TOP TEN BLANKETS AND THROWS

BEST OF

TOP TENBLANKETS AND

THROWSon Four Shafts

TOP TENBLANKETS AND

THROWSon Four Shafts

When I was a new weaver, I was extremely intimidated by the thought of weaving large fabrics— tablecloths, blankets, or bed coverings. They take a lot of yarn, they need wide looms, and they take a lot of time to weave. I also thought that they would require a lot of skill, something I did not yet have.

It took awhile for me to realize that weaving a wide fabric doesn’t take more time than weaving a narrow one. Blankets, in particular, can be as fast to weave as scarves or table runners. They are usually woven in thick yarns, which means that there aren’t all that many ends per inch to thread nor picks per inch to make. Best of all, when you finish a blanket, you have a lot to show for your time. A scarf might go in a drawer when it isn’t being worn, but a blanket can add color to a room as well as perform the function of wrapping you in soft warmth.

In updating the projects featured here, most of which appeared in Handwoven in the 1980s and 1990s, I discovered that many wool yarns available then are no longer available now—or they now come in a di�erent range of colors. For this eBook, we’ve consulted yarn manufacturers and given much thought to the substitutions given in the project instructions. Gathering sample cards from current sources was an adventure in color study for us. Use this book for your own adventure and discover the joys of choosing and blending colors and fulling and finishing the woven results into something soft and beautiful to wrap around you.

Carpet-Warp Blanket by Carla Moore Buchheit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Shimmering Pastel Blanket by Leslie Voiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Pastel Throw and Pillow by Halcyon Blake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Wa�e-Weave Throw by Hector Jaeger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Caribbean Blues Blanket by Leslie Voiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Rainbow Blanket by Faye Kolhonen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Warm and Cozy Plain Blanket by Linda Ligon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Topaz Lights Lap Robe by Barbara Elkins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Shades of Fall Lap Robe by Leslie Voiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

From Twill to Shadow Weave by Sharon Alderman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Tips for Planning, Hemstitching, and Fringing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

C O N T E N T S

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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.

Here’s a colorful lightweight blanket for cool summer nights on the deck or windy afternoons at the beach. It’s woven in plain weave using unmercer-

ized 8/4 cotton. 8/4 cotton is very inexpensive, can endure heavy wear and repeated washings, and is readily available in a multitude of colors. There are two basic types of this yarn currently available. One, long known by weavers as “carpet warp,” is from Maysville and has been used for de-cades by weavers as the first-choice warp yarn for weft-faced rugs. The other is a softer yarn, made from plying to-gether 2 strands of 8/2 unmercerized cotton, available from Maurice Brassard et Fils.

The blanket shown here uses Maysville carpet warp. This yarn is known for its strength, not its softness, but the blan-ket is surprisingly soft to the touch and only gets softer with repeated washings. The 8/4 cotton by Brassard was not available when this blanket was woven but would make an especially lovely texture for a light blanket.

Use the colors shown here or let this project be an invitation to explore color interaction. If you have a wide loom, you can weave the blanket in one layer. For a narrow-er loom, instructions are included for weaving the blanket doublewide. 8/4 cotton is especially suitable for double-weave, allowing clean sheds to be formed with ease.

Fabric description Plain weave.

Finished dimensionsOne blanket 46" by 75" plus 4½" fringe on each end.

Warp and weft8/4 unmercerized cotton at 1,600 yd/lb (Maysville or Bras-sard et Fils), 640 yd pink, 670 yd orange, 475 yd rust, 540 yd aqua, 90 yd yellow, 930 yd light blue, 65 yd gold.

Total warp ends 586.

Warp length3¼ yd (allows for take-up, shrinkage, and 27" loom waste; loom waste is used for fringe).

E.P.I. 10 (20 for doublewide blanket).

Width in reed 58�" (29�" for doublewide blanket).

P.P.I. 10.

Take-up and shrinkage 22% in width, 20% in length.

Carpet-warp blanket by Carla Moore Buchheit

Warping and weavingWind the warp following the selected Warp Color Order. Thread the shafts following the selected Draft. If you are weaving the blanket in a single layer, double-sley the first and last 2 ends.

Allowing 5" for fringe, weave: 11" light blue, Color Se-quence A, 15" light blue, Color Sequence B, 15" light blue, Color Sequence A, 11" light blue. When you are changing colors, overlap the old and new ends for 3–4". For the dou-blewide version, start the shuttle from the edge with the pink warp threads (this will be the open edge).

FinishingRemove the blanket from the loom, again allowing 5" for fringe. Tie overhand knots in the fringe using 8 ends for each knot, beginning and ending with aqua (the first and last knots will have 5 ends each). Trim fringe evenly.

Machine wash, gentle cycle; tumble dry, warm. Use your fingers to comb out the tangles in the fringe. Because Maysville carpet warp tends to shed lint in the first several washings, if you used this yarn wash the blanket separately until it stops shedding.

PP

P

12O

OAA

A

34

R

PO

RR

PPO

AR

//

72x

P = pinkO = orangeR = rustA = aqua

PP

PP

PP

PP

1 112

OO

OO

OO

A

AA

AA

A3 33

RR

R

RR

R 4

/

/

//

36x

P = pinkO = orangeR = rustA = aqua

selvedges

skip a dent to decrease draw-in at the fold

*

*

*

146146146

11

111

11

1

111

1222148

586

aquarustorangepink

72x

146146146

222

22

22

22

24

2148586

aquarustorangepink

36x

10

10

6

6

3

3

3

3

22

22

22

22

20

20

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

130

gold

aqua

oran

geye

llow

pink

10

10

6

6

3

3

3

3

22

22

22

22

8

8

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

15

gold

aqua

oran

geye

llow

pink

Sequence A Sequence B

Draft for doublewide blanket

Draft for single layer

Single layer warp color order

Doublewide warp color order

Weft color orders

© 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 2

Originally published in Handwoven®, September/October 1993, pp. 65, 92–93,


P.P.I. Shetland blanket: 9; Highland blanket: 7. Take your measurements with the warp under tension so that the weft sett will relax to 10 or 8 ppi respectively.

Take-up and shrinkage 20% in width and length.

Warping and weavingBecause the warp includes many color changes, winding it can be slow. You can make the process much faster by winding the warp twice as long as required (5 yd or 5½ yd) with a cross at both ends and stopping after winding 8 ends of the 16 ends of Seagreen in the center of the Warp Color Order. If you then cut the warp chain at the center of its length, you’ll have two chains, each including exactly half of the required warp threads. Place the crosses so that the two sections of 8 ends of Seagreen are adjacent to each other at the center of the warp.

Allowing 5–6" for fringe including the amount used to tie on, weave the blanket measuring the picks per inch carefully and using the Warp Color Order for the weft colors except: Weave a total of 20 rows of each color or pairs of colors instead of 16. That is, weave 20 rows Cornsilk, 20 rows al-ternating Cornsilk and Gold, 20 rows Melon, etc. Note that the treadling sequence also changes after each 20 picks.

With the floating selvedges, the edges will weave plain weave if you start the treadling sequence from the side of the warp where shaft 1 is threaded; otherwise a doubled thread will occur at the selvedge.

FinishingAllowing 5–6" for fringe, remove the fabric from the loom. Tie the fringe at each end snug against the fell in overhand knots, including 3 ends in each knot. Machine wash, gentle cycle, in warm water. Add fabric softener in the final rinse. Line dry or lay flat to dry. Trim fringe evenly to 4".

Soft colors, gradual transitions from one color to the next, and a lofty surface created by the finishing process all contribute to the shimmering e�ect of the

colors in this blanket. Instructions given here are for Harris-ville Shetland yarns at 1,800 yd/lb sett at 10 ends per inch for a blanket 40" wide and for Harrisville Highland yarns at 8 ends per inch for a blanket 50" wide.

The specific colors used in this blanket are no longer available, but Harrisville’s colorways include some that are very similar to the originals and are substituted here. You can obtain Harrisville Designs color cards from a weaving retailer to make your own choices.

Fabric description Alternating blocks of plain weave and half basketweave.

Finished dimensionsOne blanket 32" by 50" (Harrisville Shetland) or 40" by 64" (Harrisville Highland) with 4" fringe on each end.

Warp and weftHarrisville Shetland blanket: 2-ply wool at 1,800 yd/lb (Harrisville Shetland, Harrisville Designs), 215 yd Cornsilk; 270 yd each of Gold, Melon, Aster, Lilac, and Cornflower; and 135 yd of Seagreen.Harrisville Highland blanket: 2-ply wool at 900 yd/lb (Har-risville Highland, Harrisville Designs), 250 yd Cornsilk; 315 yd each of Gold, Melon, Aster, Lilac, and Cornflower; and 155 yd of Seagreen.


Warp lengthShetland blanket: 2½ yd; Highland blanket: 2¾ yd. Warp length allows take-up, shrinkage, and 27" loom waste; loom waste includes fringe.

E.P.I. Shetland blanket: 10; Highland blanket: 8.

Width in reed Shetland blanket: 40¤"; Highland blanket: 50¼".

Shimmering pastel blanket by Leslie Voiers

Warp color order

Draft

646464646432

17111 16

11 1611 16

11 1611 16

111 16

16

11 1611 16

11 1611 16

117

1

50402

Aster LilacCorn�owerSeagreen

MelonGoldCornsilk

8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x

1 1 12 22

3334

12

34 4 4

//

//

//

//

4x

5x

12x4x

= �oating selvedges

5x

12

34

4x


Originally published in Handwoven®, January/February 1986, pp. 40–41; Instruction Supplement, p. 4.


Pastel shades with punch are used for this coordinating pillow and throw. Both pieces are woven on the same warp but use di�erent wefts. For the pillow, the weft is

the same yarn and colors as in the warp. For the throw, the weft combines alternating picks of a gray-pink wool and a fuzzy gray-pink mohair/wool blend that soften the warp stripes. You can choose other colors—The Deco Rug Wool, Geo Rug Wool, and Victorian Brushed Mohair all come in a wide range of hues.


Finished dimensionsOne pillow 18" by 18" and one throw 34" by 70" with 6" twisted fringe on both ends.

Warp and weftWarp for pillow and throw: 3-ply wool at 470 yd/lb (Deco Rug Wool, Halcyon Yarn), 300 yd each pink #2 and lavender #7, 120 yd blue #15, and 804 yd yellow #28.Weft for pillow (same as warp): 3-ply wool at 470 yd/lb (Deco Rug Wool, Halcyon Yarn), 77 yd lavender #7, 52 yd pink #2, 18 yd blue #15, and 13 yd yellow #28.Weft for throw: Singles wool at 485 yd/lb (Geo Rug Wool, Halcyon Yarn), 400 yd pink #25. 70% mohair/25% wool/5% nylon (Victo-rian Brushed Mohair, Halcyon Yarn), 402 yd lavender #121.

Notions 18" pillow form, 12" zipper (optional), lavender sewing thread.


Warp length4 yd (allows for take-up, shrinkage, and 27" loom waste).

E.P.I. 5. Width in reed 40".

P.P.I. 6 for pillow, 8 for throw (4 ppi rug wool, 4 ppi brushed mohair blend).

Take-up and shrinkage 15% in width, 18% in length for the pillow, 15% in width and length for the throw.

Warping and weavingWind the warp following the Warp Color Order and thread the shafts for plain weave. For the pillow Weave the pillow fabric following the Weft Color Order for Pillow at 6 ppi. The stripes in the weft should be slightly taller than the corresponding warp stripes are wide to compensate for greater shrinkage in the warp

Pastel throw and pillow by Halcyon Blake

direction (blue stripes a little over an inch, yellow stripes 1", pink and lavender stripes 3¼"). For the throw Allowing 8" for fringe at the beginning and end of the throw, weave plain weave alternating the rug wool and brushed mohair wefts for 82" at 8 total ppi. Remove both pieces from the loom and cut apart.

Finishing the pillowSecure raw edges with machine zigzagging. Wash fabric by hand in cool water; lay flat to dry; steam press lightly. Machine zigzag two rows of stitching side by side down the center of the fabric in the warp direction. Cut between the rows of stitching to separate the pillow face and pillow back. Follow instructions with zipper package to install a zipper, if desired, in the seam that will be formed by joining the two selvedge edges. Open zipper, and with right sides together, sew the remaining three sides of the pillow with ⅝" seam allowances. Turn right side out and insert the pillow form. (If you did not use a zipper, leave the selvedge edge open and machine stitch the other three sides together. Turn right side out, insert the pillow, and sew seam by hand to join the two selvedges.)

Finishing the throwMake a twisted fringe using 5 ends (one group of 2, one of 3) per fringe and secure with an overhand knot. Cross the edge threads of each group to lock in the weft (i.e., use the 5th thread of one group as the 1st thread of the next, and the 1st thread of the next group as the 5th thread of the former group).

Machine wash in warm water on gentle cycle for about 5 min. Remove the throw and fill the machine with rinse water; add a bit of hair conditioner. Soak for a couple of minutes and spin. Remove the throw again and fill the ma-chine for a final rinse. Soak a few minutes and then spin out water. Get a friend to help you pull on opposite sides and ends of the blanket to block before hanging over a rod to dry (or drape over a rod and pull on all four ends at once). Brush in the warp direction with a sti� nylon bristle or wire brush to raise the mohair nap.

752075

55

15

154

30200

lavender #7yellow #28pink #2blue #15

5x

Draft

1 12 2

334 4

//

1 12 2

//

Warp color order

Weft color order for pillow

217

5

21

21

2x

blue

#25

yello

w #

28

pink

#2

lave

nder

#7


Originally published in Handwoven®, January/February 1987, p. 74; Instruction Supplement, pp. 15–16.


Wa�e weave is an ideal weave structure for warm wool throws. The yarns that were used for this one are not available anymore, but

Halcyon Yarn recommends Botanica, which comes in a wide range of luscious colors and fulls beautifully to cre-ate deep, insulating wa�e cells. Use the color order sug-gested here (following the color arrangement in the origi-nal blanket), or choose your own.

Fabric description Wa�e weave.

Finished dimensionsOne throw 36" by 66" with 7" twisted fringe on each end.

Warp and weft2-ply wool at 640 yd/lb (Botanica, Halcyon Yarn), 775 yd natural #004; 165 yd each gold #041, sage #300, jade #037, sky blue #015, cobalt #016, and violet #017; 75 yd each garnet #021, light red #023, and melon #005.

Total warp ends 362 (includes 2 floating selvedges).

Warp length3 yd (allows for take-up, shrinkage, and 27" loom waste; loom waste is used for fringe).

E.P.I. 8.

Width in reed 45¼".

P.P.I. 8.


Warping and weavingWind a warp of 362 ends following the Warp Color Order. Thread the shafts following the Draft. Allowing 9" for fringe including the amount used to tie on, weave the blanket following the treadling in the Draft and the Weft Color Order.

Numbers in the color order indicate the number of times to weave the 8-pick repeat. Measure carefully as you go to be sure that your picks per inch equal ends per inch (8, measured under tension).

It is a good idea to check to be sure that this number creates square wa�e cells. To do this, relax warp tension after a few inches or so and leave the loom this way over-night. Check in the morning to see that the cells are square and adjust as necessary if you need to weave

Wa�e-weave throw by Hector Jaeger

Warp color order

Weft color order

slightly fewer or slightly more picks per inch. Warp tension can vary from weaver to weaver and loom to loom, and the goal is to achieve square cells.

You will be beginning and ending weft threads often. To keep the joins from showing, pull one of the plies from the tails of the new and old yarns, overlap the remaining plies, and twist them a bit together as you place them in the shed.

FinishingRemove the fabric from the loom, again allowing 9" for fringe. Work a twisted fringe including 8 ends in each fringe (two groups of 4 ends). Secure with an overhand knot. If you like the look, you can finish the selvedges with a row of single crochet or by slipstitching.

Machine wash, warm water, gentle, allowing agitation for only about 2 min. Then rinse, spin out water, and air dry.

Draft

2424252424252424

3736 353524

24

2424

25

2524

242525

143362

037 (jade)015 (sky blue)016 (cobalt)017 (violet)021 (garnet)023 (light red)005 (melon)

300 (sage)041 (gold)004 (natural)

6

6

Numbers in the weft color order = the number of times to do the 8-pick repeat (6 = 6 x 8 or 48 picks).

6

6

6

44

4

44

4

44

4

44

4

004

(nat

ural

)01

7 (v

iole

t)01

6 (c

obal

t)01

5 (s

ky b

lue)

037

(jade

)30

0 (s

age)

004

(gol

d)

1 1 112 2 222

33 3 34 4

//

//

//

//

60x


004

041

300

037

015

016

017

021

023

005


Originally published in Handwoven®, November/December 1985, p 54; Instruction Supplement, pp. 13–14.


Here’s a blanket that will remind you of summer when winter comes. The bright flecks of color in the windowpane stripes flow through the brilliant

blue hues like colorful fish in Caribbean waters.

Fabric description Plain weave with spots of huck lace.

Finished dimensionsOne blanket 36" by 53" with 4" twisted fringe on each end.

Warp and weftMain warp and weft: 2-ply wool at 900 yd/lb (Harrisville Highland, Harrisville Designs, 50 yd Violet, 630 yd Cobalt, 605 yd Peacock, and 305 yd Iris. Warp and weft for bundled accent thread (“mixture” in the Warp Color Order): 2-ply wool at 1,800 yd/lb (Harrisville Shetland, Harrisville Designs), 50 yd each of Grass, Chianti, Peacock, Topaz, and Violet. Rayon bouclé at 1,200 yd/lb (The Yarn Barn); 50 yd Circus (mutlticolored).

Total warp ends 362 (the 6 strands that are bundled for the accent thread are counted as 1 working warp thread).

Warp length2¾ yd (allows for take-up, shrinkage, and 27" loom waste; loom waste includes fringe).

E.P.I. 8.

Width in reed 45¼".

P.P.I. 7½.


Warping and weavingWind a warp of 362 ends following the Warp Color Order. Thread the shafts following the Draft. Note that B represents all of the blue, blue-green, and violet yarns; V represents vio-let; and M represents the bundled strand of 6 yarns (all 6 are sleyed in the same dent and threaded in the same heddle).

Caribbean blues blanket by Leslie Voiers

Allowing 8" for fringe including the amount used to tie on, weave the blanket using the Warp Color Order for the weft colors, except begin and end with 6 picks Cobalt in-stead of 4, and instead of 66 picks of each of the blue hues, weave 86 picks (this will coordinate with the 3x repeat in the treadling that corresponds to the 2x repeat in the threading).

FinishingRemove the blanket from the loom, again allowing 8" for fringe. Make a twisted fringe of 10 ends per fringe (two groups of 5 ends in each). Finish the plied fringe by wrapping a strand of yarn around the fringe for about eight turns 3" from the fabric edge using a di§erent wrapping color for each fringe.

Machine wash the blanket, gentle cycle, maximum water, warm, agitating for about 8 min. Rinse and tumble dry with no heat for 5 min to encourage flu¨ng, and then lay flat to finish drying. Brush fringe tails gently to flu§.

1122

BB

BB

B

BB

BB

BB

BB

BB

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

BB

BB

BB

B

B

B

BB

B

B = (Iris, Peacock, or Cobalt)

B

BB

BB

BB

BB

B

B

B

B

BB

BB

BB

BB

BB B

M = 6-strands (accent yarn)M

M

M VV

VV

M

M

VV

MM

V = Violet

V

3 34 4

3 x

4x

5x

3x

5x

4x

3x

4x5x

5x

4x2x2x

2x

12140132

66

111111 1

4466

6666

66

66222222

12362

Peacock HighlandIris Highland

Cobalt HighlandViolet HighlandMixture

Mixture = 1strand each of Shetland yarns in Grass, Chianti, Peacock, Topaz, Violet, and Fiesta bouclé (6 strands in all sleyed in the same dent and threaded in the same heddle).

11111

Warp color order

Draft

Wrapping the fringe

© 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 1993, pp. 55, 88–89,

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.

Warping and weavingWind the warp and thread the loom for plain weave follow-ing the selected Warp Color Order. Allowing at least 6" for fringe including the amount used to tie on, begin weaving plain weave using the Warp Color Order for the wider blan-ket as the weft color order (even if you are weaving the nar-rower blanket). Hemstitch the beginning, including 4 ends and 2 weft rows in each stitch (include 5 ends in the first and last stitch). Note that the weft sett is more open than the warp sett; aim for 7 picks per inch for a soft hand that encourages fulling. Hemstitch over the last 2 picks as at the beginning.

FinishingRemove the fabric from the loom, again allowing 6" for fringe. Make a twisted fringe on both ends of the blanket using 8 ends per fringe (two hemstitched groups of 4). Secure each fringe with an overhand knot 3½" from the fell of the cloth. Trim fringe tails about ½" from the knots.

Machine wash the blanket on a gentle cycle in hot water; add fabric softener to the final rinse. When the blanket is almost dry, brush with a sti� hairbrush to soften the color changes and raise the nap. You’ll be amazed by the way that this wool, somewhat sti� from spinning oils as you used it from the cone, becomes so very soft with wet-finishing.

The seven hues of wool used in this blanket are very strong and bright. At color changes, the two adja-cent colors alternate one-and-one for a number of

ends to make a visual blend of the two, causing the hues to seem to melt into each other. One-and-one blends in the weft produce the same e�ect in the weft direction. Fulling and brushing the fabric softens the yarns and color blending into a luscious rainbow of colors.

The warp for the throw shown here was slightly wider than 53" in the reed. For a narrower loom, you can subtract ends from the stripes (an alternative warp color order is given here for a weaving width of just under 40"). You can also weave the blanket in two panels and sew them together (sewing with the same yarn in a figure-eight stitch before finishing), but you’ll have to wind two separate warps and tie the second one to the first to achieve the same warp color order (wind the first warp starting with Magenta and winding up to 24 ends of Violet in the center; start the second warp with 24 Violet ends in the center and end with Peacock).


Finished dimensionsOne blanket 45" by 64" with 4" fringe on each end. (For a 40" wide weaving width, expect a blanket 35" by 64".)

Warp and weft2-ply wool at 900 yd/lb (Harrisville Highland, Harrisville Designs), 300 yd (250 yd) Magenta, 280 yd (235 yd) Plum, 460 yd Aubergine (370 yd), 350 yd (290 yd) Violet, 460 yd (370 yd) Cobalt, 280 (235 yd) yd Azure, and 300 yd (250 yd) Peacock. (Amounts for a 40" weaving width are given in parentheses.)

Total warp ends 478 for 531⁄9" weaving width, 354 for 39⅓" weaving width.

Warp length3 yd (allows for take-up, shrinkage, and 33" loom waste; loom waste includes fringe).

E.P.I. 9 (use a 12-dent reed and sley 1-1-1-0).

Width in reed 531⁄9" or 39⅓".

P.P.I. 7.

Take-up and shrinkage 13% in width and 15% in length.

Rainbow blanket by Faye Kolhonen

Draft

549170915459

48

48

48

111

1111

1111

1

32

32

69

69

59478

Violet (purple)Cobalt (dark blue)Azure (blue)Peacock (blue-green)

Aubergine (dark purple)Plum (red-violet)Magenta (violet)

11x 11x11x11x11x11x

406752674044

36

36

36

111

1111

1111

1

24

24

51

51

44354

Violet (purple)Cobalt (dark blue)Azure (blue)Peacock (blue-green)

Aubergine (dark purple)Plum (red-violet)Magenta (violet)

8x 8x8x8x8x8x

1 12 2

334 4

//

1 12 2

//

Warp color order for 531⁄9" weaving width

Warp color order for 39⅓" weaving width


Originally published in Handwoven®, September/October 1988, pp. 24, 92.


and loom waste. The loom waste for this project was 18", including the amount used to tie on. If you want to be sure your finished blanket is 72" long and your loom requires more loom waste at the end of weaving than 15", add ½ yd to warp length.

E.P.I. 12 or 10.

Width in reed 35".

P.P.I. 12 or 10.


Warping and weavingWind the warp and thread the loom following the Warp Color Order and the Draft. Begin weaving 2/2 twill with 5" of Wood Moss. Then weave *6 (5) picks Cresting Wave, 36 (30) picks Red Fox, 6 (5) picks Cresting Wave, 36 (30) picks Wood Moss and repeat from * for about 90" ending with Wood Moss. Weave 2" more of Wood Moss to make 5" as at the beginning. Measure carefully throughout to achieve the same number of picks per inch as ends per inch.

FinishingRemove the blanket from the loom allowing 3–4" for fringe. Prepare a twisted fringe of 2 ends per fringe and secure with an overhand knot. Wash by hand in a large tub until fulled to desired softness. (This blanket was washed in the machine, which you can do, too, but check after every two or three minutes during agitation to avoid overfulling.) Lay flat or over a rod to dry. Trim fringe to 2", discarding the knots. Fulling will keep the fringe twisted. Brush lightly when almost dry.

While American colonists (and later, pioneers of the westward movement) adopted mill-spun clothing fabrics whenever they were available,

warm woolen blankets continued to be the product of home looms until late in the 19th century, especially on farms and plantations where sheep were raised. Plaid and checked blan-kets were used for draft-stopping room dividers, throws, shawls, and even for coat fabrics as well as for bedding.

This plaid blanket is adapted from a blanket woven in three panels that is in a collection at the Merrimac Valley Textile Museum. This one is woven afghan size in heavier threads than in the original. The wool fulls a great deal on washing and a light brushing results in a softly dense, warm fabric. The colors are similar to the original indigo, madder, and walnut dyes.

Handweavers today have a wealth of materials available at moderate prices to weave their own wool blankets. Nar-row looms should not be a deterrent to any weaver; histori-cally, blankets usually had one, two, or more seams running through their length.

The specific Brown Sheep yarn used in this blanket (a singles at 1,300 yd/lb) is no longer available. 3-ply Nature Spun wool is a finer yarn, but will full beautifully for a very similar look. The colors suggested here are very close to the colors in the original blanket, but it is always a good idea to send for a sample card to make accurate color selections.

Two possible setts are suggested here, 10 ends per inch for an open weave on the loom that will full to a soft hand and 12 ends per inch for a slightly heavier blanket (at 12 epi it will be easier to achieve an even beat). Yarn amounts are given for a sett of 12 epi with amounts for 10 epi in parentheses. Instruc-tions for both setts produce a blanket 35" wide.

Fabric description 2/2 twill.

Finished dimensionsOne blanket 28" by 72" with 2" fringe on each end.

Warp and weft3-ply wool at 1,670 yd/lb (Nature Spun Sport, Brown Sheep Company), 1,100 yd (910 yd) Wood Moss #209; 1,005 yd (935 yd) Red Fox #146; 342 yd (285 yd) Cresting Wave #120.

Total warp ends 420 for 12 epi, 350 for 10 epi, .

Warp length3 yd. This warp length allows 1 yd for take-up, shrinkage,

Warm and cozy plaid blanket by Linda Ligon

Warp color orders

Draft

15155555555555

30

30

3030303050

150

150350

303030

Red Fox #146

For a warp sett of 10 epi

Cresting Wave #120Wood Moss #209

18186666666666

36

36

3636363660

180

180420

363636

Red Fox #146

For a warp sett of 12 epi

Cresting Wave #120Wood Moss #209

1 1 12 2 2

3 334 4 4 4

//

//


Originally published in Handwoven®, November 1982, pp. 54, 96..


W rap this warm brick-colored wool lap robe around your knees to keep chilly drafts at bay. The design

features blocks of turned Atwater-Bronson lace (warp floats alternate with weft floats) that are outlined with plain weave and framed with a windowpane of rayon bouclé. (The specific rayon bouclé used in this blanket is no longer available, but the suggested substitute by Fiesta Yarns will create a similar e�ect, adding sparks of color and shine to the squares of lace.) Although the structure sounds and looks a bit complicated, this is really an easy project.

Fabric description Turned Atwater-Bronson lace (warp-float lace alternates with weft-float lace) and plain weave.

Finished dimensionsOne blanket 31" by 51" with 6" twisted fringe on each end.

Warp and weft8/2 wool at 2,240 yd/lb (Maine Line, Jagger-Spun), 1,580 yd Cinnebar. Rayon bouclé at 960 yd/lb (Fiesta Yarns, Webs), 85 yd Poppies.


Warp length2½ yd (allows for take-up, shrinkage, and 27" loom waste; loom waste is used for fringe).

E.P.I. 12 for 2-ply wool, 8 for rayon bouclé.

Width in reed 33¾".

P.P.I. 12 for 2-ply wool, 8 for rayon bouclé.


Topaz Lights Lap robe by Barbara Elkins

Warp color order

201111 88

44374394

rayon boucléCinnabar wool

4x

Warping and weavingWind a warp of 394 ends following the Warp Color Order. Thread the shafts following the Draft and sley the wool yarn 1-2/dent (1 end in the first dent, 2 in the next dent and repeat) and the bouclé yarn 1/dent in an 8-dent reed.

Weave a heading with scrap yarn to space the warp. Allowing 8" for fringe including the amount used to tie on, weave the blanket following the treadling in the Draft, carefully maintaining a weft sett of 12 ppi (measure under tension as you go). Bubble the weft and beat on an open shed to minimize draw-in. The lace will look flat on the loom but will bloom when the fabric is cut o� and the threads relax.

FinishingRemove the fabric from the loom, again allowing 8" for fringe. Make a twisted fringe of 6 ends per fringe (two groups of 3 ends in each) along both ends and secure with an overhand knot.

Wash the blanket by hand in cool water using a pH-neutral soap suitable for wool. You don’t want to full this yarn, or the lace will be-come obscured; aim for only a slight softening. Rinse, roll, and squeeze gently, then roll in towels to blot out as much excess water as you can. Steam press lightly and lay flat to dry completely. Trim the tails of the fringe evenly when the blanket is dry.

Draft

WW

WW

W

WW

WW

WW

WW

WW

WW

WW

W

WW

WW

WW

W

WW

W

W

WW

WW

W

W

W

W

WW

W

WWW

W

W

W

W

W

WWW

WW

WW

B

B

BB

BB

BB

BB

BB

BB

BB

B 1 11

1 2 3 4 5 6

2 2 23 3 34 4 4

5x5x5x 6x4x

5x

5x

5x

7x

5x

5x

5x

= wool= bouclé

Sley the wool 1-2/dent and the bouclé 1/dent in an 8-dent reed.


Originally published in Handwoven®, November/December 1995, pp. 28–29.


Shades of fall lap robe by Leslie Voiers

11 1 1122222

333334 44 44

23

4

11 1222

33344

23

4

11 1222

33344

23

4

11 1222

33344

23

4

11 1222

333444

//

//

//

//

//

/

//

//

//

//

//

//

//

//

//

/

/

4x4x14x14x 11x8x8x4x5x 11x

23"

23"

5x

5x

2x

2x


Draft

141140

1212 222020 2020 2020

1515 44

44

44

44

44

444 4 445

66 6688

3838

82363

TopazFoliageStraw

Warp color order

This soft woolen blanket is just the right size for a child to wrap up in or to warm chilly knees. Stripes of herringbone and diamonds are formed in the cen-

ter of the blanket by changes in twill direction using a 4-shaft point twill threading and treadling. A very light beat is necessary to maintain 10 picks per inch on the loom for an open fabric that allows the yarns to bloom and full for an exceptionally soft and flu�y hand. A balanced weave is also important for achieving 45° twill lines.

The colors used in this blanket are no longer available. Topaz is similar to Teak, but a bit lighter. For a darker rust color, use Russet instead of Topaz. It is always a good idea to get a sample card to make optimum color selections.

Fabric description 2/2 twill.

Finished dimensionsOne blanket 30" by 48" with 6" fringe on each end.

Warp and weftWarp: 2-ply wool at 1,800 yd/lb (Harrisville Shetland, Harrisville Designs), 205 yd Topaz, 353 yd Foliage, 350 yd Straw. Weft: 2-ply wool (same as warp), 600 yd Topaz.


Warp length2½ yd (allows for take-up, shrinkage, and 35" loom waste; loom waste is used for fringe).

E.P.I. 10.

Width in reed 363⁄10".

P.P.I. 10 (measured under tension).

Take-up and shrinkage 17–18% in width, 15% in length.

Warping and weavingWind a warp of 363 ends following the Warp Color Order. Thread the shafts following the Draft. For a loose knotted fringe like this one, the fringe yarns need to be protected from matting during the finishing process. Begin and end with 8" of loose plain weave using rags or heavy, nonfulling yarn. If you prefer a twisted fringe, you do not need to protect the warp in this way. (For plain weave, tie two treadles to raise shafts 1-3 and 2-4.) Weave the blanket for 52" follow-ing the treadling order in the Draft.

FinishingRemove the fabric from the loom. Allow enough warp yarn beyond the plain-weave scrap-yarn sections if you wove them for tying knots to secure the nonfulling yarn in place, and tie these knots at both ends of the blanket.

For a twisted fringe, work the fringe before washing, in-cluding 9 ends for the first two fringes (one group of 4 and one of 5 ends) and then 8 ends in each fringe until the last two with 9 ends each). Trim fringe evenly and secure with an overhand knot.

Machine wash, lukewarm water, gentle cycle, for 6 min with mild liquid detergent. While it is still wet, put the blan-ket in the dryer on a no-heat cycle for 5 min. This tumbling will create a brushed appearance. Remove the plain-weave nonfulling yarn after this brief tumbling. If the warp-fringe yarns have became crimped from the temporary weft, comb them out at this point and then lay the blanket flat to finish drying. When the blanket is dry, tie overhand knots snugly against the fell, starting with 8 ends for the first knot and then 6 ends in each knot until the final knot of 7 ends. Trim fringe evenly.


Originally published in Handwoven®, September/October 1984, pp. 71, 106–107,


The blanketTwo di�erent yarn weights are used in my blanket, a light brown in Brown Sheep’s Top of the Lamb Bulky at 392 yd/lb and a dark brown in Brown Sheep’s Top of the Lamb Size 1 at 784 yd/lb (warp and weft sett are 6 epi and ppi respec-tively). The thicker Top of the Lamb Bulky (392 yd/lb) is no longer available. Because this yarn did not fit in a reed finer

From twill to shadow weave by Sharon Alderman

than a 6-dent reed and because it also required large-eyed heddles, I would recommend using the thinner Size 1 yarn for both colors—the two di�erent sizes were not necessary for the overall pattern e�ect in my blanket. You can also choose any other wools for this blanket in a sett appropri-ate for plain weave (the more fulling you expect, the more openly you should sett the warp and weft). Expect shrink-age of about 20% for most fulled wools.

For both warp and weft using Top of the Lamb Size 1, a sett of 10 pi and ppi are recommended here. My original draft has been adjusted in these instructions to produce a blanket of the same size as mine. To make the draft fit other yarns or weaving widths, simply add to or subtract from the number of repeats (either the 19x, the 3x, or both).

Fabric description Shadow weave.

Finished dimensionsOne blanket 35" wide by 56" with 5" fringe on each end.

Warp and weftSingles worsted wool at 784 yd/lb (Top of the Lamb Size 1, Brown Sheep) 1,200 yd each of Stone (light brown) and Graphite (dark brown).


Warp length3 yd (allows for take-up, shrinkage, and 30" loom waste; loom waste is used for fringe).

E.P.I. 10.

Width in reed 45�". P.P.I. 10.


Draft

2/2 twill

Shadow weave

1 112223 33

4 44

//

//

1122

3 344

Twill patterns are endlessly complex and wonderful, especially when you are looking at them up close, the way you do when you are weaving. As soon as

you step away from the fabric (at the distance from which you normally see it), however, the pattern gets lost and the overall e�ect becomes fairly monochromatic. For this blan-ket, I used shadow-weave to translate the pattern of a straight 2/2 twill into interweaving blocks of horizontal and vertical pinstripes. Viewed up close or from a distance, the scale of the pattern makes it clearly visible.

1122

3 344

19x 19x

19x

19x

19x

19x

19x19x3x


Originally published in Handwoven®, November/December 1985, p. 53; Instruction Supplement, pp. 12–13,


Warping and weavingWind a warp of 456 ends alternating 1 end Stone and 1 end Graphite; thread the shafts following the Draft. Allowing about 8" for fringe including the amount used to tie on, weave the blanket following the treadling in the Draft for 70". Hemstitch over the first and last 2 weft rows including 4 ends in each stitch. As you weave the blanket, place the weft carefully rather than “beat” so that you maintain a consistent 10 picks per inch. At the selvedges, take the shuttles around each other to keep the edges neat.

FinishingRemove the fabric from the loom, again allowing 8" for fringe. Prepare a twisted fringe using 8 ends per fringe (two groups of 4) and secure with an overhand knot.

Machine wash, warm water, with a liquid detergent. Agitate for a few minutes and then check after every few minutes to determine degree of fulling. Rinse and spin out water. Remove the blanket from the machine as soon as it stops and spread out, blocking with your hands. Dry flat if you have a surface large enough or hang over a padded rod to dry. Trim fringe.


T I P S F O R P L A N N I N G , H E M S T I T C H I N G , A N D F R I N G I N G

S I M P L E H E M S T I TC H I N G

Weave several picks of plain weave, ending with the shuttle on the right side if you are right-handed, left side if you are left-handed. Measure a length of weft three times the warp width and cut, leaving the measured length as a tail. Thread the tail into a blunt tapestry needle.

Take the needle under a selected group of ends above the fell and bring it up and back to the starting point, encircling the group. Pass the needle under the same group of ends, bringing it out through the weaving two (or more) weft threads below the fell. Repeat for each group of ends across the fell. Needleweave the tail into the selvedge and trim. (See * below.)

D O U B L E ( I TA L I A N ) H E M S T I TC H I N G

Weave several picks plain weave, ending with the shuttle on the right side if right-handed, left side if left-handed. Measure a length of weft four times the warp width and cut, leaving the measured length as a tail. Thread the tail into a blunt tapestry needle.

Take the needle under a selected group of warp ends above the fell and bring the needle back to encircle the ends. Next, pass the needle under the same ends but come up two or more weft rows down from the fell. Then bring the needle back around the same group of ends below the fell. Then begin again, encircling the next group of ends. (See * below.)

*For both methods: To hemstitch the first end of a piece, weave a header, weave four or five picks of plain weave (or of the basic weave structure used in the piece), and hemstitch over the top two or three weft rows. Weave the piece and then hemstitch the other end over the last two or three weft rows. Remove the fabric from the loom and discard the header and weft threads below the first hemstitching.

TAKE-UP AND SHRINKAGEWeft take-up and shrinkage. As you weave, extra weft length (be-yond the width of the warp in the reed) must be placed in the shed to allow for weft take-up (in Handwo-ven projects, this amount is included in required weft yardage). The fab-ric then draws in as the weft bends over and under the warp threads, so that the width of the woven cloth is narrower than the width of the warp in the reed. The cloth nar-rows further after it is removed from the loom, and shrinkage nar-rows it even more if it is washed. To calculate the percentage of weft take-up and shrinkage, divide the finished width by the width of the warp in the reed.Warp take-up and shrinkage. As you weave, the warp bends over and under the weft threads so that fabric length is less than the length of the warp threads that produce it (Handwoven pro jects give the num-ber of inches allowed for this take-up under Warp Length). When you release tension and remove the fabric from the loom, the fabric takes up in the warp direction. If you wash the fabric, shrinkage further decreases its length. To calculate the percentage of warp take-up and shrinkage, divide the finished fabric length by the woven length (measured under ten-sion on the loom) plus the inches given for warp take-up.

To calculate how long to weave a fabric for a specific finished length, use the percentage derived by dividing the finished length list-ed in the project by the woven length measured under tension on the loom (for this percentage, do not include the inches allowed for take-up in the warp yarn).

T W I S T I N G ( O R P LY I N G ) T H E F R I N G E

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 counter-clockwise (or twist them together 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.)

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