Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2025 i Handwoven

In my part of the world, spring arrives very gradually. Even after the snowstorms and icy sidewalks of winter stop plaguing us, they are replaced by cold winds and even colder rain—keeping everyone around here happy to have woolens and hot tea and central heating. The skies are gray, the landscape is gray and black and brown, and camping out on the couch seems like the best way to cope with it all. I never know exactly when it will happen, but one day a few months into the new year, I step outside and breathe in the distinct scent of the earth waking up. A soft breeze touches my cheek. From a distance, willow branches show just the slightest hint of yellow-green, and a close look tells me that…

Woven Optical Illusions Pattern and Design from Four to 24 Shafts Stacey Harvey-Brown and Katharina Kronig You don’t read Woven Optical Illusions as much as you experience it. From beginning to end, the reader is actively engaged in “seeing” the illusions: blinking, squinting, tilting the head, or even moving the book around. Many effects may be immediately obvious. Others will take a minute. Some you may not get at all. The book is fun from that perspective alone, but authors Stacey Harvey-Brown and Katharina Kronig are weavers, so they challenged themselves to translate the illusions into woven cloth. They wanted to know if the illusions would hold up if designs were simplified for a reasonable number of shafts and created in yarn rather than paper and ink. Each chapter focuses…

When we want to change the look of a design, we often think of changing the draft or the yarn color—but what about changing the tie-up? Consider the two fabrics in Example A. They look quite different, but they’re woven with the same threading, treadling, and warp and weft colors. The only difference is in the tie-up: the left swatch is 3/1 twill, while the right swatch is 1/3 twill. Now look at Example B, which shows a third cloth woven with the same threading, treadling, and warp and weft colors. This example looks different, too! Here both warp and weft stripes show equally. What’s the secret to the different effects? In warp-dominant cloth, more warp appears on the surface of the cloth, increasing the visual impact of warp stripes…

STRUCTURE Plain weave with inlay weft. EQUIPMENT 2- OR 4-shaft loom, 13" weaving width; 15-dent reed; 1 shuttle. YARNS Warp: 16/1 Line Linen (4,800 yd/lb; Bockens), any color, 374 yd. Weft: Ground weft: 16/1 Line Linen, various colors, 306 yd. Inlay weft: A variety of novelty yarns, such as textured, metallic, thick-and-thin, or variegated. OTHER SUPPLIES Fray Check; 2 acrylic or painted wood strips approximately 5/8" wide × 14" long, for hanging. Optional: For dyeing the warp, see Resources. WARP LENGTH 185 working ends (187 threads total) 2 yd long (includes doubled selvedge ends; allows 2" for take-up, 16" for loom waste). SETTS Warp: 15 epi (1/dent in a 15-dent reed). Weft: 15 ppi. DIMENSIONS Width in the reed: 12 5/15". Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 54".…

STRUCTURE Plain weave with supplemental warp and weft. EQUIPMENT 8-shaft loom, 16" weaving width; 10- or 15-dent reed; 2 shuttles; 4 bobbins. YARN Placemats: Warp: 5/2 pearl cotton (2,100 yd/lb; Valley Yarns; WEBS), #1089 Alabaster, 574 yd. 5/2 pearl cotton (2,100 yd/lb; UKI), #107 Melon, 112 yd. 5/2 pearl cotton hand-dyed (2,100 yd/lb; Tabby Tree Weaver), Peach Harvest, 140 yd. Weft: 5/2 pearl cotton (Valley Yarns), #1089 Alabaster, 519 yd. 5/2 cotton (UKI), #107 Melon, 96 yd. 5/2 pearl cotton hand-dyed (Tabby Tree Weaver), Peach Harvest, 128 yd. 10/2 pearl cotton (4,200 yd/lb; UKI), #107 Melon or sewing thread in a similar color, 78 yd for hems. Runner: Warp: 5/2 cotton (Valley Yarns), #1089 Alabaster, 297 yd. 5/2 pearl cotton (UKI), #107 Melon, 88 yd. 5/2 pearl cotton hand-dyed (Tabby…

STRUCTURE Canvas weave and plain weave with color-and-weave. EQUIPMENT 4-shaft loom, 18" weaving width; 15- or 10-dent reed; 3 shuttles. YARNS Warp: Duet (55% linen/45% cotton; 2,400 yd/lb; Gist Yarn), Dune, 385 yd; Marble and Anchor, 280 yd each. Weft: Duet, Dune, 384 yd; Marble, 314 yd; Anchor, 320 yd. WARP LENGTH 270 ends 3½ yd long (includes floating selvedges; allows 9" for take-up, 27" for loom waste). SETTS Warp: 15 epi (1/dent in a 15-dent reed or 1-2/dent in a 10-dent reed). Weft: about 22 ppi. DIMENSIONS Width in the reed: 18". Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 90" or three towels about 30" each. Finished size: (after wet-finishing and hemming) three towels, about 15½" × 26" each. When I saw the theme for this issue, I…

Berroco, berroco.com (Ellsworth 38). Gist Yarn, gistyarn.com (Lutz 52, Lutz 77). Halcyon Yarn, halcyonyarn.com (Wilcox 77). Jane Stafford Textiles, janestaffordtextiles.com (Allen 26). Lofty Fiber, loftyfiber.com (Perrot 30). Silk City Fibers, silkcityfibers.com (Lange-McKibben 72). Tabby Tree Weaver, tabbytreeweaver.com (McConnell 42). Treenway Silks, treenwaysilks.com (Du Bois and Wilton 48). Vävstuga, store.vavstuga.com (Perrot 30, Smith 34). WEBS, yarn.com (Allen 26, Lee 56, Lee 77, McConnell 42). Yarn Barn of Kansas, yarnbarn-ks.com (Schipf 66).…

How to weave other side up Depending on the type of loom you have (rising-shed or sinking-shed) and the original source of a project’s draft, you may find yourself unexpectedly looking at the reverse side of a fabric as you weave. For example, Marguerite Porter Davison’s A Handweaver’s Pattern Book was written for sinking-shed looms—the x’s rather than •’s in her tie-up boxes tell you that. Using the original tie-up results in the reverse side of the fabric facing up on a rising-shed loom. If you’d rather view the top side as you weave, just invert the tie-up, as shown here. This simple tactic works for any non-skeleton tie-up written for the opposite type of shed. Sinking shed Rising shed…

Perhaps it’s human nature to want to know the value of objects. I often find conversations about value uncomfortable, in part because, for many objects, value is subjective. An item that speaks volumes to one person may be a piece of worthless junk to another. Consider all the artists who had trouble selling work in their lifetimes, and yet now their art is considered priceless. Vincent van Gogh is just one example—he painted daily but died in poverty. WHAT IS A HANDWOVEN DISH TOWEL WORTH? I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. The cost of a handwoven textile is based on the actual cost of the materials used to make the item, plus the weaver’s labor (and sometimes other factors that I’ll get to in a minute). The materials cost…

STRUCTURE Plain weave and huck lace. EQUIPMENT 4-shaft loom, 18" weaving width; 12-dent reed; 2 shuttles; 2–6 bobbins. YARNS Warp: 40/2 linen (7,000 yd/lb; WEBS), half bleach, 4,028 yd. Weft: 40/2 linen, half bleach, 920 yd; Natural, 400 yd. 40/2 linen (7,000 yd/lb; Jane Stafford Textiles), Lavender and Olive, 430 yd each; English Rose and Ginger, 400 yd each. OTHER SUPPLIES Spray bottle of water for misting the warp and bobbins as needed. WARP LENGTH 537 ends 7½ yd long (allows 22" for take-up, 31" for loom waste and sampling; for four towels, wind 4¾ yd; add 33" warp length for each additional towel). SETTS Warp: 30 epi (2-3 in a 12-dent reed; see Weaving Tips); or 3/dent in a 10-dent reed. Weft: 22–27 ppi (varies by pattern woven). DIMENSIONS…

STRUCTURE Plain weave and doubleweave. EQUIPMENT 4-shaft loom, 15" weaving width; 10-dent reed; 2 shuttles; 12" pick-up stick. YARNS Warp: Aerial (65% kid mohair/35% silk; 284 yd/25 g; Berroco), #3428 Strawberry and #3409 Powder, 251 yd each. Weft: Aerial, #3428 Strawberry and #3409 Powder, 182 yd each. WARP LENGTH 182 ends 2¾ yd long (includes doubled selvedges; allows 6" for take-up, 27" for loom waste; loom waste includes fringe). SETTS Warp: 10 epi (1/dent in a 10-dent reed) for single-color edge sections; 20 epi (2/dent in a 10-dent reed) for middle section. Weft: 10 ppi for edge sections; 20 ppi for middle section. DIMENSIONS Width in the reed: 15". Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 66". Finished size: (after steam-finishing) 14½" × 64" plus 5" fringe. Like gently…

STRUCTURE Swedish lace. EQUIPMENT 4-shaft loom, 18" weaving width; 12-dent reed; 1 shuttle. YARNS Warp: OmShanti 20/2 (100% eri silk; 5,000 yd/lb; Treenway Silks), #427 Sterling Silver, 784 yd; #428 Sugar Plum Fairy, 773 yd. Weft: OmShanti Red 20/2 (100% eri silk; 5,000 yd/lb; Treenway Silks), Natural, 910 yd. WARP LENGTH 415 ends 3¾ yd long (includes floating selvedges; allows 10" for take-up, 34" for loom waste; loom waste includes fringe). SETTS Warp: 24 epi (2/dent in a 12-dent reed). Weft: 18–19 ppi. DIMENSIONS Width in the reed: 175/12". Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) about 91". Finished size: (after wet-finishing) 14¾" × 88" plus 7½" twisted fringe. What could be more perfect for spring than a lightweight lace scarf woven with eri silk? The eri silkworm, Samia…

STRUCTURE Twill. EQUIPMENT 8-shaft loom, 12" weaving width; 12-dent reed; shuttle; 7 bobbins. YARNS Warp: 8/2 Tencel (100% lyocell, 3,360 yd/lb; Valley Yarns), Blue Purple, Deep Sea Coral, Birch, Hummingbird, and Lemon Drop, 158 yd each; Navy, 32 yd. 10/2 pearl cotton (4,200 yd/lb; Valley Yarns), #6186 Azalea Pink, 158 yd. Weft: 8/2 Tencel, Blue Purple and Lemon Drop, 146 yd each; Deep Sea Coral, Birch, and Hummingbird, 130 yd each; Navy, 24 yd. 10/2 pearl cotton, #6186 Azalea Pink, 130 yd. WARP LENGTH 279 ends 3½ yd long (includes floating selvedges; allows 9" for take-up, 25" for loom waste; loom waste includes fringe). SETTS Warp: 24 epi (2/dent in a 12-dent reed). Weft: 25 ppi. DIMENSIONS Width in the reed: 119/12". Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom)…

STRUCTURE Bead leno. EQUIPMENT 4-shaft loom, 23" weaving width (depending on the size jacket you are weaving); 10-dent reed; 1 shuttle; 2 bobbins; 112 mini pony beads or beads cut from plastic drinking straws; temple (optional). Note: A low-profile shuttle works best because the leno-pick sheds are shallow. Regular-size pony beads are too large. YARNS Warp: 10/2 pearl cotton (4,200 yd/lb; UKI), #01 White, 2,240 yd. Weft: 5/2 pearl cotton (2,100 yd/lb; UKI), #01 White, 600 yd. Fusible thread, 22 yd. OTHER SUPPLIES Teflon sheets, wax paper, or parchment paper; tissue paper, 16" × 24"; fusible interfacing, ½ yd (Annette used Pellon SK135 Sheer-Knit); 24" white coil separating zipper, lightweight or regular; white bias tape; 1/8" × 24" white ribbon; white sewing thread; quilting ruler, rotary cutter, and self-healing mat…

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.) 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 or the left side if you are left-handed. Measure a length of weft three times the warp width; cut, leaving the measured length as a tail. Thread the tail into a blunt tapestry needle. Take the needle under…

1. Autumnal Mosaic Tiles Scarf EILEEN LEE For this issue, designer Eileen Lee created a scarf in bright, springlike colors (see her design and the inspiration behind it on pages 56–59). But truth be told, Eileen finds herself drawn to autumnal colors. If you feel the same way, download this alternative, richly colored version of her Mosaic Tiles Scarf. 2. Wild Rose Runner CATHY WILCOX Designer Cathy Wilcox was inspired by the cheerful colors and open-weave technique of a curtain design from a back issue of Handwoven. She rethought the original rigid-heddle project for her four-shaft loom and transformed the idea into a plain-weave runner with Brooks bouquet on the ends. The engaging colors and lovely lace make for a perfect springtime table topper. 3. Beachcomber Towels DANA LUTZ What…

Tracking down Purnima Gurung’s weaving workshop in the Nepalese village of Ghandruk is not an easy task. You’ll eventually find her by climbing a meandering stone pathway that leads behind the Blue Poppy Hotel to where she works in a small shed next to her 200-year-old home. Ghandruk is a gorgeous, sprawling old village in north-central Nepal laid out on a steep mountainside in the foothills of the Himalayas. Traditional stone homes with slate roofs intermingled with kitchen gardens and steep paths give way to terraced rice and millet paddies and views of the Annapurna mountain range—a panorama of snow-covered peaks over 20,000 feet high. The people who live here are mostly Gurungs, whose oral history traces their origins to western Mongolia. Historians and anthropologists believe that their ancestors migrated…

STRUCTURE Plain weave. EQUIPMENT 2- or 4-shaft loom, 20" weaving width; 12-dent reed; 2 shuttles; 9 bobbins. YARNS Warp: Euroflax 30/2 linen (4,500 yd/lb; LoftyFiber), Navy, 182 yd; Cobalt, 168 yd; Angelfish, Fluorescent Green, Soft Coral, Orchid, Tangerine, and Buttercup, 84 yd each. 28/1 line linen (7,342 yd/lb; Bockens), half bleached, 798 yd. Weft: Euroflax 30/2 linen, Navy, 44 yd; Cobalt and Buttercup, 65 yd each; Angelfish, Fluorescent Green, Soft Coral, Orchid, and Tangerine, 109 yd each. 28/1 line linen, half bleached, 735 yd. Note: Véronique used eight colors of 30/2 linen. Feel free to use more or fewer colors, or to substitute other colors from your stash. WARP LENGTH 472 ends 3½ yd long (allows 5" for take-up, 28" for loom waste; loom waste includes fringe). SETTS Warp: 24…

Textile artist Karen Selk has spent decades traveling, spinning, writing, and teaching about silk. We are delighted to share a look inside her recent book, In Search of Wild Silk: Exploring a Village Industry in the Jungles of India. In these brief excerpts, Karen explains what eri silk is and how it is produced. —Handwoven Editors In Search of Wild Silk Exploring a Village Industry in the Jungles of India Karen Selk Schiffer Publishing, 2022 ISBN 978-0-7643-6497-6 The fertile river valleys of Assam have attracted waves of migrants from dozens of ethnic groups over thousands of years. Most of Assam’s Indigenous people have raised eri silkworms and spun and woven the cloth longer than anyone can remember. About 132,000 families in Assam produce 96 percent of the world’s eri. Eri,…

STRUCTURE Deflected doubleweave. EQUIPMENT 8-shaft loom, 16" weaving width; 16- or 8-dent reed; 2 shuttles. YARNS Warp: Linen 14 (100% linen; 7,000 yd/lb; Silk City Fibers), #487 English Rose, 896 yd; #014 Teal, 868 yd. Weft: Linen 14, #487 English Rose, 637 yd; #014 Teal, 628 yd. OTHER SUPPLIES Optional: Size 11/0 Delica beads, Amber and Topaz Midnight, 1 tube each. WARP LENGTH 504 ends 3½ yd long (allows 8" for take-up, 37" for loom waste; loom waste includes fringe). SETTS Warp: 32 epi (2/dent in a 16-dent reed or 4/dent in an 8-dent reed). Weft: 32 ppi. DIMENSIONS Width in the reed: 1512/16". Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 81". Finished size: (after wet-finishing) 14½" × 73½" plus 5" fringe. Workshops, books, and guild study-group projects are…

Mary Anne, an internet stranger, offered me free yarn. We had one thing in common: rigid-heddle weaving. I was four years into it, self-taught on a 24-inch Kromski loom. Mary Anne had tried it and didn’t like it. On social media, Mary Anne asked if I wanted the leftover yarn from her experiment. “Yes!” I replied, because I have learned that when I open my weaving to someone else, the project delights with colors and shapes I would not have thought of myself. As I drove to a restaurant to meet her, my mind wandered, and teenage memories bubbled up. One afternoon at music camp, three of us abandoned our instruments and ran off to explore a little river. We waded forward as it wound through field and forest, every…