24 epi

MAFA2025-3952

I was intrigued by this pattern and I call it “Bubbles”. It doesn’t look like the pattern pictured in the magazine – probably because I chose to use a ground weft in between each pattern weft. Using a variegated royal blue, gold and aqua for the ground created an interesting pattern.
The size was 19″ in the reed and 28″ woven was the length on the loom; but after wet finishing, its size is 15 1/2″ X 23 1/2″.
Total number of ends was 457.
I used white sewing machine thread for the hem (turned under 1 1/2″ on each end and machine stitched it in place.)
I think it makes for an absorbent towel.

MAFA2025-3914

This draft was fun to weave and I love the texture of the finished towel (machine washed and dried). I wove some on this warp with 8/4 cotton as well, the squares were bigger, but they were nice as well.

MAFA2025-3854

The idea for this runner is from Mary Meigs Atwater’s Recipe Book; series V, number 11, titled botanical garden. I used her profile draft but altered my tie up to create buildings and trees versus her garden.
It was a pleasure to weave and my next go at it will be with a colored warp.

MAFA2025-3850

This towel has 408 ends in the warp and was woven to 31 inches long. I began with a 9.5 yard long warp and wove 10 towels. It is my belief that a long warp gives the weaver a large variety of places to play. It also is very economical as far as loom waste is concerned. A warp for one towel has the same amount of loom waste as for for 10 or more towels. 200 yards of loom waste is average for dish towels! Think of the cost and then decide to make many towels using different weft colors and new tie ups or treadlings. This is what I call weaving fun! Additionally, I rarely have only one color in the warp.

I weave a towel as my heart desires, weave two shots of scrap weft and then begin the next towel. When the warp comes to an end and I remove it from the loom, I will sew a row of zigzag stitches at each end of each towel. Next I put the entire warp in the washer and add very warm water, let the towels soak for about 20 minutes and then allow the washer to finish the load. They go to the dryer next and tumble until barely damp. I steam press each towel and cut it from the warp. I then make a narrow turned hem and stitch it with small blind hem stitches. A final pressing and all is finished, I stand back to admire the play of colors and textures.

MAFA2025-3811

There are 456 ends in this towel. It measures 19″ wide in the reed.
The pattern changes do not line up with the colors. In the draft I used a solid purple to represent the multi-colored areas.

72 green
24 cream
72 ends in a variety of colors
24 cream
72 ends in a variety of colors
24 cream
72 ends in a variety of colors
24 cream
72 green

MAFA2025-3786

I began with a traditional 4 shaft rosepath threading and then added some basic twill threadings for different stripes in the warp. The final combination is my own design. In total, 461 ends were threaded so it is important to count heddles before starting to thread the loom. I used a 4 shaft direct tied up floor loom for the various towels I wove on this warp.

The treadling in this draft is an advancing twill with reversing points.