I started out with Strickler #246, and as I was working with two different shades of red in the weft, I realized how much it reminded me of watermelon. I decided to add some lines in shades of green to represent the rind, along with the reds in the center (and the little bits of black like seeds).
Shafts: 8
MAFA2021-051
This design was inspired by 200 Patterns for Multiple Harness Looms by Russell E. Groff (1979).
Calculated as follows:
Weaving width 20″
EPI: 20
400 warp ends, but I calculated 405 warp ends to balance the design. I added 2 floating selvages at each side.
Shrinkage: 15%; used machine wash delicate cycle
MAFA2021-052
Warp Width: 19.5″
Sett: 24
Reed: 12
Sley: double
# Ends: 470
Warp Yarn: unmercerized cotton
Count: 8/2
Color: 6 colors
Weft Yarn: unmercerized cotton
Count: 8/2
Color: 6 colors, same as warp. Used one color for each of the 6 towels.
Finished dimensions: 16.5 x 24
Turned Taqueté
I did not weave the squares described in the Handwoven article, as I was having so much fun weaving bubbles.
MAFA2021-054
Hand-dyed warp, dyed in the skein using fiber-reactive dyes, undyed weft. Woven on a new-to-me Bexell Cranbrook countermarche loom.
MAFA2021-049
This towel was washed in the machine, dried in the dryer, ironed with steam and hand hemmed with cotton thread. Other notes on making the towel are included in the WIF. I might sett it a tad closer next time—22-24 epi. It offers a great opportunity for designing with color and for putting together colors that one might be uncomfortable using together!
MAFA2021-050
I selected this pattern because I liked the geometry. I learned more about block patterns and how they are constructed. Strickler’s book notes that this draft, woven by Barbara McClanathan, is a 2 block twill adapted from Väv Magazinet, 1984, Nr.4, pages 20-21.
Here are more details on the loom set up, warping, and weaving.
Shaft 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Count 46 46 46 46 80 80 80 80
Valley Yarns 10/2 Cotton—a very sticky yarn that made threading a challenge. Floating selvedges broke several times. Had to ease up on the tension. I’d recommend 2 floating selvedge ends per side.
MAFA2021-043
A temple is most useful to prevent draw-in. You can make a coordinated set of towels on the same warp, having fun varying weft colors and block sizes.
480 ends
Sett 2 per dent in a 12-dent reed
Wet finished
Hemmed, hand-stitched
Love this cottolin!
MAFA2021-035
The colors I used were blue, gray, red, and turquoise. This was a fun project to weave. I also added a hang tag woven with the same colors.
MAFA2021-036
I used 422 ends including floating selvages. The warp is Chocolate Brown by Spartan Dyers from Cotton Clouds. The weft is turquoise by Maurice Brassard from The Woolery.
My draft is #355 in Strickler’s A Weaver’s Book of Eight-Shaft Patterns. This is a plaited twill pattern.