40 Most farmers who are direct
nutrition (to prevent the weak sec- pounds of Jacob yarn per year, plus marketing their yarn are happy to
tions in fleeces known as wool 60 pounds of yarn from Timm answer questions, and many have
breaks), and I manage pasture and Ranch fleeces. samples of finished goods. You may
feeding practices (to minimize veg- I sell to customers in person at the be able to meet them and their sheep
etable matter in the fleece). farm, online, and at Lambtown (our at county and state fairs, as well as
Or maybe it starts before that, local California fiber festival). Our nat- during sheep or fiber festivals. Some
when I make sure the pregnant urally colored yarn may sell out by the may also sell at farmers markets or
ewes have adequate nutrition so following summer. If it does, there may open their farms to visitors.
that the lambs are born with their won’t be more until we grow, shear, An obvious way in today’s world is
full genetic potential for growing and process the next batch of fleeces. to search online—but not all small
good wool (see Resources). farms have websites, and those with
We shear our f lock once a year in FINDING A FARM E R websites may not show up within the
January or February, about a month If you’re intrigued by small-batch first few search pages. You can find a
before lambing. Sheep are held off yarn, how do you find farmers who directory of heritage sheep breeders
feed and water for 12 hours before sell yarn? as well as info about a breed’s fleece
shearing for the comfort of both the
sheep and the shearer. Shearing is
skilled physical work—our shearer
can shear a sheep in two minutes.
Members of our Meridian Jacobs
Farm Club come to help with shear-
ing day tasks, and local fiber guild
members are invited to come
and watch.
Fleeces weigh anywhere from 3 to
6 pounds and are available immedi-
ately for sale. After shearing, we lay
each fleece out on a table for skirt-
ing (removing less desirable wool
from around the edges). Some buy-
ers sort their new fleece into colors
and separate britch wool (a coarse
wool from the back legs) before tak-
ing their fleece home. I skirt and
sort all remaining fleeces and deliver
them to a local mill for scouring,
carding, and spinning.
In a typical year, our farm pro-
duces 275 pounds of fleece, and I
also purchase about 50 pounds from
a neighboring Jacob farmer and
about 120 pounds from the nearby
Timm Ranch. After scouring, our
yield is 55 to 65 percent clean fiber,
some of which becomes roving and Top: Rose after shearing, feeding her twin lambs. Bottom: On shearing day, Farm Club
the rest of which is spun into yarn. members show off staple length as they skirt Jacob fleeces.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 29

S P OTLIG HT

Mills adjust their equipment

for each batch they process,
working with each farmer
to spin yarn that is most
appropriate for that fiber and
for the farm’s customers.

characteristics and its best uses at

livestockconservancy.org. Another
source is Fibershed (fibershed.org),
an international network of farmers,
mill operators, and textile producers.
It has an affiliate directory that lists
local chapters, which can provide
information about wool growers.

BUYING SM ALL- BATCH WOOL

After you’ve met a farmer at a sheep
show, found a farm down the road, or
discovered an interesting website,
how do you decide if the yarn is right
for you? Consider these factors.

Breed
The breed of sheep generally deter-
mines whether its fiber is fine or
coarse. In the wool world, those
terms refer to the diameter of indi-
vidual fibers measured in microns
and indicate whether wool is soft or
scratchy. Some breeds have very
fine fleece (Merino and Rambouillet
are well-known examples). Others,
such as Lincoln and Cotswold, are
considered coarser longwool breeds.
You’ll want fine wool if you’re
weaving next-to-the-skin pieces, but
coarse wool will be sturdier for saddle
blankets or household items such as
rugs. Don’t overlook medium wool
(such as Corriedale and Columbia) for
blankets, wearables, and more. There
are even double-coated breeds such
Top: Bags of skirted and sorted fleece are ready for a trip to the mill for processing.
Middle: It takes a skilled worker about two minutes to shear a sheep. Bottom: Looking as Navajo-Churro and Karakul, which
quite a bit less fluffy after shearing, a group of Jacob sheep show their color markings. have a coarse outercoat and a finer

30 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 S P OTLIG HT
undercoat. Traditionally, fiber from rather than the ypp weavers expect. for your feedback so they can use
both coats is spun together, and the Also, the smaller mills they use for that information when they design
yarn is great for rugs, saddle blankets, processing may not be set up to pro- and label next year’s yarn.
or heavy outerwear. duce standard and consistent pack-
There are dozens of sheep breeds age weights. If you have a specific Consistency and Availability
that you won’t find on standard use in mind, be prepared to buy all The idea of consistency applies both
breed lists. Some are referred to as you need for your project (or even a to a batch of yarn from a particular
“primitive,” “unimproved,” or “clas- bit more for sampling). year and to yarn from that producer
sic,” which on the wool side means How the yarn is processed also over multiple years. Mills adjust
they haven’t been bred to produce affects the sett when you are ready their equipment for each batch they
an all-white or heavier fleece. Dis- to weave. Skeined yarns are finished process, working with each farmer to
covering rare or lesser-known at the mill differently from coned spin yarn that is most appropriate
breeds and deciding what to weave yarns. As shown in the photos below, for that fiber and for the farm’s cus-
with their wool is one of the exciting wrapping my Timm Ranch coned tomers. Even so, characteristics may
things about buying yarn directly wool yields a wraps per inch (wpi) of vary for a single batch of wool spun
from the source. 19; the same wool from a skein has a at two separate mills or spun at one
wpi of either 16 (straight out of the mill but at different times—just as a
Yarn Packaging skein) or 12 (after a dip in water). In handspinner can spin yarn that var-
When you buy yarn from a large general, plain-weave sett is roughly ies from one bobbin to the next.
retailer, you can expect standard half of a yarn’s wpi—which you I use two local mills, and both do
yardage in skeins or on cones, with might think means 8.5, 8, or 6 for a great job with my Jacob wool.
standard labeling information indi- this yarn, depending on its put-up. However, when I sort my wool by
cating yards per skein or yards per My experience weaving with this natural Jacob colors (black, white,
pound (ypp) for cones. wool is that it is best sett at 8 ends gray, and lilac), each lot may have
When you buy yarn from individ- per inch. slightly different values for ypp and
ual farmers, they may market it to a While not all farmers are weavers weight per skein, even when pro-
broad customer base in skeins (truth to tell, most are not), you can cessed one right after another.
rather than cones, and they may always ask them for insights about If yarn consistency is important
describe it using knitting words what to expect as you weave with to you, buy enough yarn for your
such as fingering, sport, or DK their yarn. Some will even be glad project from a single year’s

Wraps per inch for yarns from the same fiber can vary substantially depending on put-up. This yarn measures 19 wpi from a
cone (above left), 16 wpi straight from a skein (above center), and 12 wpi from a skein that’s been dipped in water and allowed to
dry (above right)—leading to setts from 6 to 8.5 epi. Sampling is the only way to determine which sett is best.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 31

S P OTLIG HT

A Jacob fleece shows multiple natural colors as well as the After a year of work, cones and skeins of naturally colored
fiber’s staple length and crimp. Jacob yarn are ready for buyers.

production, or work directly with a piece of each yarn the same length produce differential shrinkage
farmer who can help you find yarns in its relaxed state. Measure the during wet-finishing.
that work well together even if the yarns under tension and then again Weaving with yarns purchased
numbers aren’t exactly the same. after soaking and drying them. You directly from the farmer can be a
Many small-batch farmers can tell may get clues as to how to use these rewarding experience—if you know
you how well yarn from one year is yarns together. how to approach using these yarns.
likely to match yarn from another. If your yarns have very different It’s my hope that after reading this
Whether farmers have dozens or characteristics but you want to use article you can do so with confi-
hundreds of sheep, they will not have them together, consider using one dence.
limitless quantities of yarn for sale. as warp and the other as weft. My
A good rule of thumb is to buy what Jacob wool can be used in warp and RESOURCES
you need all at once or be prepared weft, but the britch wool has much To learn about how wool develops on
to be flexible when you want more. less elasticity and will cause rip- sheep, visit woolwise.com/educational
pling if used as a warp stripe along- -resources/crc-for-premium-quality
WE AVING WITH SMALL- BATCH WOOL side the other yarns. My other wool -wool-resources/wool-biology-2
So, you came home from a fiber fes- has even more elasticity. I often use /theme-wool-biology-follicle
tival with several yarns you just one yarn type as warp and the oth- -development.
couldn’t resist. Now what? You may ers as weft, but I don’t mix them in For more about the advantages of buy-
not know how the yarns will behave the same warp. ing yarn from local farmers, read Carol
in a project, but if you know the If you want to put dissimilar J. Sulcoski’s “Think Globally, Knit
breed, you can make some assump- yarns together in a warp, use very Locally” at farmfiberknits.com/think
tions as you plan. narrow stripes (such as alternating -globally-knit-locally.
Broadly speaking, the elasticity single threads). Great differences in For information about heritage breeds
and grist of your yarns can make a elasticity may still be evident if one and links to farmers in your area, visit
great difference in the outcome of a yarn shrinks more than another, but livestockconservancy.org and fiber
project. Sampling is one way to the effect will be over the whole shed.org.
learn about how yarns will behave piece rather than in large bands. Watch Jacob sheep being shorn at
together, but it may not be an Or you could plan a project that Robin’s farm at youtube.com/watch?v
option if your supply is limited. One takes advantage of the differences =nFG6qwzys5Q.
way to compare yarns is to cut a in elasticity to intentionally

32 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 Weaving • Spinning • Dyeing • Felting

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34 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com
8-SH A F T

Perpetual Pinwheels
R O B I N LY N D E

STRUC TURE YARNS WARP LE NGTH DIME NSIONS

Color-and-weave. Warp: Jacob DK Yarn (100% Jacob wool; about 178 ends 3 yd long (in- Width in the reed: 178⁄10".
1,160 yd/lb; Meridian Jacobs), JW23-VO-LL-2 Lilac cludes floating selvedges; Woven length: (mea-
EQUIPME NT
and JW23-VO-B Black, 267 yd each. allows 7" for take-up, 25" sured under tension on
8-shaft loom, 18" weav-
Weft: Jacob DK Yarn, JW23-VO-LL-2 Lilac and for loom waste). the loom) 76".
ing width; 10-dent reed;
JW23-VO-B Black, 205 yd each. Finished size: (after wet-
2 shuttles. SET TS
Note: The JW23 lot of yarn will be sold out by the finishing and sewing
Warp: 10 epi (1/dent in a
time this issue is published, but JW24 yarn will be ends together Möbius-
10-dent reed).
available. See “How to Source Yarn Directly from a style) 13½" × 62".
Weft: 9–10 ppi.
Farm,” page 28, to learn how to find and work with
Note: While Robin aimed
small-batch farm-produced yarns, and why yd/lb
for a balanced weave
measurements are approximate.
(the same epi as ppi),
OTHE R SUPPLIES she found that her ppi
Unicorn Fibre Wash for wet-finishing (optional). was closer to 9 because
she used a light beat.

The color-and-weave pinwheel pattern is a perfect design to showcase 2 Wind bobbins with each of the weft
the different colors and values of the yarn grown by my Jacob sheep. colors. Spread the warp with scrap yarn.
Both sides of the cloth look the same with this draft, which means the
pattern is continuous throughout the Möbius strip after finishing. 3 Weave following the draft in Figure 2
While writing this article, I got sidetracked reading about Möbius for about 76" or desired length. See
strips. I learned that the properties were independently described Weaving Tips for info about handling shut-
by two German mathematicians in 1858, one with the last name of tles with two colors, as well as thoughts
Möbius. About these infinite loops, Scientific American says, “A about woven length.
single-sided surface with no boundaries, the strip is an artist’s
reverie and a mathematician’s feat.” 4 Remove the fabric from the loom.
The Möbius shape is easy to wear since it stays in place on the shoulders Machine stitch both ends to secure. Note:
and has an attractive twist in front. During finishing, the ends of this Robin uses a row or two of zigzag stitch
shawl are sewn together. Because there is no fringe, the waste yarn that (or other stitch with some flexibility). Trim
must be accounted for when planning a project truly is wasted. To make the warp yarn to about ½".
limited quantities of special yarn go as far as possible, you can lash your
warp on rather than tying it on—or you can spread the waste by doubling 5 Wet-finish in warm water with Unicorn
the warp and weaving an extra Möbius (or fringed) shawl for a friend. Fibre Wash or another mild detergent.
Soak the fabric for 10 minutes, then agi-
1 Wind a warp of 178 ends 3 yd long following the warp color tate. Robin agitates most of her wool
order in Figure 1. One end on each side will be a floating sel- pieces for 2 to 3 minutes, either by hand
vedge. Warp the loom using your preferred method, following or in the washing machine (preferably one
the draft in Figure 2. Centering for a weaving width of 178⁄10", sley that can easily be started and stopped).
1 per dent in a 10-dent reed. Sley the floating selvedges through Drain and squeeze out soapy water. Place
empty dents on each side of the warp. in clean rinse water and swish briefly.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 35

 1. WARP COLOR ORDER 2. DRAFT
11x 11x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
89 1 8 JW23-VO-LL-2 Lilac 8 8 8 8
89 8 1 JW23-VO-B Black 7 7 7 7
178 ends total 6 6 6 6
5 5 5 5
4 4 4 4
3 3 3 3
HEDDLE COUNT 2 2 2 2
Shaft 8 22 1 1 1 1
Shaft 7 22
Shaft 6 22
Shaft 5 22
Shaft 4 22
Shaft 3 22 floating selvedge
Shaft 2 22 JW23-VO-LL-2 Lilac
Shaft 1 22 JW23-VO-B Black
Total 176

76"
3. FLAT-FELLED SEAM
Drain and squeeze again, then
spread the fabric out on a large
towel to dry.

6 To assemble, bring the two ends

of the fabric together. Make a half
twist in one end. Sew the ends
together using a flat-felled seam (see
Figure 3): Baste the pieces together
so that one cut (and zigzagged) end
is inset about ½" from the other. Fold Weaving Tips
the longer end over the shorter end • The threading places dark yarn and wet-finishing techniques,
and press. Fold the long end under on one edge and light yarn so they may vary from weaver
on the other to avoid cutting to weaver. If you have extra
½" to enclose the cut edges and
the yarn after every 8 picks. warp, Robin suggests weaving
press again. Baste the layers When she weaves a pattern a little longer. You will wet-finish
together and then sew close to the like this, Robin begins and the fabric before stitching and
folded edge. ends the dark weft at the dark can decide then whether you
selvedge and begins and ends want to use the whole length
the light weft at the opposite for your Möbius shawl.
RESOURCES
selvedge. She positions a stool • To make a fringed shawl, start
Robin found her pinwheels draft (#59) or small table on each side of by leaving unwoven warp a
on p. 20 of Carol Strickler’s A Weaver's the loom to hold the inactive bit longer than your intended
Book of 8-Shaft Patterns (Loveland, shuttle. She treats the inac- fringe length. As you begin
tive weft yarn like a floating weaving the pattern, leave a
CO: Interweave, 1991).
selvedge—she reaches under weft tail 4 times the width of the
Read more about the origin of the the yarn coming from the un- warp, throw a few pattern picks,
Möbius strip at scientificamerican used shuttle when catching and use the long tail to add a
.com/article/the-timeless-journey-of the active shuttle and lifts the row of hemstitching. Continue
-the-moebius-strip. active shuttle over the inactive weaving the pattern to the de-
yarn before throwing it back sired length. Repeat hemstitch-
through the shed. ing. Cut the fabric off the loom,
ROBIN LYNDE raises Jacob sheep,
• Take-up and shrinkage can be leaving unwoven warp at both
weaves, and teaches fiber classes at affected by warping, weaving, ends for the fringe.
her farm shop in California.

36 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 IDE A G A LLERY
Photos by Natalie Drummond

Natalie records her ikat template for each project in a dye journal.

Fun with Ikat and Ice Dyeing

BY N ATA L I E D R U M M O N D

About a decade ago, around the same time I started vat dyeing indigo, the ikat positions as you warp, try
I also began ice dyeing. I found Mary Zicafoose’s ikat work (see Resources) starting with 3½-yard warps. After
to be especially inspirational, and at some point, I wondered about com- dyeing, these will provide the 3-yard
bining ikat with ice dyeing. When used together, the techniques provide so warps used in the project.
many opportunities to explore color and pattern on woven cloth. That’s Two of the warps include ikat
how my journey to the Ikat and Ice Scarf (page 42) began. binding or wrapping to provide sec-
tions that resist dye. To create each
resist section, wrap the tape in one
PRE PARING THE WARPS the 4½-yard warps I describe here direction for the width you’d like
For my Ikat and Ice Scarf, I began are longer than you’ll see in the Ikat and then reverse it to the other
with three 4½-yard warps, wound and Ice Scarf project to account for direction, stretch it, and tie it with a
separately using a warping board. shrinkage during the dyeing process. slipknot. Loosely wrapped ikat tape
A couple of notes about my warps: I also adjust ikat positioning as I will encourage wicking, while
First, I include extra ends in each warp, and I like to sample as I weave— tightly wrapped tape results in
warp to have on hand in case of bro- both of which use extra warp length. sharp color boundaries. More about
ken threads needing repair. Second, If you don’t expect to sample or shift this process can be found in Mary’s

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 37

IDE A G A LLERY

book or in Japanese Ikat Weaving The final section in Warp 1 has 18 Soda ash helps fibers absorb
(see Resources). ends with a 1" resist over all previ- dyes, giving you brighter,
For Warp 1 (84 ends, including ous resists. To finish off Warp 1, more colorfast results.
extras), measure 18 ends on the warp- secure the cross and wrap a choke
ing board and temporarily secure the tie to form loops at the beginning
working end of the yarn around the and end of the warp. At this point, below) when they come in contact
first peg to keep it under tension. Wrap I’ll sometimes add a narrow wrap with ice, I do a lot of sampling to
a 4" ikat tape resist around these ends that I can use as a registration mark learn how dyes will react to ice. I
every 29 inches. (On my warping over all the ends behind the cross if use the results of these samples
board, the wrapped sections sit I’m interested in creating additional when choosing an ice-dye palette
directly above or below each other.) ikat shifts as I thread my loom. for a warp.
Unwrap the working yarn from You can take Warp 1 off the warp- To determine how much of each
the first peg and wind 24 more ends. ing board, or push it back on the dye I need, I use my records as a
Secure the end of the working yarn pegs to make room for Warp 2. guide, along with a web tool by
again and then wrap a 3" resist For Warp 2 (66 ends, including Dharma Trading Company that cal-
around both the previously extras), tie 2" ikat tape wraps every culates the amount of dye needed
wrapped resists and the newly 6 inches. Wind and wrap all ends based on how much fiber you’re
wound 24 ends, creating an extra at once. dyeing and what dye you’re using
layer of resist that is shorter than Warp 3 (108 ends, including (see Resources).
the previous wrap. Leave the previ- extras) has no ikat resists. Soda ash helps fibers absorb dyes,
ous layer’s slipknot exposed. Repeat giving you brighter, more colorfast
the 3" resist wrap on top of each DYE PRE PAR ATION results. For Tencel warps, I skip
of the 4" wraps. When preparing dyes, I mix small soaking the fiber in soda ash before-
Continue the same process with batches as I work, referring to my hand and instead mix the soda ash
another 24 ends, this time using a 2" records of previous ice-dyed warps. with the dye powder in a 3:1 ratio by
resist while leaving the previous Because some dyes split (separate volume. Refer to the chart on page 39
slipknots exposed. into component colors—see photos for dye mixture amounts needed for

Left: Some dyes split into component colors during ice dyeing. Natalie dyes reference samples such as these to learn about such
splitting. Right: Two warps being measured out, with periodic bands of ikat tape.

38 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 IDE A G A LLERY
Left: Warps 1 and 2 are snaked back and forth along the bottom of individual tubs. Ice is added to cover each warp, and then
horizontal bands of each warp’s dye mixtures are sprinkled over the ice. Often, the ikat tape wraps will align in the tub.
Right: Warp 3 is dyed in a deep bin with loops of warp hanging vertically through the openings in a wire closet rack, and rubber
baseboard is wrapped around the top edge to contain the ice. A small amount of the dye powder is sprinkled underneath the ice,
with the rest of each mixture reserved and spread on top of it. Plastic clips on the edges of the bin mark boundaries for the dyes.

each warp. (Some dyeing processes clothespins on the edges of the tub DYE MIXTURES FOR EACH WARP
Ikat Warp 1
use weight measurements, but I’ve to mark the ikat tape boundaries, Dye Soda ash
found that volume works well for and then cover the warp with two Indigo Blue 1 tsp 3 tsp
Sky Blue 1 tsp 3 tsp
ice dyeing.) layers of ice (7 pounds or so). Spread Midnight Blue ½ tsp 1½ tsp
For safety’s sake, use equipment the Bronze, Midnight Blue, Sky Blue, Bronze ½ tsp 1½ tsp
and tools that are reserved for dye- and Indigo Blue soda ash and dye
ing only, and always wear a mask, mixtures in horizontal bands across Ikat Warp 2
Dye Soda ash
gloves, and protective eyewear the legs of the warp, making sure to Wand Wood 1½ tsp 4½ tsp
when mixing or applying dyes. avoid overlapping the dyes. Strawberry Skies ½ tsp 1½ tsp
Mystic Blue ¼ tsp ¾ tsp
Using a separate tub, follow the Alpine Blue ¼ tsp ¾ tsp
DYE ING THE IK AT WARPS same process with Warp 2 and its Indigo Blue ½ tsp 1½ tsp
I used two approaches to ice dyeing dye mixtures.
for this project. Warps 1 and 2, Companion Warp 3*
Dye Soda ash
which both include ikat-resist tape DYE ING THE COM PANION WARP Strawberry Skies 1 tsp 3 tsp
ties, were dyed in separate tubs Warp 3, which doesn’t have any Wand Wood and
a dusting of Bronze 1 tsp 3 tsp
under a layer of ice, with bands of ikat-resist areas, is suspended in a Mystic Blue ¾ tsp 2¼ tsp
dye sprinkled over the ice. As the ice deeper tub, with dye applied both Alpine Blue ¼ tsp ¾ tsp
*Sprinkle a small amount of these dye
melts, the dyes settle onto the fiber, underneath and above a layer of ice. mixtures on Warp 3 before adding ice.
and the warps sit in the resulting This warp should not touch the bot- Reserve most of each to sprinkle over
the ice.
soda ash and dye-water muck. tom of the tub or sit in the melted
To begin, snake Warp 1 back and ice and dye that collect there.
forth across the bottom of a To prepare Warp 3, find its center
28-quart tub (see photo at left and mark it with a plastic clothes-
above). Use masking tape or plastic pin or clip. Set a wire closet rack

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 39

IDE A G A LLERY

Over the next 24 hours, the ice in all three bins will slowly melt, time required for each setup
releasing water that will react with the dye and color the yarn. depends on the amount of ice used,
but when all the ice in a bin has
melted, you can remove that warp.
At the end, if clumps of dye pow-
across the top of a deep tub and Lay a window screen over the der and soda ash are visible on the
snake loops of the warp through the rack and yarn to keep the ice from fiber (see photo below), you can irri-
rack’s openings, skipping several falling through the setup. Wrap a gate the setups with hot water to
openings between loops. Do not let length of 4-inch rubber baseboard dissolve and carry away the excess.
the warp rest on the bottom. When around the edge of the tub to con- Rinse the warps one at a time in a
you reach the clothespin at the mid- tain the ice, positioned so that sink with warm water to discharge
point, snake the rest of the warp when ice melts, it drips directly on excess dye. Follow up with rinses using
back through the rack’s openings to the yarn. hot water and Synthrapol until the
the beginning position. Spread a 4- to 5-inch layer of ice water runs clear. Straighten the dyed
In separate areas directly above the evenly over the warp and sprinkle warps as you would a dry warp—
yarn, sprinkle small amounts of the the remaining soda ash and dye under tension! Hang each warp to dry
mixtures of soda ash and dye (see powders over the top, following the unchained, or chain the warp and then
photo at right on page 39). Reserve color areas defined by the clips. use a spinner to remove excess water
larger amounts of the dye mixtures before hanging it to dry.
for use on top of the ice. Mark the FINISHING THE DYE PROCESS
transitions between dye colors with Over the next 24 hours, the ice in all PL ANNING TO WE AVE
clips. Dye coverage will be best at the three bins will slowly melt, releas- I dress the loom from front to back
top of the rack, and some of the pow- ing water that will react with the so I can design in the reed and
der will fall to the bottom of the tub. dye and color the yarn. The dyeing adjust exactly where the warp ends
fall if needed.
For these warps, I designed a draft
to showcase the ikat and ice-dyed
warps in plain weave along
with warp and weft floats using
woven shibori methods (see Ikat and
Ice Scarf, page 42). The draft uses a
4-shaft deflected-doubleweave block
threading and a monk’s belt tie-up.
One side alternates ikat Warp 2
with the companion Warp 3 for a
striped effect. Ikat Warp 1 is on the
other side.
The supplemental pattern weft
is gathered before washing the
woven cloth and then removed from
the cloth after washing. This
process creates open spaces in the
woven cloth rather than permanent
pleating.

After dyeing but before rinsing, clumps of the soda ash/dye powder mixture are
evident on this warp. You can rinse them off with hot water.

40 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 IDE A G A LLERY
RESOURCES
Mary Zicafoose provides a thorough look
at ikat in Ikat: The Essential Handbook
to Weaving Resist-Dyed Cloth
(Loveland, CO: Interweave, 2020).
Another good book about ikat is Jun and
Noriko Tomita’s Japanese Ikat Weaving:
The Techniques of Kasuri (London:
Routledge Kegan & Paul, 1982).
You can find the Fiber Reactive Dye
Yields estimator tool at dharmatrading
.com/cgi-bin/procion_yields.cgi.

NATALIE DRUMMOND is an instructor,

weaver, and dyer based in Fremont,
Indiana. Her work can be found at the
Orchard Gallery of Fine Art in Fort
Wayne, Indiana.

The shibori supplemental-weft picks (visible as light loops on the right edge) result in
open lace-like areas in the final fabric of the scarf.

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42 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com
4 -S H A F T

Ikat and Ice Scarf

N ATA L I E D R U M M O N D

STRUC TURE OTHE R SUPPLIES SET TS

Plain weave with floats. Ikat tape (Maiwa); dyeing supplies including tubs/bins, Warp: 20 epi (2/dent in
closet rack, window screen, clothespins or clips, rub- a 10-dent reed).
EQUIPME NT
ber baseboard, measuring tools, soda ash; Synthrapol : Weft: 20 ppi.
4-shaft loom, 12" weaving width; 10-dent reed; 2
Fiber Reactive Procion Dyes (Dharma Trading
shuttles. DIME NSIONS
Company), #26 Sky Blue, #27 Midnight Blue, #37
Width in the reed: 111⁄10".
YARNS Bronze, #77 Alpine Blue, and #168 Indigo Blue; Fiber
Woven length: (mea-
Warp: 5/2 Tencel (100% lyocell; 2,100 yd/lb; Shiny Dime Reactive Dyes (Happy Cat Tie Dye), Wand Wood,
sured under tension on
Fibers), Undyed, 903 yd. Mystic Blue, and Strawberry Skies. See “Fun with Ikat
the loom) 74".
Weft: 60/2 silk (14,800 yd/lb; Valley Yarns), #655 Sepia and Ice Dyeing” on page 37 for dye amounts needed.
Finished size: (after wet-
and #644 Aqua, 420 yd each. Note: If the Happy Cat Tie Dye options are out of stock,
finishing and hemming)
Pattern weft: 5/2 cotton (2,100 yd/lb; Valley Yarns), Natalie suggests substituting Dharma #34 Rust Brown
7" × 72" plus 4" fringe.
#1089 Alabaster, 90 yd. Note: Any light color may be for Wand Wood, Dharma #153 Mermaid’s Dream (T) in
used for the pattern weft. a light dye application for Mystic Blue, and #8132
Stormy Sky MX from PRO Chemical & Dye for
Strawberry Skies.

WARP LE NGTH
222 ends 3 yd long (allows 8" for take-up, 26" for loom
waste; loom waste includes fringe). See additional info
about warp length before dyeing in Natalie’s article
on page 37.

When designing my scarf, I wanted to combine three techniques I’m the supplemental pattern weft could then be
especially interested in: ikat, ice dyeing, and woven shibori. gathered and tied, and the woven piece
A workshop with Mary Zicafoose sparked my interest in weaving rinsed and steamed to further enhance the
ikat. To create the ikat patterning in this scarf, I used tape from texture. After I removed the pattern weft, the
Maiwa to bind warp ends together before ice dyeing, protecting sec- sample ended up with open spaces, creating
tions of the warp from the dye. For my scarf ’s design, these areas of a lace-like appearance.
resist were as important as the dyed portion of the warp.
I love ice dyeing because, as the ice slowly melts, the dye powder 1 Following the directions in “Fun with
splits or separates into a variety of colors on the yarn. The three Ikat and Ice Dyeing” on page 37, wind
warps in this project are ice dyed separately, but all three have three separate warps for the colorways
sections dyed with various blues and bronze to unify the final shown in the warp color order, Figure 1.
scarf. In some places on the scarf, you can’t tell that the yarn was Wrap the two ikat warps with ikat tape as
dyed in separate batches. outlined in the article. Dye the three
The woven shibori component came as an idea while weaving a warps using the recommended color pal-
4-shaft deflected-doubleweave draft, which prompted the question, ettes and dye amounts on page 39 and
“What else can I do with this threading?” Catharine Ellis’s Woven then wash with Synthrapol until the water
Shibori led me to consider a monk’s belt draft that uses the same runs clear. Note: As the article indicates,
threading. While weaving a sample scarf, I discovered a treadling you will wind and dye a few extra ends
modification that produced plain weave with warp floats on the face with each warp to use in case of broken
of the cloth and plain weave with weft floats on the back. The yarn for warp threads.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 43

 HEDDLE COUNT 1. WARP COLOR ORDER
Shaft 4 54 2x 5x
Shaft 3 54 72 30 6 6 Ikat Warp 1: #168 Indigo Blue, #26 Sky Blue, #27 Midnight Blue, #37 Bronze
Shaft 2 57 54 6 12 6 Ikat Warp 2: #168 Indigo Blue, #77 Alpine Blue, #37 Bronze, Wand Wood, Mystic Blue, Strawberry Skies
Shaft 1 57 96 6 90 Companion Warp 3: #77 Alpine Blue, #37 Bronze, Wand Wood, Mystic Blue, Strawberry Skies
Total 222 222 ends total

2. DRAFT 2 Warp the loom using your pre- yarns. Leave the supplemental
18x ferred method, following the warp pattern weft loose at the sel-
3x 3x 3x
1 2 3 4 color order in Figure 1 and the vedges to reduce draw-in; it will
4 4 4 4
3 3 3 3 draft in Figure 2. Natalie warps be removed later.
2 2 2 2 from front to back as she puts on
5 Leaving at least 8" for fringe on
1 1 1 1
the three warps one at a time. This
pw
4x

method allows for the easy sepa- both ends, cut the fabric from the
ration of Warp 3 and ikat Warp 2. loom. Twist fringe using 2 groups
of 6 ends in each fringe.
3 Wind a bobbin, using the two
Sepia/Aqua
pattern weft
6
A

pw plain weave
colors of 60/2 silk held together. Pull each loop of pattern weft
Wind another bobbin of 5/2 cotton. along one selvedge. Tie pattern
Spread the warp with scrap yarn. threads in groups of 4 or 6 with an
pw

overhand knot. The woven cloth

4x

4 Weave following the draft in will compress to approximately

Figure 2 for about 74", following 2" wide.
pattern blocks A or B in random
7 Wash with Synthrapol in warm
B

order separated by 8-pick blocks

of plain weave, and ending with water and spin dry. Clip and remove
plain weave. Avoid crossing your pattern warp threads. Steam the fin-
pw
4x

supplemental and ground weft ished scarf. Do not iron.

44 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

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handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 45

46 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com
8-SH A F T

Op Art Table Linens

TIEN CHIU

STRUC TURE YARNS WARP LE NGTH DIME NSIONS

Doubleweave. Warp: Naturally Colored unmercerized 10/2 cotton 492 ends 6 yd long Width in the reed: 138⁄10".
(4,200 yd/lb; American Maid; Lunatic Fringe Yarns), (allows 20" for take-up, Woven length: (mea-
EQUIPME NT
Dark Green, 1,656 yd; Natural White, 1,296 yd. 40" for loom waste). sured under tension on
8-shaft loom, 14" weaving
Weft: Naturally Colored unmercerized 10/2 cotton, the loom) 156" (24¾"
width; 10-dent reed; SET TS
Dark Green, 1,227 yd; Natural White, 753 yd. each placemat, 57" table
2 shuttles. Warp: 40 epi (20 epi per
runner).
OTHE R SUPPLIES layer, 4/dent in a 10-dent
Finished size: (after wet-
Raddle (optional); warping sticks. Note: Because the reed); 20 epi in single-
finishing and hemming)
warp is beamed at two different densities (20 epi in layer green edges (2/dent
four placemats, 11" × 17½"
the green edge sections and 40 epi in the green and in a 10-dent reed).
each; one runner, 11" × 44".
white center sections), Tien recommends using warp- Weft: 32 ppi where
ing sticks to evenly tension the warp. Paper separators the layers are woven
are not stiff enough. See Weaving Tips for more about together; 40 ppi in white
managing warp and cloth tension. and green separated
layers; 20 ppi in single-
layer green hems.

These table linens were inspired by the lovely scarves and shawls 138⁄10", sley the solid green border at 2 per
of Ruth Blau and Pat Stewart. Their work, on 24—or more—shafts, dent in a 10-dent reed, sley the center
features separate layers of cloth at the selvedges and intricate double- green and white section at 4 per dent,
weave center designs. I decided to see whether the same technique then sley the second solid green border
could be used with 8 shafts and discovered, to my delight, that it could! section at 2 per dent. Beam the warp with
These placemats with matching table runner are woven in three warping sticks (see Weaving Tips).
blocks using a combination of doubleweave and single-layer cloth. One
of the warps is narrower than the other, which enabled me to create a 2 Wind a bobbin of Dark Green and a
placemat with a two-layer doubleweave border on all four sides. bobbin of Natural White. Spread the warp
To give these table linens an understated elegance, I decided to with scrap yarn.
make them using green American Maid naturally colored cotton
yarn. This is cotton that is bred to produce color as it grows; the 3 Weave the first placemat following the
lovely color of the placemats is not dyed! draft in Figure 2. Weave a few picks of
The magical part of naturally colored cotton is that the color is contrasting yarn for a cutting line, then
muted on the cone; to bring out the natural shade, the finished weave the next three placemats and run-
items must be scoured in very hot water with soda ash or baking ner, continuing to follow Figure 2 and sep-
soda. The result is nothing short of magical: a boring placemat arating each item with scrap yarn. Note
design transforms into distinct blocks of creamy white and a that the center motif is repeated three
beautiful shade of olive! times for the runner.

1 Wind a warp of 492 ends 6 yd long following the warp color 4 Weave a few picks of scrap yarn to
order in Figure 1. Warp the loom using your preferred method, protect the weft. Remove the fabric from
following the draft in Figure 2. Centering for a weaving width of the loom.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 47

 1. WARP COLOR ORDER
216x
216 1 Natural White
276 30 1 30 Dark Green
492 ends total

2. DRAFT
4x 4x 3x 3x 2x 2x 14x 15x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
8 8 8
7 7 7
6 6 6
5 5 5
4
3
2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1

31x
cont’d
4x 4x 5x 5x 6x 7x 6x 5x 5x

29x
1x for each placemat; 3x for runner
cont’d
15x 14x 2x 2x 3x 3x

3x 2x 2x
cont’d 1x for each placemat; 3x for runner

cont’d 1x for each placemat; 3x for runner

Natural White
3x

9x

Dark Green
denting group
green borders 2/dent 3x
green and white 4/dent
3x

8x

4x
2x

7x

HEDDLE COUNT
4x

Shaft 8 37
Shaft 7 37
2x

6x

Shaft 6 42
Shaft 5 42
5x

Shaft 4 59
Shaft 3 59
5x

Shaft 2 108
Shaft 1 108
5x

Total 492
5x

6x
15x

4x

7x
14x

4x

8x
32x

48 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 Weaving Tips 5 Wet-finish by washing in hot
water with dishwashing liquid and
• If you’re warping back to front at two different densities, you
on one beam, make sure when need something stiff to keep enough baking soda to make the
winding the warp to wind the the layers parallel at the edges. water feel slippery. Tien recom-
30 green ends at the begin- • If you plan to weave more than mends boiling the water, removing
ning and end in raddle groups one set of placemats at once, it from the heat source, and allow-
appropriate for 20 epi; wind two warp beams will work bet- ing the water to cool just enough
the center 432 green and white ter. Place the mixed green and
ends in raddle groups appro- to safely put your hands in. Enjoy
white center section (sleyed at
priate for 40 epi. To prepare for 40 epi) on one warp beam and watching the color change in the
beaming, place the first green the green-only border sections water! Rinse well and press dry.
bout in the raddle at 20 epi, (sleyed at 20 epi) on a second
then place the mixed white and
green bouts in the raddle at
warp beam. 6 Cut apart the items at the scrap
40 epi. Finally, place the sec- • If the finished cloth is winding yarn picks. Press the hems under
ond 30-thread green bout in onto the cloth beam unevenly and then hem the green and white
the raddle at 20 epi. and causing tension problems,
you can either cut off and retie
ends of the placemats and table
• Beam your warp using a gener- between placemats or use runner by hand.
ous supply of warping sticks. warping sticks on the cloth
Do not use paper or cardboard! beam to even out the tension. TIEN CHIU teaches color in weaving
Because the warp is winding on
at the Handweaving Academy,
handweavingacademy.com.

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handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 49

 8-SH A F T

Concentric
Squares Scarf
J E A N N E R A L S TO N

STRUC TURE YARNS WARP LE NGTH DIME NSIONS

Doubleweave. Warp: 10/2 pearl cotton (4,200 yd/lb; Valley Yarns; 408 ends 3½ yd long Width in the reed: 13".
WEBS), #2746 Dark Teal, 711 yd; #8990 Black, 718 yd. (includes floating Woven length:
EQUIPME NT
Weft: Zephyr 18/2 (50% merino wool/50% silk; 560 selvedges; allows 8" for (measured under tension
8-shaft loom, 13" weav-
yd/50 g; Jagger Spun), Chartreuse, 550 yd. 16/2 take up, 32" for loom on the loom) 86".
ing width; 8-dent reed;
unmercerized cotton (6,720 yd/lb; Maurice Brassard), waste; loom waste Finished size: (after wet-
2 shuttles.
#5029 Bleu Moyen, 550 yd. includes fringe). finishing) 11" × 78" plus
5½" fringe.
SET TS
Warp: 32 epi (4/dent in
an 8-dent reed).
Weft: 32 ppi.

A MidAtlantic Fiber Association (MAFA) class led by Denise Kovnat 1 Wind a warp of 406 ends 3½ yd long
inspired this scarf. As we were weaving the final structure on our alternating the teal and black (203 ends
warps for echo weave and jin (an integrated doubleweave structure), each). (Jeanne held 1 teal and 1 black end
Denise showed us an integrated doubleweave tie-up in Marian together as she wound her warp.) Wind 2
Stubenitsky’s book Weaving with Echo and Iris. Once home, I was extra ends of black to be used as floating
inspired to experiment with traditional doubleweave tie-ups and selvedges and set them aside. Warp the
various threadings using Fiberworks software. loom using your preferred method, follow-
My Concentric Squares Scarf began with a checkerboard double- ing the draft in Figure 1. Centering for a
weave tie-up. I then expanded a traditional doubleweave block weaving width of 13", sley 4 ends per dent
threading (1-2-3-4 for block A, 5-6-7-8 for block B) to an advancing in an 8-dent reed. Sley the floating sel-
twill threading with repeats in the advance to allow for the forma- vedges through empty dents on each side
tion of squares (for example, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4-5, 2-3-4-5, of the warp, and weight them over the
2-3-4-5, 2-3-4-5-6, 3-4-5-6, 3-4-5-6, 3-4-5-6-7, 4-5-6-7, 4-5-6-7, 4-5-6- back beam.
7-8, 5-6-7-8, 5-6-7-8, 5-6-7-8-1, etc.). The threaded areas in bold
create doubleweave pockets, while the rest make up an integrated 2 Wind bobbins with each of the weft col-
layer of cloth (interlacement) between the two layers. ors. Leaving at least 8" of unwoven warp
When woven as shown in this project, the areas of doubleweave for fringe, spread the warp with scrap yarn.
are small enough to not impact the cloth texture. You could alter
the threading by repeating the sequences in bold to create larger 3 Leaving a tail 1 yd long for hemstitching,
areas of doubleweave in the fabric. This would create texture/dim- weave 4 picks of plain weave, then begin
pling in the cloth as it goes from two layers of cloth to one layer. the pattern treadling for about 1". Use the
As I was designing this on Fiberworks, I also found that color was tail to hemstitch in groups of 6 warp ends.
important for showing the halo effects emanating from the squares.
Analogous blues created the halos and vibrating effect, but comple- 4 Continue weaving, following the draft in
mentary colors seemed to dull and flatten the effect. Figure 1 for about 86". End with 4 picks of
I urge you to explore other color combinations and different sizes plain weave and hemstitch as you did at
of doubleweave pockets in your version of this scarf! the beginning.

50 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 51
 HEDDLE COUNT 1. DRAFT
Shaft 8 50 4x
Shaft 7 52 3x 3x 3x 3x 3x 3x
Shaft 6 52 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Shaft 5 52 8 8 8 8 8
Shaft 4 51 7 7 7 7 7
Shaft 3 49 6 6 6 6 6
Shaft 2 50 5 5 5 5 5
Shaft 1 50 4 4 4 4 4
Total 406 3 3 3 3 3
2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1

2x
4x cont’d
3x 3x

3x
floating selvedge
10/2 Black
10/2 Dark Teal
16/2 Bleu Moyen

3x
2/18 Chartreuse

end
on 4th repeat,

3x
jump to end

3x
repeat for 86"
3x
3x
3x 3x

5
2x

Leaving at least 8" for fringe on RESOURCES

both ends, cut the fabric from the Madelyn van der Hoogt’s The Complete
loom. Prepare a twisted fringe Book of Drafting for Handweavers
using 2 hemstitched groups in gives a good overview of doubleweave
each fringe. (Coupeville, WA: Shuttle Craft Books, JE ANNE R AL STON is a handweaver living
2000). in the southwest mountains of Virginia
6 Wet-finish by handwashing in Read more about integrated doubleweave with her husband and her dog. Her
cold water with dish or wool deter- tie-ups in Marian Stubenitsky’s Weaving woven pieces ref lect her fascination
gent. Line-dry. with Echo and Iris (self-published, 2020). with weave structures.

52 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 www.treenwaysilks.com

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handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 53

54 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com
8-SH A F T

Cascading Silk Blouse

D I A N E G . C R OW D E R

STRUC TURE YARNS WARP LE NGTH DIME NSIONS

Advancing twill. Warp: 8/2 Cascade Silk (1,985 yd/lb; Henry’s Attic; 470 ends 3 yd long Width in the reed: 294⁄8".
Yarn Barn), white, 1,410 yd. (includes 2 floating Woven length: (mea-
EQUIPME NT
Weft: 20/2 Tussah Silk (4,960 yd/lb; Henry’s Attic; selvedges; allows 8" sured under tension on
8-shaft loom, 30" weav-
Dharma Trading Co.), semibleached, used doubled, for take-up, 20" for the loom) 80".
ing width; 8-dent reed;
2,308 yd. Trim: 8/2 Cascade Silk, 16 yd for single- loom waste). Finished size: (after wet-
1 shuttle.
crochet edge; more for optional edging. finishing) body fabric,
SET TS
24" × 58"; two sleeves,
OTHE R SUPPLIES Warp: 16 epi (2/dent in
24" × 5¼" each.
Sewing thread, matching and contrasting; crochet an 8-dent reed)
hook, size C-2/2.75 mm or size needed to work 8 sc/in. Weft: 16 ppi.

For me, silk is the most exquisite (and comfortable) fiber. So when I Centering for a weaving width of 294⁄8",
wanted to make a summer blouse, silk was the natural choice for sley 2 per dent in an 8-dent reed. Sley the
warp and weft. Deciding on what kind of silk took some more floating selvedges through empty dents
thought, as I wanted Jean Hutchison’s advancing-twill design (see on each side of the warp, and weight
Resources) to be the focal point. However, using a single color of them over the back beam.
yarn in warp and weft can obscure patterns in the weaving. While
the sheen of silk creates some contrast, the effect is muted at a dis- 2 Wind a bobbin with the 20/2 tussah silk
tance. I had done some spinning with wild tussah silk made from doubled. Spread the warp with scrap yarn.
cocoons of uncultivated moths, which can range in color from
nearly white to various shades of gold and brown. I thought a very 3 Weave 2" in plain weave for the hem,
light tussah might give just enough contrast with white silk to show then weave in pattern for 58" following
off the weave pattern. the draft in Figure 1, followed by a second
I already had some 20/2 tussah silk that was a pale gold, so I 2" plain-weave hem for a total of 62".
decided to use that doubled as weft, with white 8/2 silk as warp. Insert a pick of waste yarn to mark the
The subtle difference in color made the advancing-twill pattern cutting line, then weave in pattern for
more visible.
For the shirt itself, I chose a simple crewneck T-shirt sewing pattern
that required minimal cutting and made the fabric the focus. To finish,
I added a single-crochet edging around the neckline and sleeves.
The final color reads as ecru at a distance, yet the silky sheen
constantly shifts between white and warm off-white closer up. The
overall effect reminds me of freshwater pearls. Using silk in natural
colors to create an interesting fabric was a most satisfying aspect of
the project.

1 Wind a warp of 468 ends 3 yd long. Wind 2 additional ends to

be used as floating selvedges, and set them aside. Warp the
loom using your preferred method, following the draft in Figure 1.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 55

 1. DRAFT
6x
2x 3x 3x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
8 8 8 8 8 8 8
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
/
cont’d 1" hem
/
/
/

3x
HEDDLE COUNT
8 8 8 8 /
Shaft 8 36 7 7 7 7 7 /
Shaft 7 54 6 6 6 6 6 /
Shaft 6 60 5 5 5 5 /

3x
Shaft 5 60 4 4 /
Shaft 4 66 3 /
Shaft 3 78 2 2 /
Shaft 2 72 1 1 1 /

2x
Shaft 1 42 /
Total 468 /
floating selvedge /
/
/

2x
/
/
/
/

58" blouse; 18" sleeves

another 18" for the sleeves, with a for the body and two short pieces for /
/
pick of waste yarn after 9" to mark the sleeves. Note: Diane finishes /
the cutting line between the raw edges with a line of straight /
/
sleeves. Weave an inch of scrap stitching on each side of the waste /
/
yarn to protect the weft. yarn picks before cutting, followed /
by a line of zigzag on each cut /
4 Remove the fabric from the edge to better control raveling. /
/

loom, and machine sew with /

straight stitch at the beginning 7 With right sides together, fold /
/
and end of the garment fabric. the body section in half at the /
/
Trim off loom waste. shoulder line, dividing the front and /
back. See Tips. Press the fold. Fold /

5 Wet-finish in tepid water and a side to side to find the center back /
/

/
few drops of Ivory dish detergent and front, and press to fold. Unfold /
1" hem
or shampoo. Let the fabric soak the fabric. Make a paper pattern /
for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly, for the neck opening 8" side to
roll the fabric in a towel to remove side, 3" below the shoulder line in
excess water, and line-dry. front, and 2" above in back (see over and cut out the neckline close
Figure 2). Wind your sewing bobbin to your stitching. Replace sewing
6 Machine stitch on each side of with thread that contrasts with your bobbin thread with matching
the waste-yarn picks marking the fabric. Pin or baste the pattern to thread, and zigzag stitch the raw
ends of the body section and the the fabric, right side up, centered edge. Turn under the raw edge 1⁄8",
two sleeves, cut, and finish all raw over the fold lines, and stitch care- and sew along the fold with a
edges with zigzag stitching. You fully with a short straight stitch straight stitch to make a base for
will have one long section of fabric close to the paper. Turn the fabric crochet edging.

56 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 2. NECKLINE DETAIL 3. SCHEMATIC
8"
shoulder dart

1½"
2" 2"
3"

9"
8"
3"

24½"
cutting line 25% actual size

45"

Tips 8 Refold the body section’s shoul- 11 To hem the blouse, with
• See Figure 3 for a schematic der line with right sides together. wrong side facing out, fold the
of Diane’s blouse and its Beginning ¼" from the neckline, bottom edge up ½" and lightly
dimensions. We recommend pin a dart slanting from the fold to press. Fold again to create a
constructing a muslin of the 1½" away from the fold at each 1¼" hem and handstitch.
blouse including sleeves
side edge. Stitch the darts and
before weaving and sewing
the final garment, to confirm press them toward the back. See 12 With crochet hook and Cas-
size information. Consider Tips and Figure 3. cade yarn, pick up and work single
whether you need to adjust crochet around the neckline (start-
the warp size or woven length.
9 Trim the sleeve widths to desired ing at back center) and sleeve
• Diane added darts following measurement. Diane’s sleeves are hems (starting at underarm) at
the natural slope of the shoul-
18" wide (plus 1" for a seam allow- about 8 sts/in. If desired, add
ders to eliminate the “wings”
that make many handwoven ance), so she trimmed 5" from each optional sleeve edging (see Tips).
garments look boxy. 24" sleeve piece before sewing
• Diane’s blouse uses a very them into the body as follows. Plac-
old construction method ing the center of each sleeve at the RESOURCES
in which a single length of dart with right sides together, stitch Diane used Jean Hutchison’s draft for
fabric drapes over the body,
the sleeves to the body using a advancing twill from her project “Two
with a hole added for the
head opening. As a result, ½" seam allowance on the sleeves Techniques for the Beginning Sewer” in
the twill patterning on this and a ¼" seam allowance on the Handwoven, May/June 2001, pp. 56–60.
blouse will face one direc- body selvedge. Press seams The optional sleeve edging is from Des
tion on the front and the op- toward sleeves. At sleeve cuffs, Maunz’s pattern “Quad Cluster Bor-
posite direction on the back.
turn under and stitch 1⁄8" from edge der.” ravelry.com/patterns/library
• After sewing the top, Diane
for crochet base. /quad-cluster-border-w--picots.
decided to add a decorative

10 With right sides together,

shell and picot edging (see
Resources) to the sleeves, DIANE G. CROWDER has been weaving
picking up from the single- seam blouse sides and sleeves clothing, linens, and tapestries for
crochet edge. She used off- using a ¼" seam allowance. Clip more than 30 years. She lives with her
white silk yarn from her stash
seams at the underarm corner and partner and two cats at the Lake of
for this final edging.
press open. the Ozarks in Missouri.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 57

 Jane
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60 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com
4 -S H A F T

Hargrove’s Dinner Party

JOE WIXTED

STRUC TURE WARP LE NGTH DIME NSIONS

M’s and O’s. 432 ends 9 yd long Width in the reed: 18".
(allows 26" for take-up, Woven length: (mea-
EQUIPME NT
34" for loom waste). sured under tension on
4-shaft loom, 18" weaving width; 12-dent reed; 3 shuttles.
the loom) 264".
SET TS
YARNS Finished size: (after
Warp: 24 epi (2/dent in
Warp: 8/2 cotton (3,360 yd/lb; Maurice Brassard), #101 Blanchi hand-dyed blue hemming and wet-
a 12-dent reed).
and #101 Blanchi hand-dyed gray, 1,944 yd each. finishing) four napkins,
Weft: about 21 ppi for
Weft: 8/2 cotton, #101 Blanchi hand-dyed blue, 1,600 yd; #101 Blanchi hand-dyed 16" × 22" each;
the sections woven with
gray, 1,214 yd. 10/2 unmercerized white cotton (4,200 yd/lb; American Maid; one napkin, 14" × 22";
8/2 cotton; about 24 ppi
Lunatic Fringe Yarns), hand-dyed red, 276 yd. and two runners,
for those woven with
Note: All the yarns for this project were hand-dyed using natural dyes. See project 16" × 70" each.
10/2 cotton.
intro below for more information. Good substitutes in commercially dyed yarns are
8/2 cotton (3,360 yd/lb; Maurice Brassard), #4274 Bleu Cobalt and #4275 Charcoal
for the blue and gray, respectively, and 10/2 cotton (100% cotton; 4,200 yd/lb;
Tubular Spectrum; Lunatic Fringe Yarns), #10 Red.

As I weave, I enjoy thinking about the weavers who came before us.
Notes on Structure
“Large Ms and Os” from John Hargrove’s The Weavers Draft Book and
Fabrics woven in M’s and O’s will
Clothiers Assistant (published in 1792) is a simple draft that is still shrink considerably in an uneven
an enjoyable structure to weave in the twenty-first century. manner during wet-finishing, so the
In my own act of homage, I wove a set of table linens with yarns napkins in this project are woven as
dyed using eighteenth-century materials and methods. Logwood rectangles rather than squares.
(produced from the heartwood of a tree native to southern Mexico
and prized as a dyestuff since the sixteenth century) produced a
purple or gray hue, indigo (in use as a dye since ancient times) pro-
vided the blues, and cochineal is responsible for the red accents.
Cochineal is an insect native to the Americas that still gives us
some of our modern red food dyes!
This project also demonstrates how small changes in your weft
Image courtesy of Joe Wixted

can alter the look of the fabric. I added a bright red accent pick
between the blue and gray areas that make up most of the weft,
just to see what would happen. You could even use multiple picks
of red or a heavier weight of fiber to produce more clearly defined
red ridges. As you weave this old pattern, please experiment as you
think of the eighteenth-century weavers at their looms.

1 Wind a warp of 432 ends 9 yd long by winding 12 alternating The original draft as published in John
Hargrove’s The Weavers Draft Book and
36-end stripes of blue and gray. Warp the loom using your pre- Clothiers Assistant. Tom Knisely writes about how
ferred method, following the draft in Figure 1. Centering for a draft notations have changed over the years, as
well as his process for interpreting old drafts such
weaving width of 18", sley 2 per dent in a 12-dent reed. as this one, in Notes from the Fell, p. 14.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 61

 1. DRAFT
6x
3x 3x 3x 3x
1 2 3 4
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1

9x
blue
gray

9x
red

napkin 1
1 2 3 4

8x
HEDDLE COUNT

9x

9x
Shaft 4 144

9x
Shaft 3 72

9x
Shaft 2 72

8x

12x
Shaft 1 144

runner

9x
21x
Total 432

napkin 2
8x 9x
14x
8x

8x
2 Wind bobbins with each of the 7 Cut the napkins and runners
weft colors. Spread the warp with apart along the scrap yarn picks.

napkin 3
9x
scrap yarn. Turn the raw edges under ½" and

7x
8x
press. Turn under an additional
3 Weave the first napkin follow- ½" and press again. Hem by hand
ing the treadling in Figure 1. It or machine.

9x
should be about 24" long under
tension. Weave 2 picks of a con- 8 Wet-finish the napkins and 9x
9x
trasting-color scrap yarn and start runners by hand in warm water
the next napkin. by gently agitating and then
napkin 4
9x

leaving them to soak for about

4 Repeat Step 3 for the remaining
9x

20 minutes. Air-dry. Press with

6x
9x

four napkins. a warm iron.

9x

5 Weave two runners in the same RESOURCES

9x

manner as the napkins, with picks You’ll find the draft (#6), along with the
9x

of contrasting yarn between them book’s splendid original preface, in John

9x

napkin 5

and following the treadling in Hargrove’s The Weavers Draft Book and
16x

Figure 1. Each runner should be Clothiers Assistant (Baltimore, MD:

9x

about 72" long under tension on I. Hagerty, 1792). The book is available
the loom. online at cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving
/books/hj_draft.pdf.
6 Weave several picks of scrap If you're interested in using natural dyes,
yarn to protect the weft, and this video is a great resource: learn.long JOE WIX TEDis a weaver at Colonial
remove the fabric from the loom. threadmedia.com/courses/natural Williamsburg with five years of
-dyeing-with-dagmar-klos. daily weaving experience.

62 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

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handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 63

 8-SH A F T

Interlocking
Block Towels
REGINA MCINNES

STRUC TURE YARNS OTHE R SUPPLIES SET TS

Summer and winter. Warp: 28/1 line linen (100% linen; 7,342 yd/lb; Cotton sewing thread Warp: 28 epi (2/dent in
Bockens), 1,704 yd. for hems. a 14-dent reed or 2-2-3/
EQUIPME NT
Background weft: 28/1 line linen (100% linen; dent in a 12-dent reed).
8-shaft loom, 20" weav- WARP LE NGTH
7,342 yd/lb; Bockens), 448 yd. Weft: 20 ppi.
ing width; 14- or 12-dent 568 ends 3 yd long (al-
Pattern weft: 22/2 cottolin (60% cotton/40% linen;
reed; 2 shuttles. lows 7" for take-up and DIME NSIONS
2,900 yd/lb; Venne), #4009 Gobelin and
33" for loom waste for Width in reed: 204⁄14".
#5003 Peacock, 210 yd each.
two towels; add 37" for Woven length: 68".
Note: Regina used 28 Nel unbleached singles linen
each additional towel). Finished size: two
from her stash for the warp and background weft.
towels, 18½" × 30" each.

I’m always looking for ways to use some of my extensive stash of

linen yarn. It is, however, tricky to use these cones in projects for
Notes on Structure
Four picks work together to form the
Handwoven because I purchased a lot of it more than a decade ago—
summer and winter pattern. First, tie
and it is not labeled. While researching similar yarns to suggest as down shaft 1 with the pattern pick in a
substitutes, I’ve discovered the sheer number of yarns now avail- thicker yarn, followed by tabby 1 (shafts
able. Just as exciting, I find that the new yarns have better quality 1 and 2) with fine linen yarn; next, tie
and consistency than the old ones. down shaft 2 with the same pattern
pick in the thick yarn, followed by tabby
For this project, I struggled with my vintage singles linen yarn in
2 (shafts 3–8) in the fine yarn.
the warp. It turned out to be rather hairy, which caused a lot of
sticking during winding on and while weaving. If you’d like to try
something other than the replacement singles warp yarn noted
above, I suggest a fine unbleached double linen. I haven’t tested this
approach myself, but when combined with the thicker cottolin two- 2 Wind a bobbin with the background
ply linen, it should give you a very similar result. linen and another with the pattern
I was quite satisfied with the look and feel of the finished product. cottolin. Spread the warp with scrap yarn.
It is absorbent and surprisingly soft for a mostly linen cloth, and the
summer and winter weave structure has loosened enough to 3 Weave 13 picks of plain weave with
achieve a soft hand. linen weft for the hem. Continue weaving,
The towels have the characteristic earthy background color of following the draft in Figure 1 for 8 repeats
unbleached linen, and the blue patterning provides extra visual plus the balance, for about 32". End with
interest without taking over. 12 picks of plain weave in linen for the
other hem.
1 Wind a warp of 568 ends 3 yd long. Warp your loom using
your preferred method, following the draft in Figure 1. Centering 4 Weave a few picks with scrap yarn to
for a weaving width of 204⁄14", sley 2 per dent in a 14-dent reed or separate, then repeat Step 3 for the sec-
2-2-3 per dent in a 12-dent reed. ond towel using the other pattern weft.

64 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 65
 1. DRAFT
7x
3x 3x 3x 3x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
8 8 8 8
7 7 7 7 7 7 7
6 6 6 6
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Gobelin or Peacock cont’d

6x
Unbleached
HEDDLE COUNT
3x

2x
Shaft 8 42
Shaft 7 84
Shaft 6 84
Shaft 5 28 6 6

4x
Shaft 4 28
Shaft 3 17
Shaft 2 143 3 3
Shaft 1 142 2 2 2
Total 568 1 1 1

4x
8x
4x
4x
4x

5 Weave a few picks with scrap

2x

RESOURCES
yarn to protect the weft. Cut the Learn more about summer and winter in
6x

towels off the loom. Zigzag stitch Harriet Tidball’s Summer and Winter
along ends of both towels before and Other Two-Tie Unit Weaves (Shut-
cutting apart. tle Craft Guild, 1966). Regina based
her draft on pattern 57, p. 23.
6 To hem, fold each end over
twice and machine stitch in place. REGINA MCINNES, a nurse and care
worker, loves working with natural bast
7 Wet-finish by washing in hot fibers and finding new ways to weave
water and tumble dry. beautiful and practical cloths.

66 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

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handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 67

68 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com
4 -S H A F T

Alpaca in Your
Lap Blanket
JEFF SMITH

STRUC TURE YARNS WARP LE NGTH DIME NSIONS

Twill. Warp: Alpaca Fino (100% alpaca; 219 yd/100 g; 434 ends 2½ yd long Width in the reed:
AppleOak FibreWorks), Caramel, 1,085 yd. (includes floating 362⁄12".
EQUIPME NT
Weft: Alpaca Fino, Caramel, 536 yd. Simply Alpaca selvedges; allows 5" for Woven length:
4-shaft loom, 37" weav-
Aran (100% alpaca; 246 yd/100 g; Knit Picks), Alton, take-up, 30" for loom (measured under tension
ing width; 12-dent reed;
66 yd (see Weaving Tip). waste; loom waste on the loom) 53".
2 shuttles.
includes fringe). Finished size: (after wet-
OTHE R SUPPLIES
finishing and hemming)
Temple (recommended). SET TS
32" × 48" plus 6" fringe.
Warp: 12 epi (1/dent in a
12-dent reed).
Weft: 10 ppi.

My wife and I love to travel. Not too long ago, we went to Peru to see
Machu Picchu and the Andes. Beyond the beautiful scenery, what Weaving Tip
she loved most about the trip were the friendly alpacas. When we This project was designed using
commonly available alpaca knitting
returned to our 60th-floor apartment overlooking the Brooklyn yarns. These yarns are woolen-spun
Bridge, she found that the winter winds made it too cold to nap in and quite lofty, which can cause
her chair by the window. So, I drew inspiration from the elevation- challenges in some reeds. As an
loving alpacas and wove a throw to keep her warm. I chose to cele- alternative, you can use a weaving-
style alpaca yarn such as Galler Yarns’
brate the natural beauty of the animals she loved so much by using
Heather Prime Alpaca (see Yarn Lab,
only undyed alpaca yarns. p. 72) or Gist Yarn’s Ode, but those
There’s a lot to love about alpaca yarn: it’s light, soft, fuzzy, and options may change the hand of the
beautiful, even in natural colors. But most of it is spun in a lofty, resulting fabric.
woolen style, intended for knitting. You can weave with lofty yarns
such as this, but you’ll need to be particularly careful in how you
sley the reed, thread heddles, and advance the warp. width of 362⁄12", sley 1 per dent in a 12-dent
One of the choices to make in this relatively straightforward proj- reed. Sley the floating selvedges through
ect is how to handle the pattern rows, which should be at least two empty dents on each side of the warp.
threads thick. You can make two passes with a boat shuttle, or you
can wind your weft double around a stick shuttle. You can even try 2 Wind a bobbin with the Caramel weft.
plying together two lengths of pattern yarn to create a more distinc- Wind a bobbin with Alton or wind a stick
tive textural stripe. Whatever approach you take, it’s worth select- shuttle with a doubled strand. Leaving at
ing two colors that contrast as much as my choices do, to highlight least 6" of unwoven warp for fringe,
the pattern pick. And with the diverse shades that alpacas naturally spread the warp with scrap yarn.
grow, you have lots of gorgeous choices for your throw.
3 Using a length of Caramel 5 times
1 Wind a warp of 434 ends 2½ yd long. Two of those ends will be the width of the warp, twine 1 row (see
used as floating selvedges. Warp the loom using your preferred Figure 2). Then begin the pattern trea-
method, following the draft in Figure 1. Centering for a weaving dling in Caramel.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 69

 4 For the darker patterning, weave
2 picks of Alton in the same shed
(or weave 1 pick with a doubled
strand of weft). Note: Because of
the distance between pattern
picks, Jeff recommends using sep-
arate lengths of yarn and tucking in
the ends for each instance of pat-
tern weft, rather than running the
yarn up the selvedges.

5 Continue weaving following the

draft in Figure 1 for about 53". End
with 1 row of twining in Caramel,
as you did at the beginning.

6 Leaving at least 6" for fringe on

both ends, remove the fabric from
the loom. Knot each pair of warp
ends with an overhand knot. Trim
the fringe ends.

HEDDLE COUNT 1. DRAFT

7 Wet-finish in warm water by
Shaft 4 108 54x
gently agitating and then leaving
1 2 3 4 5
Shaft 3 108 4 4 4 4 the throw to soak for 20 minutes.
Shaft 2 108 3 3 3 3 3
Shaft 1 108 Lay flat to dry.
2 2 2 2
Total 432 1 1 1 1 1
JEFF SMITHis an artif icial intelligence
floating selvedge researcher and amateur shepherd .
Caramel
2x

Alton He weaves 800 feet in the air, over-

53"

looking Brooklyn.

end last repeat

2. TWINING

70 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 Come weave with us!

Only a
Few Spots
REMAIN!

MARCH 23–27, 2025 | YORK, PENNSYLVANIA

Immerse yourself in weaving and
fiber with top-notch workshops and
renowned instructors. Whether you’re
a multi-shaft or small-loom weaver,
you’ll love this weaving retreat.

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 Cozy Meets
YA RN L A B

Functional:
Heather

Photo courtesy of Galler Yarns

Prime Alpaca
BY A N G E L A K . S C H N E I D E R

“Prime” has several definitions. In the case of Galler Yarns’ Heather Prime Dapple (a cool gray), and Monet (a
grayish blue with a hint of indigo).
Alpaca, it means first-rate or best quality. Soft, strong, and warm in rich, The yarn comes in hefty 8-ounce
heathered colors, this yarn is a luxury. (226-gram) hanks of 600 yards
(549 meters) and requires winding
THE YARN 57 colors a heathered look. The into balls or cones before use. I
100% alpaca; 600 yd/8 oz hanks; results are colors that appear solid found no slubs or knots in the five
Sunflower, Light Terracotta, Antique Rose, from afar but up close have more hanks I sampled. Winding was easy,
Dapple, Monet. depth than a more uniformly dyed but I had to split the large hanks
Galler Yarns’ Heather Prime Alpaca yarn. The range includes two true into two balls on an average-size
is a smooth 3-ply 100% alpaca yarn. solids (the off-white Flurry and ball winder.
At 1,200 yards per pound and 16 wraps creamy Natural) and four marls in I finished the samples by gently
per inch, this fingering-weight yarn browns and blacks that have handwashing in lukewarm water
has just a hint of a soft halo and different-colored plies. Rich and (except as noted), spinning out the
about 5% elasticity. The alpaca fiber earthy heathers fill out the line. water, and drying the pieces flat.
used for Prime is dyed and blended I sampled five colors: Sunflower, The yarn blooms and softens
before spinning, giving most of the Light Terracotta, Antique Rose, with wet-finishing.

Samples 1 and 2:
Pin-loom plain weave,
single and doubled yarn
Sample yarns: Light Terracotta warp; Sunflower weft.
Photos by Matt Graves
Setts: 8 epi, 8 ppi.
Shrinkage: 4% in width and length.
For the first sample, I grabbed a 6" square pin
loom with a 3-pin configuration. See Jennifer
Chapman’s Child’s Basketweave Capelet
(Holiday 2021) or her Bauhaus Pillow (Winter
Single yarn. Doubled yarn.
2024) in Easy Weaving with Little Looms for
projects in this style. Weaving with a single
strand of Heather Prime Alpaca is easy due to cross at will. In the sample shown here, I carefully wound the yarns
to the elasticity of the yarn and the loose sett side by side to prevent twisting, then I wove the last layer with each
for this yarn weight. The fabric is soft and strand on its own weaving needle. Both samples have the same
light, nice for delicate wearables, but it could finished size. The cloth with the parallel yarns is effectively a
snag or distort with rough handling. basketweave at 16 epi/16 ppi. The two doubled-yarn swatches have
Because 8 epi/ppi is a loose weave for almost the same feel, with a slightly stiffer cloth and flatter surface on
this yarn weight, I also wove two samples the basketweave version. Both have a firm hand but are still soft and
with the yarn doubled. In one (not shown), supple. These pin-loom squares would be perfect for joining and
I held the two yarns together, allowing them sculpting into a cuddly stuffed toy.

72 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 YA RN L A B
Sample 3:
Plain weave
Rigid Heddle
Sample yarns: Antique Rose warp; Light Terracotta weft.
Setts: 10 epi, 10 ppi.
Shrinkage: Width, 4.6%; length 3%.
Shaft Loom
Sample yarns: Monet warp; Dapple weft.
Setts: Warp, 10 epi; weft, 11 ppi.
Shrinkage: Width, 3.4%; length, 6%.
I wove plain weave at 10 and 12.5 epi on a rigid-heddle loom. The elasticity of
Antique Rose/Light Terracotta
on a rigid-heddle loom. Heather Prime Alpaca works well with the rigid heddle, but abrasion from
the heddle caused loose fibers to build up at the heddle holes. In the 12.5-dent
heddle, this caused a sticky warp that occasionally required clearing the shed
before throwing the shuttle. At 10 epi, there was less buildup of fiber at the
heddle—enough to keep an eye on, but it didn’t cause much trouble with the
sheds. (There was no buildup of loose fiber at the heddles for the samples wo-
ven on a floor loom.)
The fabric at 12.5 epi was tight, causing the hairy alpaca to take on a rough
feel. The 10 epi swatches from the rigid heddle and the shaft loom were just
right—soft and supple, perfect for a scarf, lap blanket, or other light use.

Monet/Dapple on a shaft loom.

Sample 4:
Rigid-heddle lace spots/warp floats
Sample yarns: Antique Rose warp; Monet weft.
Setts: 10 epi, 10 ppi.
Shrinkage: Width, 8.4%; length, 8.8%.
I used two pick-up sticks on the rigid-heddle loom to weave a pattern of warp-
float lace spots at 10 and 12.5 epi. Once again, I preferred the 10 epi sample. The
fabric is supple, with a raised texture from the floats. The yarn works easily with
pick-up sticks.

Front.

Back.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 73

YA RN L A B

Sample 5: For this sample, I wove bands of 1 x 1 and

2 x 2 cross leno separated by picks of plain
Rigid-heddle leno lace weave. The warp was easy to manipulate
Sample yarns: Antique Rose warp into the crosses, and the fuzzy texture helps
and weft. to hold the twisted warps in place. The
Setts: 10 epi; 4 ppi in leno sections, yarn’s halo softens but does not obscure the
10 ppi in plain weave. holes created by the leno. This is an excel-
Shrinkage: Width, 4%; length, 10.7%. lent fabric for a warm but light shawl.

Sample 6: Seeing how well Heather Prime Alpaca

worked with the openwork of leno inspired
Plain weave with me to try the next sample using a deflected
deflected weft weft. This sample is plain weave with the weft
Sample yarns: Antique Rose warp; pressed into place with a wavy stick shuttle.
Sunflower weft. With each pick, the shuttle moves over weft-
Setts: 10 epi; variable weft, wise a small amount to create the variation
average 7.5 ppi. of tight and loose beat. The hairy surface of
Shrinkage: Width, 4.1%; length, 8.7%. the yarn has enough grab to hold the undu-
lating picks in place in a wavy pattern.

Sample 7:
8-shaft plaited twill
Sample yarns: Monet warp; Dapple weft.
Setts: 12 epi, 13 ppi.
Shrinkage: Width, 6¼%; length, 5.4%.
Shrinkage after fulling: Width, 18%; length, 14%.
I wove samples of 2/2 twill on an 8-shaft floor loom at 10, 12, and 15 epi. All are
nice, with 12 being my favorite. This weight is ideal for scarves or other wearable
accessories. The fabric is smooth with good definition of the twill pattern and a
soft surface when wet-finished by gently handwashing and air-drying.
Unfulled. I wove an extra sample at 12 epi to throw in the washer and dryer with a load
of laundry on the regular cycles. The alpaca swatch fulled, shrinking more in
both directions and thickening to ¼". Fulling raised a deep nap on the cloth
surface that feels wonderfully furry but obscures the twill pattern. If I were
planning a fulled project, I’d machine wash but air-dry; the fabric was nicely
fulled but retained better pattern definition and drape before tumble drying. The
partially fulled fabric would make a heavy lap blanket or a comfortable chair pad
for a naked weaving bench.

Fulled.

74 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 YA RN L A B
Sample 8: Next, I wove a twill swatch in 1/3 and 3/1 twill
blocks in two setts. The unbalanced twill has
8-shaft 1/3 and a textured surface, with the Light Terracotta
3/1 twill blocks weft raised against the Monet warp. The
Sample yarns: Monet warp; fabric is appealing at both densities. At
Light Terracotta weft. 12 epi (shown here), it is ideal for a warm,
Setts: 12 epi, 13 ppi. squishy scarf. At 15 epi, it is just right for
Shrinkage: Width, 7.1%; length, 11.9%. sturdier use and would make a robust and
Setts: 15 epi, 16 ppi. stylish vest or jacket.
Shrinkage: Width, 6.3%; length, 8.3%.

Sample 9:
Taqueté/4-end block weave
Sample yarns: Maysville 8/4 cotton carpet warp, ivory; Heather Prime Alpaca, Monet
and Dapple wefts.
Setts: 10 epi, 96 ppi.
Shrinkage: Width, 6.3%; length, 1%.
For my final sample, I threaded an 8-shaft table loom with 8/4 cotton carpet warp
and wove 4-end block weave with two weft colors. I packed the weft as densely as
I could, and the softly spun yarn compressed to a whopping 96 ppi. The resulting
fabric has crisp pattern definition and a very firm, fuzzy surface. Supple it is not;
Front. instead, it is very sturdy and thick. Rugs are not the first thing I think of when
considering alpaca, but this weave would be the height of luxury underfoot.
Adding an 8/4 cotton tabby pick between the pairs of pattern weft turns this
weave into polychrome summer and winter (not shown) at 34 ppi (about 11 tabby
and 22 pattern). The alpaca creates a plush raised texture against the firm
carpet-warp ground and is worth trying with other choices of tabby yarns.

Back.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Heather Prime Alpaca is an handling on the knitting needles ANGEL A K . SCHNEIDER is the project
excellent choice for soft and and pleasant feel in knitted cloth. editor for Handwoven. She enjoys
warm wearables and comforting It works equally well in a range of weaving on all looms, with
household décor such as blankets, fabrics from loose openwork to very all weave structures, and following
pillows, or even rugs. Easy handling dense, solid cloth. Next time you’re the ideas suggested by the cloth.
and a rich color range add to this looking for a yarn with softness, Visit her online at angelak
yarn’s appeal for designing a variety strength, and versatility, give schneider.com.
of projects. Multicraft practitioners Heather Prime Alpaca a try.
will also appreciate its smooth

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 75

 PROJEC T DIREC TORY

Designer/Weaver Project Page Structure Shafts Levels

RE A DER’S GUIDE

Allen, Malynda Celebration Romper* 77 Plain weave and M’s and O’s 8 AB, I, A
Chiu, Tien Op Art Table Linens 46 Doubleweave 8 I, A
Crowder, Diane G. Cascading Silk Blouse 54 Advancing twill 8 AB, I, A
Drummond, Natalie Ikat and Ice Scarf 42 Plain weave with floats 4 I, A
Frisino, Tegan Inspired by Indigo Pillows* 77 Overshot 4 AB, I, A
Lynde, Robin Perpetual Pinwheels 34 Color-and-weave 8 AB, I, A
McInnes, Regina Interlocking Block Towels 64 Summer and winter 8 AB, I, A
Ralston, Jeanne Concentric Squares Scarf 50 Doubleweave 8 I, A
Smith, Jeff Alpaca in Your Lap Blanket 68 Twill 4 All levels
Smith, Melanie Natural Charm Dish Towels* 77 Twill RH or 3 All levels
White, Cheryl Bluebird Towels 22 Overshot 4 AB, I, A
Wixted, Joe Hargrove’s Dinner Party 60 M’s and O’s 4 AB, I, A
Levels indicate weaving skills, not sewing skills. AB = Advanced Beginner, I = Intermediate, A = Advanced. “All levels” includes very new weavers. RH = Rigid Heddle. *This is a
subscriber-exclusive project; see page 77 for more details.

YARN SUPPLIE RS

AppleOak FibreWorks, appleoakfibreworks.com Georgia Yarn Company, gayarn.com (White 22). Shiny Dime Fibers, shinydimefibers.com
(J. Smith 68). Knit Picks, knitpicks.com (J. Smith 68). (Drummond 42).
Comfortcloth Weaving, comfortclothweaving.com Lone Star Loom Room, lonestarloomroom.com WEBS, yarn.com (Drummond 42, Ralston 50).
(Frisino 77). (McInnes 64). The Woolery, woolery.com (Wixted 60).
Dharma Trading Co., dharmatrading.com Lunatic Fringe, lunaticfringeyarns.com (Chiu 46, Yarn Barn of Kansas, yarnbarn-ks.com (Crowder 54,
(Crowder 54). M. Smith 77, Wixted 60). Ralston 50, M. Smith 77).
Eugene Textile Center, eugenetextilecenter.com Meridian Jacobs, meridianjacobs.com (Lynde 34).
(Allen 77, McInnes 64, Ralston 50).

FINISHING TECHNIQUES

Twisting (or plying) the fringe

Divide the number of threads for each fringe into two groups. Twist each group clockwise until it kinks. Bring both
groups together and allow them to twist around each other counterclockwise (or twist in that direction). Secure the
ends with an overhand knot. (Use the same method to make a plied cord by attaching one end to a stationary object.)

Double (Italian) hemstitching

Weave several picks of plain weave (or the basic
structure of the piece), ending with the shuttle on
the right side if you are right-handed, the left
side if you are left-handed. Measure a length of
weft four times the warp width, cut, and thread
this tail into a blunt tapestry needle. Take the
needle under a selected group of warp threads above the fell and bring
the needle back to encircle the ends. Next, pass the needle under the same
ends but come up two or more weft rows down from the fell. Then bring the
needle back around the same group of ends below the fell. Repeat, encircling
the next group of ends.

Simple hemstitching
Weave several picks of plain weave (or the basic structure of the piece), ending with the shuttle on the right side if you are
right-handed, the left side if you are left-handed. Measure a length of weft three times the warp width and cut, leaving the
measured length as a tail. Thread the tail into a blunt tapestry needle.
Take the needle under a selected group of ends above the fell and bring it up and back to the starting point, encircling the
same group of ends. Pass the needle under the same group, bringing it out through the weaving two (or more) weft threads
below the fell. Repeat for each group of ends across the fell. Needle-weave the tail into the selvedge and trim.

76 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com

 B E YON D TH E PRINTED PAG E
1 Bonus Projects for
Handwoven Subscribers
If you enjoyed this issue, head over to the
Handwoven website for even more projects!
Get your downloads now at LT.Media
/HWWI2024-Extras.

1. Celebration Romper
M A LY N DA A L L E N
The idea of making a special outfit for a new baby from
handwoven fabric appealed to designer Malynda Allen, who
loves to weave and sew. This sweet romper is just right for a
christening or wedding, or any other dress-up event.
2

2. Inspired by Indigo Pillows

TEGAN FRISINO
Lounge in style with this pair of lumbar pillows featuring
designer Tegan Frisino’s modern take on overshot. Her
inspiration came from the process of indigo dyeing—the
surface of an indigo vat ripples gently as fiber is lifted out of it,
and that fiber dramatically changes color from green to deep
blue as it’s exposed to oxygen.

3. Natural Charm Dish Towels

MELANIE SMITH
The challenge: Create the look of 4-shaft twills using a rigid-
heddle loom with an extra heddle—no fussy pick-up sticks
required. After experimenting with threadings and treadlings,
designer Melanie Smith wound up with four towel designs that
3
only appear complicated. Her project also includes instructions
for weaving them on a 3-shaft loom.

Web projects for Handwoven Winter 2024 can

be found at LT.Media/HWWI2024-Extras.

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 77

 Contact Michaela Kimbrough for magazine standing order opportunities.
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blacksheepyarnshop.com Studio256.online

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 T E XA S C A N A DA
Yarnivore Advertiser Index
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Fiber The Handweavers Studio and
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LoftyFiber The Fiber House 140 Seven Sisters Road,
London N7 7NS Purrington Looms..................................67
415 E 1st Ave 146 Coffeen Ave
Easley, SC 29640 Sheridan, WY 82801 020 7272 1891 R & M Yarns............................................67
864-810-4747 Vendors for Schacht, Ashford, and handweavers.co.uk
loftyfiber.com Kromski wheels and looms. Supplies Sapori-e-Saperi Adventures ..................63
for all fiber arts needs. Individual Weft Blown Ltd
and group classes. See our website 17 Ailsa View Schacht Spindle Co., Inc. ........................13
TENNESSEE for more. West Kilbride North Ayrshire
Shiny Dime Fibers ....................................7
Smoky Mountain Spinnery (877) 673-0383 Scotland, UK, KA23 9GA
466 Brookside Village Way Ste 8 thefiberhouse.com by appointment only The Fiber House .....................................79
Gatlinburg, TN 37738 +44 (0) 7930 657900
(865) 436-9080 [email protected] The Weaver's Perfect Memory ...............33
smokymountainspinnery.com AU S T R A L I A
The Woolery...........................................13
Grumpy Ginger Yarn Co.
Sunshine Weaving and Fiber 145 Alison Road Treenway Silks ...................................6, 53
Arts Wyong, NSW 2259
327 W. Main Street (040) 261-6733 Vavstuga LLC..........................................63
Lebanon, TN 37087 grumpyginger.com.au/
615-440-2558 Vermont Weaving Supplies .....................7
sunshineweaving.com Yadkin Valley..........................................79
Yarn Barn of Kansas ...............................C3

handwovenmagazine.com WINTER 2024 H A NDWOV EN 79

 ‘It was like
ENDNOTE S

attention span. It’s been over 30

years now, and while I don’t weave
calling an every day, it’s still an important cre-
ative outlet for me.
old friend Anyway, shout-out to Maggie

Photo courtesy of Loretta Armstrong

and asking Casey, who taught me to spin on her
own time, and to the guy at the shop

for a recipe’ who let me rent a loom and a video-

tape of lessons, and to the group of
After asking you to share your ladies who were happy to include a
experiences with Deborah teenager in their guild.
Chandler’s book Learning to Who first suggested that I get
Weave, we realized that this iconic Learning to Weave—the guy at the
resource was a vital part of so shop? Maggie? I don’t remember, but it Loretta Armstrong still refers to her well-
many weaving journeys. A small has been with me from the beginning. used copy of Learning to Weave when
she needs a reminder of what to do next.
selection of your responses is I could look at the instructions,
printed here. Many thanks to all scribble notes in the margins, and
who took the time to write. make progress on my own.
—Handwoven editors I still have that copy, and I still refer- For those of you who said that you
ence it! The warp calculations are in- refer back to the book for reminders
In 1994, my first loom came with Deb- valuable, and it’s always great to have even many years in, I want to tell you
orah’s book. That particular loom was reminders of the next step on hand. that I do, too. For a few years, I was
not for me, but I kept the book. Thanks so much, Deborah. You barely weaving. When I began again,
Last weekend, my husband said made a difference in a young teen’s life! two things surprised me the most—
that we hadn’t used the table loom —Loretta Armstrong one was what my brain had forgot-
in ages and asked for help getting a ten, and the other was what my
warp on it. Of course, weaving is I’m a beginning weaver, and I came hands remembered. It was a com-
like any other skill—set it down too across this book by accident after mon and wonderful experience to
long, and your brain gets fuzzy purchasing my first floor loom. get to a point where I needed to re-
about how it all works. I will admit I can tell you I use it every day! I member what to do next, and while I
that I made a mess of it. But we wound my first solo warp a few was sitting there contemplating, my
made it through two scarves, and I weeks ago and kept the book by my hands suddenly just went ahead and
wound another warp. At the same side the whole time. And when I had did it. Talk about muscle memory!
time, I pulled out Deborah’s book my first crossed threads (one in the I recall a student I had many years
and was able to remedy where I reed and one in the heddles), Deb ago. She said she planned to weave
went wrong the first time. helped me fix those as well! when she grew old so figured she’d
Sure, there are internet tutorials, —Terri Osborne better learn while she was young.
but because I’d learned to weave us- That way when her short-term mem-
ing Deborah’s book, I knew that’s Your notes, love letters all, came in a ory faded, she would retain weaving
where I would find the answers I great variety—short and long, from a skills in her long-term memory. I ad-
needed. It was like calling an old similarly great variety of new and long- mired her planning ahead.
friend and asking for a recipe. time-at-it weavers in the United States Thanks again for writing and for
—Holly Dumont and abroad. I feel truly honored to weaving. I truly believe that weav-
have accompanied you on your paths ers are the best people and make
I wanted to learn to spin and weave to the joy that weaving brings (along the world a better place.
when I was a young teen, but the with the frustration and hair-tearing- Warmly,
teachers thought I didn’t have the out parts that also come at times!). —Deborah Chandler

80 H A NDWOV EN WINTER 2024 handwovenmagazine.com