weaving with linen

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L inen, for weavers, has a mystique unlike that of any other yarn. Weavers are afraid to use it, yet we admire any fabric woven in it and associate it with the finest threads and most complex structures—especially lace weaves and damasks. Linen fabrics have a hand that defies description: a firm gleaming surface with an unbelievable drape.
If you have been afraid to try weaving with linen, this eBook can be your personal guide to success. If you have already discovered linen’s joys, the projects included here (more than half on only four shafts) will inspire you to weave many more. Very experienced linen weavers share in these pages their tips and tricks for successful warping and weaving with linen. Projects include placemats, runners, curtains, towels, and more. Although some use classic bleached and unbleached linen, many take advantage of the glorious array of colors currently available in plied linens.
Weaving with Linen without Tears by Lynn Tedder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Linen and Lace, Perfect Partners by Linda Heinrich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Linen Fingertip Towels by Tracy Kaestner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Linen Table Runner by Tracy Kaestner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Wae-Weave Table Linens by Hector Jaeger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Lacy Linen Curtains by Selma Miriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Lines of Lace in Linen by Suzie Liles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Linen Overshot Placemats by Kathryn Wertenberger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Linen and Log Cabin by Tracy Kaestner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Lacy Linen Lite: a Runner by Norma Smayda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 What’s Not to Love about Linen? by Barbara Elkins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 A Run of Linen Runners by Vicki Tardy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Fancy Twill Towels in Linen by Sharon Alderman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 About Linen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Tips for Planning, Hemstitching, and Fringing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
C O N T E N T S
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Weaving with linen without tears by Lynn Tedder
C loth made with linen yarns suggests luxurious table settings. Ask a handweaver about linen, though, and you are likely to hear how very hard it is to use
for weaving. Here are a few adjustments you can make to your warping and weaving techniques so you can weave beautiful linen heirlooms of your own—without tears!
LInen characteristics Flax fibers (they are called linen only after they are spun into yarn) come from the stalk of the flax plant, just inside the outer bark, where they support the stem and hold it upright. They are therefore very strong and dimension- ally stable—and rather sti. They do not stretch much, and if they are stretched they do not recover. Flax fibers (and therefore linen yarns) are more absorbent than cotton. They are stronger wet than dry.
The secret to weaving with linen is to work with these characteristics rather than against them.
Warping with linen Linen’s lack of elasticity is the usual cause of warping and weaving woes. Although it is strong, it does not give, so it is subject to abrasion. To minimize abrasion, very fine linen yarns and singles linen yarns are best warped back to front through only a raddle. Most plied linen yarn is strong enough, however, to be beamed through a cross with lease sticks (the usual back-to-front method) or through the reed and heddles (the usual front-to-back method).
Whatever the method, because of its inelasticity, linen warps must be beamed with even and tight tension. If one thread is more loosely wound on the beam than the others, it will droop into the shed, causing diculties that will become worse the longer you weave. A few loose ends can be weighted, but if there are many, you’ll have to cut the warp and retie to the cloth beam apron rod—or start over!
Most linen weavers beam with a helper. One person holds the warp under constant tension while the other turns the beam. Maintaining tension at all times during beaming prevents the twisting and tangling that can misalign threads. Smooth heavy paper or sticks extending several inches beyond warp width must be used to separate the layers on the warp beam.
I like to lash a linen warp to the cloth beam apron rod instead of tying it on. It is easier for me to create even
tension by adjusting a lashing cord than indi- vidual knots (see Linda Heinrich, page 6). If you do tie on, tie each final square knot snugly, not tightly, always aiming for the same degree of snugness. If you tie the knots tight, each succeeding knot will be a little tighter than the one before it.
Weaving with linen Linen weaves best with high warp tension. When you advance the warp, tighten both the cloth beam and the warp beam before con- tinuing to weave.
Because linen is inelastic, draw-in at the selvedges can result in
broken selvedge threads. To prevent draw-in, place the weft at a consistent angle that allows enough thread so it turns snugly at the selvedge but does not pull it in. Beat on a closed shed so that you do not push out the weft allowance as you bring the beater to the fell (see Vicki Tardy, page 33). Practice to discover the optimum weft angle (start with about 30 degrees).
Very low humidity and tight warp tension can sometimes cause fine linen yarns to break. Since linen is stronger wet than dry, you can wet the warp: Wet and wring out a terry towel. Lay it on the warp in front of the reed and press into the warp to moisten all sides of the yarn.
Linen count yd/lb (m/kg
14/2
8/1
16/2
20/2
14/1
28/2
30/2
16/1
35/2
20/1
40/2
70/2
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Originally published in Handwoven®, May/June 2005, pp. 42–43.
This linen runner by Marjie Thompson of Cumberland, Maine, is woven of 20/1 unbleached linen from Webs. The weave structure is a 3-shaft spot weave Marjie discovered in tablecloths woven in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Marjie finished the runner by machine washing, hot, on an eight- minute wash cycle. She placed the runner outside on a drying rack to freeze (the joys of weaving linen in January in Maine!), brought it back in, dumped it in boiling water, and then repeated the freezing/boiling processes two more times. She spun out the last boiling water rinse in the washing machine, removed the runner from the machine, and pressed with a hot iron it until almost dry. She then ran it through a Swedish cold mangle to apply the final sheen.
Warp abrasion can result from the threads being sleyed in too fine a reed, especially with linen singles yarns. If balls of fuzz begin to collect at the reed, stop weaving and resley in a coarser reed; i.e., if the warp frays at 2/dent in a 12-dent reed, resley to 4/dent in a 6-dent reed.
A wiry linen weft can tend to spring o the bobbin and wind around the spindle. One solution is to pull o the length of weft needed for a row and prevent the spin of the bobbin as the shuttle is thrown. Another is to wet the bobbin (see Norma Smayda, page 27).
Finishing linen Linen fabric fresh o the loom usually looks awful—sti and stringy and reed marked—with any patterning nearly
invisible. To bring out the beauty of a linen cloth, it usually must be wet finished. Because it is stronger when wet and it is resistant to alkali, linen can be machine washed in hot water with regular laundry detergent. Add terry towels or even clean (washable!) tennis shoes to help pummel out reed marks and soften the fibers. After the first wash cycle, check to see if the reed marks are gone and the pattern is visible. If not, repeat the wash cycle. Rinse, spin, remove from the machine, and press with a hot iron until dry.
Some rather extreme finishing methods have been used to soften linen cloth, including alternately boiling and freezing it, beating it with a bat—even driving over it with a car! I haven’t found these methods to be necessary, and I and usually let handwoven linen improve over time with additional washings.
Resources Ed. “Fiber Forecast: A Guide to Using
Yarns.” Handwoven, January/February 2005, pp. 26–30.
Heinrich, Linda. Linen: Flax Seed to Woven Cloth. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schier Publishing, Ltd., 2010.
Hoskins, Nancy Arthur. “Medieval Egypto-Islamic Textiles: A Study of Two Examples.” Handwoven, March/April 2003, pp. 68–71.
Linen and lace, perfect partners by Linda Heinrich
A lthough fragments of linen cloth have been discovered in Stone Age lake dwellings, it was the ancient Egyptians who used linen extensively in their daily
lives. Linen was used for cool clothing and bedding, for sturdy ropes and sails; most significantly, linen cloth was used to wrap the dead, animal as well as human. When the practice of mummification ceased with the advent of Christianity in Egypt in the third century a.d., linen found a place as altar cloths and priestly vestments. Linen continues to be used in some churches today, and has established itself as the fiber of preference for the finest damask tablecloths and napkins for the most special occasions.
Deceptively fragile in appearance, the flax plant yields a fiber second in strength only to silk. Its primary by-product, linen (for that is the name flax takes after it’s spun), is enjoying a resurgence not only for table use but for other household furnishings as well. Linen’s strength and capacity to resist dust make it an ideal choice for upholstery and wall coverings.
Linen’s resistance to light and lack of elasticity make it suitable also for draperies. Stimulated by superb Italian design, the fashion industry features classic linen garments. For the last twenty years, weavers, too, have had a renewed interest in this sometimes recalcitrant fiber.
Selecting a linen yarn The best quality linen, line linen, is smooth and shiny and is obtained from the longest, strongest, lustrous flax fibers. Tow linens are obtained from shorter, less shiny and weaker fibers. Linen yarns can be single or plied, wet spun or dry spun. Finer counts are obtained by the wet-spinning process, as the fibers which have been treated with very warm water are softened and able to slip by one another. The moisture also smooths the hairy tendrils. Dry-spun “hairy” linen fibers are better suited for weft, as they are unable to withstand the abrasive action of the reed.
Rarely is there a diculty weaving with a plied linen yarn. Diculties most often occur with a poor quality singles linen warp. If the fiber appears “hairy” or breaks easily, use it for weft. Linens woven with a tightly twisted fiber will not be as soft as those woven with yarn of a looser twist.
A plied linen yarn used for warp and weft produces a more substantial fabric than one woven entirely with a singles of the same grist (thickness). The latter will be softer and silkier. A plied warp with a singles weft will produce a softer and more textured fabric than one of all-plied yarn,
but will not be as soft as a fabric of all singles. I’ve found that yarns with more than two plies produce a sti cloth, but they can be used to good eect with the proper fabric design. There are advantages to using a singles weft over a plied weft. Singles yarns are less expensive, and less draw- in occurs. As well, singles linens, particularly line linens, are more lustrous, the ply interfering with light reflection.
Weave structure and the importance of sett Using a weave structure that enhances the fiber is important when planning linen projects. For example, the longer floats in twills and lace weaves reflect more light and show o linen’s luster. Keep in mind that the weave structure you choose will have an eect on the hand of the finished cloth as well as its appearance. Hand-manipulated techniques, such as Brooks bouquet, Spanish lace, inlay, or drawn work do much to enhance an otherwise plain fabric. I’ve found that linen is best understated—a little embellishment goes a long way.
The proper sett is more critical for linen than for other natural fibers because linen does not expand as much upon washing nor can it be fulled like wool or shrunk like cotton. Note that singles linen yarn will spread more during the finishing process than a plied yarn because it can be pressed flatter.
When setting linen yarns, I’ve found that balanced linen weaves usually look better when the warp and weft are iden- tical or are at least of the same grist; however, differing weights and setts can be used to achieve striking eects. Un- less deliberately designed to be spaced or crowded, a plain- weave cloth should appear quite solid when held up to the
For a predominantly plain-weave fabric Warp Weft 16/2 at 20 epi, ppi 16/2 or 8/1 20/2 at 22–24 epi, ppi 20/2 or 10/1 40/2 at 30–32 epi, ppi 40/2 or 20/1 20/1 at 30–32 epi, ppi 20/1 16/1 at 28–30 epi, ppi 16/1
Linen is measured in leas. A number 1 lea contains 300 yards to the pound. A number 10 singles yarn (10/1) contains 3,000 yards, and a 10/2 contains 1,500 yards (10 x 300 divided by 2, the number of plies).
Suggested setts for linen yarns
Originally published in Handwoven®, March/April 1989, pp. 39–44, 77–78; also in Best of Handwoven: Atwater-Bronson Lace, pp. 11–16.
light (no little air spaces). An increase of just two ends per inch, for example, can make a considerable dierence in the hand of the cloth or the appearance of the design. Before al- tering the sett, count the number of warp ends and weft picks for a full inch to make sure that they are equal.
Weave structure aects sett. A given size of linen will be sett more closely for twills and lace weaves than for plain weave. Sat- ins must be sett closer still. On the other hand, weave structures requiring a tabby and pattern weft usually need a slightly more open sett than that required for plain weave.
You will find that there will be less abrasion on your warp yarns if you sley the reed with two or more ends per dent, rather than with just one end per dent. If you use irregular denting (for example, a sley of 2, 3, 2, 3), sample first to determine whether or not the ends per inch will equalize with washing and pressing. Vertical reed marks detract from the beauty of the finished cloth. I wash samples at least three or four times, agitating well, to determine the final finished result.
If you’re a first-time linen weaver, I suggest that you begin with a narrow warp (12–15" wide). You’ll find a plied linen (16/2 or 20/2), perhaps in a lace weave or twill, the easiest to work with for your first piece.
Color Color is subjective, but I believe linen color decisions should be made with the utmost care. First, choose colors in ac- cordance with what they will be placed near. You’ll need to consider color arrangement and proportion. Keep in mind that color reflects mood. For example, pure white, creamy eggshell, or soft pastel linens together with silver, fine china and sparkling crystal impart an ambience much dierent from that of natural linens in combinations with hand- crafted woods and earthenware. By contrast, the brilliant Scandinavian hues lend a contemporary flavor to a setting.
An array of dyed linen yarns is available to the handweaver. Most are colorfast, but some are not. Especially if you will be using a bright color such as red or blue with white or a very light color, I recommend that you test your yarns for colorfast- ness before you begin your project. (I check for fastness by dampening a piece of yarn and placing it in a white towel. If it “runs” I know it’s not fast.) Also, when you are using more than one skein of a color, be sure that the dyelots match. They may appear to be exactly the same color when viewed in the skein side-by-side, but even the slightest color variation will show up when they are woven.
In their undyed state, linen yarns may be a fourth, half, or totally bleached, and will consequently be dierent shades (the yarn label should tell you what bleaching has been done). Natural (undyed or unbleached) linens may be gray or golden tan, reflecting the type of retting process they have under-
gone. Gray linens have been dew retted, whereas golden-tan linens have been water retted. Linen yarns are strongest in their natural (undyed or unbleached) state.
Warping and weaving considerations Your loom should be in good working order and all parts smooth and solid. The reed, for example, should be well secured in its holder. Counterbalance and countermarch looms, because the threads are pulled apart with equal tension when the shed is opened, are thought by some weavers to be the best for weaving linen. On the other hand, I have used a jack loom (where one set of threads is raised while the lower threads remain stationary), with no tension problems.
I can’t stress enough that establishing firm and perfectly even tension of all warp threads is the single most important factor when you are winding a linen warp and applying it to the loom. To ensure that your warp yarns are the same length place threads side by side on the warping board or mill, not bunched up on top of one another. A coarse reed used to
• Linen has a smooth surface. It tends to repel dirt and bacteria. Stains are removed easily. These properties make it ideal for handkerchiefs and table linens.
• Linen is the least elastic of the natural fibers; therefore, it is excellent for artist and embroidery canvas, draperies, wall hangings, and rug warps.
• Linen is absorbent and dries quickly. It is excellent for towels and handkerchiefs.
• Linen is vulnerable to mildew; therefore, it should never be stored damp.
• Linen is more resistant to light than cotton, which makes it ideal for draperies.
• Linen is second in strength to silk. • Linen shrinks very little, usually less than 10%
(mostly due to take-up). • Linen conducts heat away from the body and is thus
comfortable for clothing and bedding, especially in hot climates.
• Linen is not damaged by moths unless it is starched (moths love starch).
• Linen’s most undesirable property is that it wrinkles easily. Consequently, it is more suitable for household furnishings than for clothing. However, when it is combined with other natural fibers or treated with wrinkle-resistant chemicals (as in industry), the ten- dency to crease is somewhat reduced.
Properties of linen
spread the warp rather than a raddle provides a more orderly and evenly tensioned warp during beaming.
Make sure the warp is beamed under even tension (I pre- fer back-to-front warping), with paper or sticks between the layers. For even tension when I am tying on, I use a lashing method: Tie overhand knots in the warp threads close to the ends. Use a smooth, strong cord and lace the groups to the apron rod, leaving a space between the knots and the rod. Adjust the tension in the cord until it is absolutely even.
Even with my experience, I find that fine singles linen must be warped and woven with patience and care. You may find that the first 12–15" of a fine singles warp is fuzzy due to handling during threading, sleying, and knotting. Use this section for experimentation, as this fuzziness will not be eliminated during the finishing process
Troubleshooting for linen weavers Weaving diculties most commonly occur at the selvedges. Here are some problems you might encounter, along with possible solutions.
Problem Fuzzy, fraying, and breaking singles warp ends, most often occurring with plain weave and excessive draw-in.
Solutions 1. Substitute edge threads with a plied thread of the same
grist (for example, if your warp is a 20/1 singles, use a 40/2 plied linen for selvedges).
2. Use a temple to keep your warp stretched out to the proper width.
3. Change the shed with the beater against the web. 4. Reduce stress on the selvedges by decreasing the draw-in
during weaving. Extend your arm well out when catching the shuttle. Relax the weft before re-entering the shuttle into the next shed.
5. Brush the warp with tallow or flax-seed solution. (Recipe for flax-seed solution: 1 teaspoon of flax seeds per cup of water. Simmer 10-15 minutes, strain. Keep refrigerated. Lasts about 2 weeks.)
Problem Loops at the selvedges.
Solutions 1. Decrease the angle of the weft so that there’s less weft
take-up. 2. To make your yarn less springy, dampen the weft by soak-
ing the wound bobbin for about an hour in water and squeezing moisture into a thick towel. (If this is done, it should be done with all bobbins for the entire piece.)
3. Slow down the speed of the bobbin by wrapping the spindle of the shuttle with masking tape.
Problem Notched or uneven selvedges.
Solution Your bobbin may be unwinding unevenly. Rewind the bobbin, holding the yarn firmly and applying some tension during the winding process.
Problem Loose thread in the middle of the warp.
Solution Tighten a loose thread by either weighting it at the back of the loom or drawing the slack forward and winding it around a pin. When the cloth is removed from the loom and prior to
Tying on using the lashing method
Tie small groups of warp in overhand knots near the ends of the warp threads
Tie onto the front apron rod using a smooth, strong cord. Lace the knotted groups to the rod, leaving a few inches between the knots and the rod.
Adjust tension until it is absolutely even.
washing, remove the pin and ease the slack out to the edge of the cloth.
Problem Diculty in achieving a balanced weave when it is required for handwork or for a square-patterned cloth.
Solution Use a linen tester (measure or counter) to count the number of warp ends and weft picks per square inch. Count for a full inch, as weft take-up slightly increases the number of warp ends per inch from that originally set. Adjust the beat accordingly.
Advance the weaving frequently and consistently (I advance my warp every 2–3"). When possible, complete small articles at one sitting. If your atmosphere is dry, a humidifier or tub of water under the loom will help, for linen is stronger when damp. If air is excessively dry, relax the tension on the loom when leaving it for an extended period of time; otherwise, your warp ends may snap.
Unweaving linen Unweaving a plied linen warp does not usually present problems. However, unweaving a fine singles linen warp might be horrific. Diculties occur mostly with the edge threads, which may dissolve before your eyes (all the more reason to put those plied threads of the same grist at the edges). Increase the tension of the warp threads, do not attempt to unweave, but rather snip the weft at intervals across the width and remove the pieces very carefully. Do not use the beater, as a line of fuzz may become apparent on the web. If warp ends stick, separate the shed by hand or with a smooth stick.
Peach and white breadcloths In this breadcloth, the two blocks of lace alternate; they are separated and framed by stripes and bands of plain weave.
Fabric description Atwater-Bronson lace and plain weave.
Finished dimensions Four breadcloths 141⁄4" by 141⁄4" with 1⁄4" hems on all four sides.
Warp and weft 16/2 linen (available from most weaving retailers) at 2,400 yd/lb: 1,300 yd white (or o-white) and 330 yd peach.
Notions White sewing thread
Total warp ends 314.
Warp lengths 3 yd (allows take-up, shrinkage, and 36" loom waste).
E.P.I. 20.
P.P.I. 20.
Take-up and shrinkage 10% in width and length.
Weaving Begin and end with a heading of colorfast washable contrasting weft and separate cloths with 1–2 picks of the same yarn. Follow the treadling for each square or change block orders for dierent designs.
Finishing See the instructions for the Pastel Plaid Cloth.
Unweaving linen Increase the tension of the warp threads. Carefully snip the weft threads at intervals and remove the pieces as you go.
11 11 1
33
3x
white pw 1 peach pw 8 picks white A 5x (30 picks) peach pw 8 picks white B 5x (30 picks) peach pw 8 picks white A 5x (30 picks) peach pw 8 picks white pw 1
34 "
34 "
Warp color order
Weft order
Pastel plaid breadcloths In the pastel plaid cloth, the two blocks are used together to create each square of lace at the intersections of the peach and lavender stripes; blue plain weave separates and frames the lace squares. When drafted this way the squares can be either solid lace or a lace frame with plain-weave center.
Fabric description Atwater-Bronson lace and plain weave.
Finished dimensions Four breadcloths 141⁄4" by 141⁄4" with 1⁄4" hems on all four sides.
Warp and weft 16/1 linen at 4,800 yd/lb: 1,050 yd light blue, 480 yd light peach, and 450 yd light lavender. 16/1 linen is available from The Lone Star Loom Room, Glimakra USA, and Vävstuga Weaving School.
Notions Light blue sewing thread
Warp length 21⁄2 yd (allows take-up, shrinkage, and 27" loom waste).
E.P.I. 30.
Weaving Begin and end each cloth with a colorfast washable heading or separator. In the cloth shown here, the lace blocks are woven combined, so that the lace fills the squares where the non-blue stripes and bands intersect. You could design your own treadling.
Keep in mind that in Atwater-Bronson lace, units of 6 ends will form open lace only if pattern is woven in the same block for two treadling units in succession. Units of Block A will make spots only and not lace if woven (or threaded) alone, and the same is true for Block B. You can weave a “hollow square” of plain weave outlined by spots, or the squares can be lace cen- ters surrounded by plain weave.
Finishing For both the peach and white and the pastel plaid cloths: Do not remove the headings, but machine stitch along the raw edges securely. Trim all warp ends and tails.
Soak the entire length of fabric in hot soapy water for an hour or longer, then wash, agitating by hand. Rinse well. (If
you do machine wash and rinse the fabric, remove it from the machine for the spin cycles to avoid setting in any creases.) Roll the fabric in a thick terry towel without wring- ing it. (To preserve the luster of linen and keep it from get- ting dry and fuzzy, never dry it in a dryer.) Block the blotted linen by hand to re-establish the shape of each square, place it face down on another towel, and iron firmly on a medium-hot setting. Move the iron lengthwise and cross- wise on the fabric, but not diagonally. (Ironing it face down helps avoid flattening the floats of the lace.)
Machine staystitch each end of each cloth adjacent to the separating threads or headers. Cut the cloths apart, remove separators and headings, and trim all ends close to stitching. Turn and hand stitch a narrow rolled hem on all four edges of each cloth.
Some thoughts Linen is perhaps most rewarding when it is used with lace weaves. There is something about the hand of a finished linen cloth that accentuates and maintains the open lacy holes. Weaving these breadcloth projects is a perfect way to learn about both linen and lace. Start with the Peach and White cloth to gain experience with a plied linen. Then move to the singles linen in the Pastel Plaid cloth. You’ll soon understand why the linen cloth of the ancients is still so lovingly regarded today. For more about linen, look for my revised and expanded book (The Magic of Linen) under a new title, Linen: From Flax Seed to Woven Cloth, Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schier Publishing, Ltd., 2010.
11 11 1
33
15x
3x
blue pw 30 picks lavender AB 5x (30 picks) blue pw 30 picks peach AB 5x (30 picks) blue pw 30 picks lavender AB 5x (30 picks) blue pw 30 picks
Weave: (pw = plain weave)
3x
Warp color order
Weft order
Linen fingertip towels by Tracy Kaestner
T o mark the turn of this century, I decided to weave fingertip towels in linen using a draft that weavers might have used 100 years ago. A copy of Edward
Worst’s How to Weave Linens, published in 1926, includes a chapter called “Old Kentucky Drafts.” A draft considered old in 1926 must indeed have been used in 1900—and earlier!
Using old drafts Whenever you’re using a draft from an old book or from a book in another language, it’s wise to examine the drafting notations carefully. In many old sources, the draft shows only the threading (as in the example below). Other infor- mation is given in the text. Once you’ve identified the three essential elements (threading, tie-up, and treadling), it is helpful to enter them in a computer weaving program and view the resulting drawdown to check your understanding. You can also prepare the drawdown by hand, an even better way to make sure you know how the interlacement works.
The draft for these towels, “Snow-Drops Pattern,” is a version of spot Bronson that produces a checkerboard design: Squares of spots alternate with squares of plain weave. The original draft as it appears in Worst’s book is shown below. The threading is read from left to right. The words “end here on last repeat” ensure that the design is balanced.
Notice that the shafts are numbered at the right of the threading from 1 at the back of the loom (top of the draft) to 5 at the front (bottom of the draft). By reversing the numbers and substituting the new numbers for the shafts that are tied to the treadles, the draft can be converted to our format.
Worst’s tie-up and treadling directions are not included with the draft but are written in the text as shown with the draft. They are for sinking shafts, but the same fabric can be woven if the shafts indicated are raised; the interlacement
on the face of the fabric will appear on the back and vice versa. Worst’s original draft is converted to our format on page 11, with a tie-up that produces weft spots on the face, as his did.
Fabric description Variation of spot Bronson.
Finished dimensions Four hemmed towels 111⁄4" by 161⁄2" each.
Warp and weft Warp: 40/2 wetspun line linen (from Webs) at 6,000 yd/ lb, 2,670 yd half-bleached, 20 yd blue (Towel A only).
Warp length 3¼ yd (allows for take-up and 29" loom waste).
E.P.I. 40.
P.P.I. 30.
Take-up and shrinkage 10% in width, 6% in length.
Weaving Thread following the converted Draft, page 11. Note that there are two doubled floating selvedges on each side. For Towel A: With the half-bleached linen weft, weave 2" plain weave, then weave [3 ends blue, 2 ends half-bleached] 3x, 3 ends blue, ½" half-bleached. Weave the pattern repeat with half-bleached linen for about 16"; end with last 4x section to balance and then weave 2" plain weave in half- bleached. Repeat for a second towel.
Towel B: With the half-bleached linen weft, weave 2" plain weave. Work a trellis hemstitching: Hemstitch the fell in groups of 8 ends (2 dents of the reed). Place a ¼" spacer
Towel A: 2 then 5 – 2 times 4 then 5 – 2 times 1 then 5 – 2 times 3 then 5 – 2 times 2 then 5 – 2 times 4 then 5 – 2 times 1 then 5 – 2 times 3 then 5 – 2 times 2 then 5 – 2 times 4 then 5 – 2 times
Towel B: 1 then 5 – 2 times 3 then 5 – 2 times 2 then 5 – 2 times 4 then 5 – 2 times 1 then 5 – 2 times 3 then 5 – 2 times 2 then 5 – 2 times 4 then 5 – 2 times 1 then 5 – 2 times 3 then 5 – 2 times
Tie-up instructions from Worst: Tie 1, 5 to the first treadle 2, 5 to the second treadle 3, 5 to the third treadle 4, 5 to the fourth treadle 1, 2, 3, 4 to the fifth treadle
End here on last repeat
3 2 1
55
15 111
© Interweave, a division of F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved. F+W Media grants permission for any or all pages in this issue to be copied for personal use. w e a v i n g t o d a y . c o m 1 0
Originally published in Handwoven®, January/February 2000, pp. 22–24.
1 1 w e a v i n g t o d a y . c o m © Interweave, a division of F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved. F+W Media grants permission for any or all pages in this issue to be copied for personal use.
in the next shed. Leaving a beginning tail equal to three times the width of the warp, weave ½" plain weave then hemstitch above the spacer using the weft tail. Begin this hemstitching with a group of 4 ends, then continue with 8-end groups. Each group on this side of the spacer will be o¬set from the group on the other side for the trellis e¬ect.
Weave pattern for 16"; end with the last 2x sequence to balance the design. Weave 2" plain weave. Repeat for a second towel. Separate the towels from each other with 2 picks of a smooth contrasting-color yarn.
Finishing Remove fabric from the loom; remove spacers and scrap yarn.
Serge or zigzag raw edges and cut apart. Machine wash, delicate cycle, with mild detergent. Remove towels immediately to prevent wrinkles from becoming permanent. Hang to dry; iron with a hot iron while still slightly damp. On edges without hemstitching or stripes, turn hems under ½" two times. On the other ends, fold under ½", and then fold to meet the hemstitching or stripes; sew hem by hand. The folded hems on these ends will be about ¾" wide.
= doubled oating selvedge /
2
Tow el A
Tow el B
The tie-up used here adds a treadle to Worst’s tie-up in order to produce plain-weave hems. Note that the treadling in this draft has been adapted from the original draft so that instead of pairs of weft floats in the “spot” sections, only single weft floats occur on the face.
Towel A (weft float side) Towel B (weft-float side)
Draft
cont’d. from page 9
Linen table runner (see page 13) by Tracy Kaestner
T his runner was inspired by a luscious skein of space- dyed 14/2 linen. Although Intended for knitters, it is a very weaverly yarn! Both the handpainted 14/2
linen and the solid-color 16/2 linen used in this runner come in literally dozens of colors. Choose a handpainted yarn and then choose three coordinating colors in 16/2 linen for a runner or curtains to brighten a favorite room. Or, use the same draft for towels for bath or kitchen.
I don’t knit. I know how, but I have found knitting irritates my thumb joints to the point of severe pain. However, with the resurgence of interest in knitting and crocheting, I have tried to find ways to weave with the lovely yarns that the yarn manufacturers are making for knitting and crochet. I have a stash of some irresistible knitting yarns and a stash of weaving drafts that can show them o to their best advantage. I look for drafts that allow a yarn to be empha- sized rather than hidden deep inside the woven fabric.
This runner is for my “new” guest bedroom, something I have not had for the nineteen years since my first child was born. New furniture to celebrate a room for adults needed a pretty runner for the dresser. I decided to look for a new draft to add to my collection that would show o this wonderful space-dyed linen—a good excuse to spend an eve- ning thumbing through books and magazines looking for in- spiration. A runner on the cover of A Handwoven Treasury (see photo at right) sparked my interest.
With the draft for this runner, the handpainted yarn floats over 4 threads for 2 picks in both warp and weft. Consider variations, depending on your selected yarns. Floats can be longer and/or the contrasting-color picks between pairs of floats can be taller and wider.
Fabric description Plain weave with warp and weft floats.
Finished dimensions One hemmed runner 13" by 411⁄2".
Warp and weft 14/2 linen at 2,450 yd/lb (540 yd/100 g skein, Claudia Hand Painted Yarns), 68 yd of space-dyed colorway John B. 16/2 linen at 2,705 yd/lb (750 yd/spool, Bockens, Lone Star Loom Room), 590 yd #122 coral, 450 yd #62 pumpkin, 54 yd #104 camel, and 50 yd #906 yellow-green.
Other supplies and materials Temple (stretcher) that adjusts up to 141⁄2" weaving width, matching sewing thread for hems.
Warp length 2¼ yd (allows for take-up and 28" loom waste).
E.P.I. 20.
P.P.I. 18.
Weaving Wind a warp following the Warp Color Order and thread the shafts following the Draft. It is important with linen to beam the warp with firm, even tension. Weave the runner following the Draft and the Weft Color Order.
“Country Kitchen Checked Cloth” by Margaretha Essén-Hedin from A Handwoven Treasury (Jane Patrick, ed. Loveland, Colorado: Interweave, 1989, p. 136 and on the cover).
Originally published in Handwoven®, November/December 2009, pp. 48–50.
2x
6 yellow-green #906 11 1 1 1111 John B. (space-dyed)
1
1
6x
1
40
40
1
72
Warp color order
Weft color order
Finishing Remove the runner from the loom. Machine zigzag or serge raw edges. Wash in hot water on delicate; line dry until just slightly damp. Press firmly with a hot iron.
Fold under raw edges ½" and press. Fold again so that the first and last windowpane squares are the same size as the others and press. Sew hems by hand with an invisible stitch.
Use a temple (stretcher) to minimize draw-in Adjust temple length so the base of the teeth are at the edge of the warp in the reed on both sides (a). Place the pivot pin in the hole that secures this width. Insert the teeth into the left selvedge, 1 to 2 warp threads inside the edge thread (b); repeat on the opposite side. Gently push down on the center bar (c). Move the metal slider to secure (d). Advance the temple after every inch of weaving
a
c
b
d
Wae-weave table linens by Hector Jaeger
T his set of eight placemats and napkins and matching table runner are all woven on the same warp. The colors combine neutrals with warm peachy tones.
The photo on page 16 shows the runner (on top), which is woven using the eight warp colors in weft stripes, and one placemat (underneath the runner) using Tangerine as weft throughout. Amounts given in these instructions are for enough yarn to weave the runner as shown and each coordinating placemat and napkin pair using a dierent one of the eight warp colors as weft.
Fabric description Wae weave and plain weave.
Finished dimensions One hemmed runner 131⁄2" by 27", eight hemmed placemats 131⁄2" by 18" each, and eight hemmed napkins 141⁄2" by 141⁄2" each.
Warp and weft 16/2 linen (Newport Linen by Halcyon Yarn) at 2,400 yd/ lb, 940 yd Coee #104, 920 yd Natural #102, 900 yd each O White #212 and Camel #113, and 540 yd each Tanger- ine #115, Dusty Rose #206, Watermelon #117, and Rasp- berry #119. 16/2 linen is available in 1 lb cones (2,400 yd) or 300 yd minicones.
Notions Matching sewing thread.
Warp length 10½ yd (allows for take-up and 27" loom waste).
E.P.I. 18 (2-1 in a 12-dent reed or 3/dent in a 6-dent reed).
Width in reed 161⁄9".
P.P.I. 18.
Take-up and shrinkage 15% for wae-weave placemats and runner, 10% for plain-weave napkins.
Weaving For wae-weave sections, follow the treadling repeat in the Draft. For hems and plain-weave sections, alternate treadles 3 and 6. Following the Weft Color Order for the runner. Weave each placemat and napkin pair using a dierent one of the eight warp colors. Begin and end the runner and placemats with 1" of plain weave for hems in the
color used for the start or end of the adjacent wae weave. Weave the wae-weave section of each placemat for 20". For variety, you can weave border stripes of plain weave in the wae weave (remember that plain weave will tend to spread wider than wae weave). Weave each napkin in plain weave for 17" using a dierent one of the eight warp colors. I added a band of wae weave in dierent widths to the napkins for decorative borders. I kept a spray bottle of water handy to moisten the warp as I wove. Damp linen handles more easily and allows the weft to beat in more closely than dry linen. Separate the pieces with 2 picks in a contrasting-color weft to mark cutting lines.
Finishing Remove the fabric from the loom. Machine wash the length of fabric for 5 min and machine dry; remove from the dryer while still damp. Press with a steam iron on a linen setting, adding moisture as necessary.
Machine staystitch on each side of cutting lines. Cut pieces apart. Fold hem sections under 1⁄2" two times and sew hems by hand.
1 1 111
2 2 2 222 3 3 3
4 3
4 4
50 290
Camel 113 Tangerine 115 Dusty Rose 206 Watermelon 117 Raspberry 119
Coee 104
56 56
56 56
56 56
56 56
56 56
Warp color order
Draft
Originally published in Handwoven®, November/December 1985, pp. 56; Instruction Supplement; pp. 14–15.
Lacy linen curtains by Selma Miriam
T he windows of a recently renovated guest room begged for handwoven curtains. I wanted something in a natural color that let in a lot of light, and
handwoven lace in linen seemed just the right thing. Many trips through my weaving library failed to inspire
me to action, until a curtain on the cover of Handwoven, Fall/Winter 1980, caught my eye. (Was this because of the gorgeous cat sitting on a rocker in front of the window?) The curtain behind the cat was woven by Betty Davenport in wool on a rigid-heddle loom using Atwater-Bronson lace and Brooks bouquet.
Much as I tried, I couldn’t figure out how to draft the pattern for my 4-shaft loom. Finally, I decided I should just design my own version. I chose a huck pattern to combine with Brooks bouquet and decided to space and cram the dents of the reed to maximize the lacy eect.
One of the delightful features of Betty Davenport’s curtain is the way Brooks bouquet is used to gather selected warp threads across a row, and then, after many intervening rows of plain weave, gather the same threads again. The enclosed groups make a sort of ogee shape, leaving lacy holes at their tops and bottoms.
In my curtains, cramming groups of warp threads at the sides and middle of these shapes adds texture and empha- sis, and the lacy quality of the huck is increased by leaving empty dents between the huck blocks. Rows of Brooks bouquet decorate the top and bottom hems.
Fabric description Huck lace and plain weave with Brooks bouquet.
Finished dimensions Two hemmed curtain panels 171⁄2" by 461⁄2" each.
Warp and weft 16/2 linen (from Lone Star Loom Room) at 2,400 yd/lb, 2,190 yd unbleached.
Notions and other materials Temple (stretcher) is recommended; matching sewing thread.
Warp length 4 yd (allows for take-up and 28" loom waste). Add 60" to warp length for each additional curtain panel.
E.P.I. 15 (with irregular denting in a 15-dent reed).
Width in reed 20". P.P.I. 15.
Weaving Because of the irregular denting and the special needs of linen, it is best to warp the loom for this project from back to front; see Tracy Kaestner, page 25. (For complete warping instructions for back-to-front warping, go to weavingtoday .com and under Free Projects, click on How-To Instructions.) Spread the warp in a raddle centering for 20"; each inch will have 15 threads, but because of the irregular denting, there are 9 extra threads across the warp. Distribute an extra thread in every other inch for the first 18"; the last 2" will have 15 threads each. Thread the shafts and sley the reed as shown in the Draft, page 20.
Weave 1½" plain weave. Since the Brooks bouquet that decorates the hem does not go all the way to the selvedges, the selvedges must be built up to equal the height of the Brooks bouquet. Using 2 shuttles, weave 6 rows of plain weave with 21 warp threads on each side, and then work a row of Brooks bouquet across the hem (see page 19). Weave 7 picks of plain weave across the whole warp. With 2 shuttles, weave 6 rows of plain weave on the sides as before and then work a second row of Brooks bouquet.
Weave 26 picks plain weave. Next, weave treadling b (lacy huck squares; see the Draft, page 20) four times. On the first pick of the fifth repeat, work a single stitch of Brooks bouquet in the center of the center section of plain weave: Raise shafts 1 and 3 and pass the shuttle through the shed until you reach the first space in the center section (2 threads before the first crammed group of 3 ends). With the shed still open, encircle 10 raised threads (two groups of 3 crammed threads, 1 single thread outside each group of crammed threads, and 2 single threads in between). Then pass the shuttle the rest of the way through the shed.
Continue weaving with treadling b until you reach the pick in the Draft for Brooks bouquet in the side plain-weave sections. Work a single stitch of Brooks bouquet in the center of each of the side plain-weave sections as for the center section. Continue for 45", alternating center and side-section stitches of Brooks bouquet.
Weave 3" lacy huck squares, 2" plain weave, and then repeat the steps for Brooks bouquet (on a closed shed) that you did at the beginning. End with 3" plain weave. Repeat for second curtain.
1.5" plain weave 2 rows Brooks bouquet
2 rows Brooks bouquet
3" lacy huck squares
3" plain weave (for hem and curtain rod sleeve)
For curtain hems: Pass the shuttle through a plain-weave shed until you reach the first space (empty dent). Close the shed. Take the shuttle under the next 3 warp ends, up to the surface, back around and under the same 3 ends, and then under 3 more ends (6 ends in all). Then bring the shuttle up, back around 3 ends, and then down and under 6 ends. Repeat, encircling each group of 3 ends in the same way until you reach the last space (empty dent) on the other side. Open the same plain- weave shed as at the beginning, and pass the shuttle through it to complete the row. (The drawings above show 6 ends instead of 3.)
Brooks bouquet
Curtain design
Fabric before wet finishing
1 11
Brooks bouquet, sides
20 133
309 136
Heddle count
Use a temple (stretcher) to minimize draw-in and abrasion of edge threads. As you weave, some of the threads in the Brooks bouquet and huck sections may become loose. Raise the shafts holding the loose threads and pass a rod under them to suspend under the warp beam and weight as necessary. If this happens for the first panel, cut it o after it is finished, and retie the warp onto the apron rod to retension it for the second panel.
Finishing Remove the fabric from the loom, cut curtains apart, and secure raw edges with machine zigzagging. Machine wash, hot water, gentle cycle. Hang to partly dry. While the fabric is still damp, press with a hot iron until dry. Turn hems under twice and sew by hand. Stitch seam for sleeve to fit curtain rod.
Fabric after wet finishing
Lines of lace in linen by Suzie Liles
L inen comes in many wonderful colors, not just naturals. Use linen and lace with color to create contemporary pieces that coordinate with the colors in a room or with
your dishware. Three hues are used for this runner: a light cool accent color, a light warm accent color, and a warm/neutral background color. The draft for the runner is adapted from Vertical Lace Stripes (Marguerite Davison’s A Handweaver’s Pattern Book, page 95) and is a variation of Swedish lace that uses 4-thread blocks instead of 6-thread blocks. In a 6-thread block, 2 warp threads and 2 weft threads float (the others weave plain weave). In a 4-thread block, only 1 thread floats in both warp and weft.
Color interaction In the 4-thread blocks in the lace stripes in this runner, 3 of the threads are one color and the 4th thread a contrasting color (the positions of the two colors alternate from stripe to stripe). The denting order is unusual: The 3 threads that are the same color are sleyed together, the single contrasting thread is sleyed singly, and empty dents separate the two colors (see the photo below).
For your runner, you can choose any three colors—or more! Consider using dierent colors for each lace stripe.
Fabric description Variation of Swedish lace.
Finished dimensions One hemmed runner 181⁄4" by 543⁄4".
Warp and weft Warp: 16/2 linen at 2,400 yd/lb, 152 yd each #1440 (pale green) and #1023 (pale orange), 579 yd #63 (warm brown). Weft: 16/2 linen: 765 yd #63 (warm brown).
Warp length 2 yd (allows for take-up and 26" loom waste).
E.P.I. 15½ ppi (with irregular denting in a 10-dent reed).
Width in reed 212⁄5". P.P.I. 18.
Draft
Warping Wind a warp of 331 ends following the Warp Color Order. These directions are for warping front to back: Wind 2 brown ends together, keeping a finger between them to prevent twisting. After 30 ends are wound, cut 1 end and wind 1 end. Then tie the first color (orange) to the brown end and wind 3 ends. Then cut and tie a single (green) end and wind 1 end. Continue, cutting and tying at color changes.
Sley a 10-dent reed following the denting order in the Draft (also see photo below): Sley 30 brown ends 2/dent and then sley the 31st end 1/dent. Sley the 3 ends of the first color (orange) of the first lace stripe in one dent. Skip a dent and sley the single- colored end (green) in a single dent. Skip a dent and sley 3 orange, skip a dent and sley 1 green, and continue until you reach the end of the orange and green stripe. Then begin again with brown and 2/dent and continue in the same way.
Thread following the Draft and beam the warp with firm and even tension, packing the layers with heavy paper or sticks.
Weaving Spread the warp with scrap yarn in plain weave. With brown weft, weave plain weave for 2" for a hem. Then weave the lace section for 61". Measure the picks per inch for the first inch or two and then work to maintain the same number throughout (about 18). End the runner with 2" plain weave for second hem.
Finishing Remove the fabric from the loom and machine zigzag raw edges, removing the scrap yarn. Machine wash, hot water, with detergent. Roll in a towel to remove excess water. Lay flat to partly dry. Hard press with a hot iron. Turn ends under 1⁄4" and then fold again and sew hems by hand. The hemmed edges will show about 1" of plain weave before the lace starts in each stripe.
1
15x 15x 15x4x
2"
61"
2"
60 30 112 331
3xWarp color order Irregular denting emphasizes the lacy texture.
Originally published in Handwoven®, March/April 2008, pp. 38–40.
Linen overshot placemats by Kathryn Wertenberger
Draft
O ne warp can provide unlimited designs and colorways using a simple overshot draft. Schleelein’s #41 from A Handweaver’s Pattern Book by Marguerite Davison,
page 123, is used for these placemat borders.
Fabric description Overshot and plain weave.
Finished dimensions Eight hemmed placemats 121⁄2" by 20" each.
Warp and weft 16/2 Bockens linen at 2,745 yd/lb, 2,500 yd unbleached, 840 yd #1023 (salmon pink), 205 yd #1300 (rust), 133 yd #106 (red-orange), 80 yd #1028 (light green), 72 yd #139 (navy blue), 64 yd #3060 (teal blue). Bockens linen is available from The Lone Star Loom Room, Vävstuga Weaving School, and other weaving retailers.
Warp length 6½ yd (allows for take-up and 27" loom waste).
111 111
Placem ats w
cont’d. oating
1
Weave this border design 2x, separated by 10 picks of plain weave.
E.P.I. 18. Width in reed 141⁄6".
P.P.I. 18 tabby/18 pattern.
Take-up and shrinkage 10–11%.
Weaving The pattern weft is 16/2 linen used doubled. The treadling does not indicate the tabby weft but only the number of pattern picks to make with each pattern treadle. Before every pattern pick, weave a tabby pick (alternating treadles 1 and 2).
Begin and end each placemat with 2" for hems (the first and last inch, which are completely enclosed in the hem, will lie flatter if woven with a finer weft, such as 16/1 linen). Weave the selected border design and then weave only plain weave until the entire piece measures 26" including the last inch (in the finer weft, if available).
For the orange/rust mats, the tabby weft is salmon pink. Follow the trea- dlings indicated for the border designs, switching the main/accent colors the second time for each treadling. For the multicolored mats, use unbleached as the tabby weft. In the mats shown, the main/accent colors are: teal/rust, green/blue, blue/green, rust/green.
Finishing Machine stitch the ends of each mat but do not cut apart. Machine wash using a short, gentle cycle. Hang or lay flat until almost dry. Cut apart. Press with a hot iron. Press under 2"; then turn and press the final 1" into the fold. Sew hems by hand.
Originally published in Handwoven®, March 1981, pp. 47–49.
Pattern weft treadling orders For the set of placemats on page 23, use a di¢erent main and accent color for each. The treadling draft only shows blue as the main color, green as the accent color (the bottom placemat in the photo).
For the orange/rust placemats, follow the treadling sequences using the colors in the draft. For the second two placemats, switch the main and accent colors. The asterisk (*) in the treadling indi- cates that you repeat the treadling sequence one time after 10 picks of plain weave for the mat with the two narrow border bands.
Linen and log cabin by Tracy Kaestner
Log cabin is an especially good structure for table runners, placemats, cushions, and other decorative items for the home. The subtle pattern of vertical and horizontal
stripes can harmonize well with dishes, pottery, and other textiles without overwhelming them with too much pattern. Choose any two colors and wrap the threads side by side on a ruler to see how they blend. The overall color eect of the burgundy and gold in this runner is neither burgundy nor gold, but a warm brown.
16/2 linen is a wonderful fiber. It is strong and smooth and not terribly fine. It is ideal for a first project in linen and suitable for a fairly new weaver. Even better, it comes in lots of yummy colors.
Fabric description Log cabin.
Finished dimensions One hemmed runner 141⁄2" by 521⁄2".
Warp and weft 16/2 linen (from Lone Star Loom Room) at 2,705 yd/lb, 730 yd each of color 477 (burgundy) and color 454 (gold), one 750 yd tube of each color.
Notions and other equipment One dowel 1⁄4" by 18" for spacer, tapestry needle, burgundy sewing thread.
Warp length 2 yd (allows for take-up and 32" loom waste).
E.P.I. 20. Width in reed 162⁄5". P.P.I. 20.
Warping These directions are for warping from back to front. Mark a path on the warping board 2 yd long with a guide string. Wind a warp of 328 ends following the guide string, alternating 1 end burgundy/1 end gold (164 ends each color). Place the two tubes on a spool rack or put each tube in a bowl and wind the 2 ends together, keeping them separate with a finger. Keep an even pressure on both threads as you wind. Finger-crochet a counting thread in the cross to mark groups of 10 threads for each space in the raddle, (8 in the last space). Tie the arms of the cross, tie several choke ties, and chain the warp from the warping board.
Place the end loop nearest the cross on a rod (a ½" dowel works well) and fasten it to the warp beam apron rod. Install the raddle on the back beam. Insert lease sticks
in the cross, tie the lease sticks in a position for beaming, and remove the cross ties. Centering for 16½", remove the chaining thread as you place each 10-end group in a raddle space; secure with rubber bands.
Slowly and carefully wind the warp onto the beam, packing the layers with sticks or smooth, sturdy paper. After each turn, go to the front and pull on groups of warp threads. When the end of the warp reaches a good position for threading, adjust the lease sticks if necessary and thread following the Draft. (Use four shafts if you have them to spread the warp.) Sley 2 ends/dent in a 10-dent reed, centering for 16¡".
Weaving Wind one bobbin with burgundy and one with gold. Weave 5" following the draft (end after a complete sequence of either DLDLDLDL or LDLDLDLD). Work trellis hemstitching (see below). Weave 3 repeats of log cabin. Hemstitch. Weave log cabin for 41–42", ending with a complete sequence of DLDLDLDL or LDLDLDLD. Repeat hemstitching; weave 3 repeats, hemstitch; weave 5" for hem section.
For trellis hemstitching: Cut the weft, leaving a tail three times warp width. With the tail, hemstitch over 6 ends and 2 weft rows; end by needle-weaving the tail down the selvedge. Put in the ¼" spacer. Continue weaving, leaving a tail as before. After 1", loosen the tension and pull out the spacer. Hemstitch over 2 weft rows starting with 3 ends in the first group followed by 6-end groups. This splits the groups from the first row to create the trellis design.
Finishing Cut the runner from the loom; machine zigzag or serge raw edges. Machine wash, warm water, delicate cycle, mild soap. Lay flat on a counter or table while damp and block to shape. Let dry to slightly damp. Press with a hot iron. Turn up ends ½"; turn up again to meet hemstitching. Blind stitch hems and opening at the selvedges.
D
D
D
2x
2x
2x
2x2x
repeat
20x
Draft
Originally published in Handwoven®, March/April 2006, pp. 32–34.
Lacy linen lite: a runner by Norma Smayda
1 1
1
cont'd
support (a knitting needle through a shoe box) for winding the warp and wind one end at a time. Beam the warp with firm and even tension with smooth paper or sticks separating the layers.
To help open the lacy structure, sley 1-2-2 in a 12-dent reed for this runner, making sure each thread on shaft 3 in the lace areas is in a dent by itself. (If you sley from left to right, sley 2-2-1.)
Weave 1¾" plain weave for the hem with 16/1 or 20/1 linen and then insert 2 picks of 5/2 spacer, leaving tails for pulling out later. Weave the body of the runner with 16/2 half- bleached linen following the Draft. Soak the bobbins in water for an hour and press out excess water with a paper towel before using. Maintain a consistent 16 ppi, measuring in the plain-weave areas. End with 2 picks spacer and 1¾" plain weave in 16/1 linen.
Finishing Cut the fabric from the loom and machine stitch raw edges. To use the warp floats as the right side, work from the back (i.e., the side with the weft floats). Turn the hems twice to enclose the raw edge with the fold abutting the row of 5/2 cotton. Press. Using sewing thread and a blind stitch, sew up the ½" opening at the selvedge of the hem and then begin the one-step hemstitching and hemming process, gradually pulling out the 5/2 cotton as you work: Take the needle under, back around, over, and then under again the first 4 exposed warp ends and stitch back into the folded hem. Repeat with the next 4 ends and continue across the fabric, drawing up the sewing thread firmly. End by blind- stitching the hem’s selvedge on the other side.
Wash the runner by hand with mild detergent. Then shock the linen by soaking it in very hot water for 5 minutes, then in ice water for 5 minutes. Repeat twice more. Squeeze out excess water with a bath towel and hang to partially dry. Hard press until thoroughly dry.
T his table runner features 16/2 linen in a versatile 3-shaft lacy variation of canvas weave that I first saw in a 1970s Swedish weaving magazine. Lace weaves are
usually most eective when they are woven in white or light colors so that the contrast between the light floats and the dark shadows produced by the lace holes is maximized. The natural linen in this runner also gives the fabric a lovely texture.
Weaving with linen Linen tends to be wiry. For this runner, I soaked each bobbin in water for about an hour before using it. The moisture made it much easier to weave straight selvedges and was no harder to weave with than a dry weft.
Because there are 5 warp ends but only 4 weft picks in each lace block, the weft sett is more open than the warp sett to square the design. For a consistent texture, the plain- weave areas must also be woven at 16 ppi. Practice your beat for a few inches before you start the runner.
Fabric description Variation of canvas weave.
Finished dimensions One hemmed runner 141⁄2" by 29".
Warp and weft 16/2 linen at 2,400 yd/lb, 900 yd unbleached. For hems, 16/1 or 20/1 linen at 4,800–6,000 yd/lb, 30 yd unbleached. (To avoid buying such a small amount of linen, you can substitute sewing thread for the first ½" of the hem section to reduce hem bulk and weave the 1¼" closest to the hemstitching in 16/2 linen, the part of the hem that will show.) For spacer weft, 5/2 pearl cotton at 2,100 yd/lb (or similar) 2 yd white or natural.
Notions Sewing thread to match linen.
Warp length 2 yd (allows for take-up and 36" loom waste and sampling).
E.P.I. 20. Width in reed 16". P.P.I. 16.
Warping and weaving Place the tube of linen on a spool rack or other horizontal
Draft
What’s not to love about linen? by Barbara Elkins
T his project is the result of a conversation with a fel- low guild member about weaving with linen. Linen has an undeserved reputation for being dicult, but
all you need to do to use it successfully is understand its behavior. Linen fibers must be twisted firmly to make the yarn durable, so as it comes o the tube, the yarn seems overtwisted or “lively.” It’s just being linen!
Weaving with linen Linen is very inelastic. This is both bad news and good news. The bad news is that linen will not forgive careless weaving techniques. As the beater hits the fell, the teeth of the reed can abrade the selvedge threads if they have drawn in and eventually break them. If warp tension is not consistent, loose threads can sag in the shed and catch on the shuttle.
The good news is that careful warping and weaving can produce a fabric that looks exceptionally well woven. Linen threads are smooth and firm. If the weft is placed in the shed at a sucient angle to allow for take-up and tucked snugly around the selvedge thread, no draw-in will occur, and the selvedges will be straight and clean. It is easier to achieve a consistent beat with linen than other fibers—the firmness of linen threads tends to cause them to align evenly.
A helpful tip for hemmed pieces: Weave in a pick of contrasting-color sewing thread to mark the fold lines for hemming. (I lift just one shaft to insert the thread.) It is much easier to make a straight fold with this thread in place than to try to follow a weft row. Then just remove the thread after you have folded and pressed the hem.
To insure that each thread is wound on the warping board at the same tension, wind each end singly. Place the tube on a horizontal rod so that as the thread is pulled o the tube, the tube rotates (pulling the yarn o a tube or cone standing on the floor can add twist to the yarn). My method of choice is to put the tube on a knitting needle or dowel and stick this rod into two sides of a shoe box.
Even with plied linen yarn, when you chain the warp from the warping board (thereby releasing the tension on the threads), they will curl and twist around each other. Gently untwist the threads, applying tension as necessary, while you are winding the warp through the lease sticks and onto the warp beam.
When you are threading from the lease sticks, the unten- sioned threads will twist into groups again, so again, uncurl them gently. Tie the warp onto the front apron rod with extra care, smoothing and pulling the threads in each group so that they are all evenly tensioned.
Practice weaving to square before starting the placemats: Weave 2" of plain weave, release the tension, wait a few minutes for the fabric to relax, and then count the number of picks per inch. Aim for 35 ppi (one fewer than ends per inch since the warp will relax a bit more o the loom). Weave a few inches of pattern and check the picks per inch in the same way.
Resources Holroyd, Ruth N., and Ulrike L. Beck. Jacob Angstadt Designs Drawn
From His Weavers Patron Book. Pittsford, New York: Ruth N. Holroyd, 1976. Figure No. 200, Draft No. 11.
Muller, Donna. Handwoven Laces. Loveland, Colorado: Interweave Press, 1991.
The placemats These placemats combine two sure winners for dressing a table: linen and lace. Linen produces a textile with a unique smooth drape, and the gleam of linen fibers only increases after repeated washing and ironing. Atwater-Bronson lace is a weaver’s favorite block weave—relatively few shafts provide a lot of pattern, the texture is delicious, and the weaving is very quick and easy with only one shuttle. For the placemats I adapted a 6-block profile draft from Jacob Angstadt Designs (see Resources). The large motif is cen- tered within a striped border.
Fabric description Atwater-Bronson lace.
Finished dimensions Four hemmed placemats 127⁄8" by 18" each.
Warp and weft 40/2 linen (from Webs) at 6,000 yd/lb, 2,995 yd Burgundy.
Warp length 3½ yd (allows for take-up and 38" loom waste and sampling).
E.P.I. 36. Width in reed 135⁄6". P.P.I. 35.
Warping Wind a warp of 498 ends 3½ yd long. Tie the four arms of the cross, tie the beginning and ending loops of the warp, and make several choke ties along the length of the warp. Chain the warp from the warping board.
(These directions are for warping from back to front— front to back will work as well.) Insert lease sticks in the cross
A B C D E F
111 2
111 2
111 2
111 2
111 2
111 2
33 4
7 8
4 55
66 7
21 3 4 5 6 7 8
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Profile drawdown
Profile Draft
and a rod in the warp loop near the cross. Tie the rod to the apron rod of the warp beam and spread the warp in a raddle at 36 ends/inch. Carefully untwisting warp curls, beam the warp with firm, even tension; insert smooth, heavy paper between the layers.
Thread the heddles following the instructions with the Draft. Sley 3/dent in a 12-dent reed. Tie the warp onto the front apron rod in ½" bouts making sure tension is even.
Weaving Weave several picks of plain weave to spread the warp. Before you start the mats, practice weaving to square, both in plain weave and in the lace pattern. (Release the tension before measuring.) With linen, I like to change the shed when the beater is against the fell and then beat lightly again to lock the weft in place and minimize draw-in.
Weave 1¼" plain weave for hem; then raise shaft 2 and insert a length of sewing thread as a fold-line marker. Weave 6 picks plain weave, then weave the
first placemat following the instructions with the draft. End with 6 picks plain weave, 1 pick sewing thread with shaft 2 raised, and 1¼" plain weave.
Weave three more placemats the same way as the first; separate the mats by weaving a few picks of a contrasting color between them.
Finishing Remove the fabric from the loom, machine zigzag or serge the edges of each mat, and cut apart.
For each placemat: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat and soak the mat in the water
To thread: Begin and end with 12 threads on shafts 1 and 2 for a plain-weave selvedge (1-2, 6x). Then substitute one 6-end threading unit (A, B, C, D, E, or F) for each cor- responding threading square in the Profile Draft. For example (after the 12 ends of plain weave), thread four units of Block F (1-8-1-8-1-2, 4x), then one unit of Block E (1-7-1-7-1-2), and continue. End with 12 threads on shafts 1 and 2 (1-2, 6x).
To weave: After you have practiced weaving to square, weave each placemat by substituting one 6-pick treadling unit for each square in the treadling section of the Profile Draft. For example, the first four squares in the profile treadling are in the last column on the right and correspond to the last (bottom) treadling unit (treadles 1-8-1-8-1-2, 4x).
Note that the shaded sections in the treadling columns correspond with the columns in the treadling section of the Profile Draft.
for about 10 minutes. Then drop the mat into a bowl of ice water and soak for 10 minutes. Repeat both steps. Roll in a towel to remove excess moisture and then press until dry on the reverse side of the fabric with the iron on a linen setting. Press hem folds, pin, remove sewing thread, and sew hems by hand. (Because the fabric is not undergoing any agitation, you can sew hems after the fabric is finished. This will allow the whole fabric to contract evenly.)
Here’s a very elegant use for handwoven linen mats. Catherine Leary wove the fabric for this breakfast tray in 40/3 linen. The weave structure is 2-block damask. Ten shafts are required for each of the two 5-thread satin blocks, but a very similar eect can be produced with 2-block turned twill on eight shafts. Like Atwater-Bronson lace, both turned twill and damask are ideal weave structures for showing the gleam of fine linen fibers. Also like Atwater-Bronson lace, they are both quick to weave with only one shuttle.
A run of linen runners by Vicki Tardy
T his project was inspired by a linen runner from an issue of Väv Magasinet. The simple lines of the design appealed to me, but the weaving method (using a
weaving sword for pick-up in damask) did not! I was able to make a profile draft of the same design in five blocks with a sixth block for a border. This way, I could weave the design— and others, too!—on eight shafts in summer and winter, completely loom-controlled.
I love the crispness and luster of fabrics made of linen. They seem to have an ageless, heirloom quality. Weaving with linen, however, is dierent from weaving with other fibers. Even as it unrolls from the tube, linen feels dierent. It is sti and a bit wiry. Because of its lack of elasticity, extra care is required to keep warp tension even. It also takes practice to turn a linen weft into the next row and beat it in so that a little loop doesn’t form at the selvedge.
Beating on an open shed does not work well with linen— a linen weft tends to bounce back toward the reed. I find it works much better to pass the shuttle through the shed so the weft lies at an angle (you will have to experiment to see exactly how steep the angle needs to be), bring the beater to the fell with the shed still open, and then, keeping the beater against the fell, change to the next shed and give one or two more quick beats.
Linen is also unique in that it is stronger when it is wet. For that reason, some weavers mist their linen warps or work in humid conditions to help prevent breakage. It should be noted that breakage is much less a problem with a plied yarn than a singles yarn.
Design options I like to weave more than one item on the same warp, but I become bored if they all look the same. Even for a set of placemats I vary the treadling from one mat to the next. For this project, I wound a warp long enough for three runners. Working with my 6-block profile draft, I used dierent block combinations for the profile treadling of each runner. Using linen for the pattern weft in summer and winter gives the woven piece some of the same look and hand as damask.
Resources Heinrich, Linda. Linen: Flax Seed to Woven Cloth. Atglen,
Pennsylvania: Schier Publishing, Ltd., 2010. Lundmark, Elvy. “Checks in Classic Symmetry,” Väv Magasinet,
Number 3, 1986, pp. 14–15.
THE THREE RUNNERS Fabric description Summer and winter.
Finished dimensions Three hemmed runners: 211⁄8" by 621⁄4" (Runner 1), 211⁄2" by 65" (Runner 2), 211⁄4" by 611⁄8" (Runner 3).
Warp and weft 40/2 linen (from Webs) at 6,000 yd/lb, 4,809 yd Natural. Tabby weft: 40/2 linen, 3,600 yd Natural. Pattern weft for Runner 1: 20/2 linen (from Webs) at 3,000 yd/lb, 1,100 yd half-bleached Pattern weft for Runner 2: 16/1 linen at 4,800 yd/lb, 1,500 yd Medium Blue #132 Pattern weft for Runner #3: 16/2 linen (from Lone Star Loom Room) at 2,400 yd/lb, 970 yd Moss Green #145.
Warp length 7 yd (allows for take-up and 35" loom waste and sampling).
E.P.I. 30.
Width in reed 299⁄10".
P.P.I. 22 tabby, 22 pattern (Runner 1). 26 tabby, 26 pattern (Runner 2). 20 tabby, 20 pattern (Runner 3).
Warping Wind a warp of 687 ends 7 yd long in two chains, one of 330 ends, the other 357. Winding two chains prevents uneven build-up on the pegs and makes it easier to beam the threads evenly. Wind 2 ends at a time, keeping them separate with a finger.
For each chain: Tie the cross and chain the warp from the warping board, working from the end farthest from the cross up to the cross.
Put a rod through the loops closest to the cross on both chains and secure the rod to the back apron rod of the loom. Place lease sticks through the crosses in both chains and hang the lease sticks behind the castle, level with the heddle eyes. (Be sure the heddles are pushed to the sides; remove the shafts if necessary so that the warp passes
Runner 2Runner 1 Runner 3
straight from the raddle to the back apron rod.) Spread the warp in the raddle with 30 ends in each inch, 27 in the last inch; secure the raddle to the front beam.
Beam the warp under firm and even tension, packing the layers with paper or sticks. (Be sure the paper or sticks extend several inches beyond the width of the warp.) If another person is not available to hold the chains under tension while you beam, crank one rotation of the beam, go to the front of the loom and pull tight on small sections of the warp, and repeat this sequence until the warp loops reach the raddle.
Cut the loops and tie in 1" bundles with slipknots; remove the raddle. Turn the warp beam until the threads are in position for threading.
Thread following the Draft. Sley 2/dent in a 15-dent reed or 3/dent in a 10-dent reed. Tie the warp onto the front apron rod in ½" groups; adjust tension carefully (do not tie tight, just even).
Weaving Using the plain-weave (tabby) treadles, weave a heading to space the warp threads. Before you start the runners, practice weaving with the pattern and tabby wefts for a few inches to get a feel for handling the linen. Determine the best weft angle so that a loop doesn’t form at the selvedge
but also so that there is little or no draw-in. Begin weaving the first runner. The first and last pattern
repeats (15x for Runner 1, for example) for each of the runners are the hem sections. They are designed so that when the hems are turned, the turned part will match the back side and the runners are therefore reversible (i.e., if the pattern weft shows on the back side, it shows on the hem section that is turned). Weave the runners so that the design areas are woven to square (the horizontal stripes in Runner 1, for example, should be the same distance apart as the vertical stripes). You can add or subtract pattern picks to adjust (always alternate a pattern pick using tie-down shaft 1 with a pattern pick using tie-down shaft 2). Weave all three runners following the treadling sequences in the Draft. Separate the runners with a few picks in a contrasting yarn.
Weave a few picks of plain weave to secure the edge, cut the fabric from the loom, serge or machine zigzag the ends of each runner, and cut the runners apart.
Finishing Machine wash, regular cycle, warm water, with Ivory Liquid; rinse on cold. Tumble in the dryer for 5 minutes or less and iron while damp on a linen setting. Turn raw edges under two times; press and pin hems. Lay flat until completely dry. Sew hem

weaving with linen

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