Jelly Roll Placemats

Directions

Warping

1. Warp the loom following the project specs listed above. Sley the heddle with doubled ends.

Cut the Strips

1. Prepare your color combinations. Pick 6 strips for each placemat. Since jelly rolls come in color-coordinated fabrics, you can’t go wrong!
2. Use a rotary cutter and mat to cut a jelly roll strip in half lengthwise, for a 1-1/4" strip.
3. Cut again to create 5/8" strips.

4. Cut all the strips the same way, organizing them by placemat.

Connecting the Strips

1. Fold over one end of a strip about 1/2". Cut a 1/4" slit in the fold. This will create a hole like a buttonhole.
   
2. Make another slit in a second strip.

3. Place the slitted end of strip 2 through the slit in strip 1.

   
4. Place the uncut end of strip 2 through the slit in strip 2 and pull to tighten into a knot.
   
5. Repeat steps 1-6 until you have attached 20 strips. The long strip of attached pieces will continuously become strip 1 in the above instructions.

Weaving

1. Wind the long strip onto one shuttle. This is your “thick weft.”
2. Wind 8/4 cotton carpet warp on the other shuttle. This is your “thin weft.”
3. Weave a header to space the warp.
4. Place a spacer in the next shed to allow enough room for the fringe. Remove the spacer after you’ve woven for a couple of inches so you can reuse it.
5. Leave a tail that is 5x the width of the weaving for hemstitching on your dominant side.
6. Weave doubled ends for a total of 8 picks (weave across in the same shed twice, catching the selvedge).
7. Hemstitch in groups of 2 warps and 2 wefts (both doubled so 4 total threads).
8. To reduce bulk at the beginning of the placemat, we will split the end of the thick weft: cut through the center of the fabric weft about 6" from the end and trim off one of the halves. Weave across with the thick weft, leaving a tail about 3" long on the selvedge. Insert the tail into the same shed, ensuring that you catch the selvedge.
9. Weave one pick of thin weft (singly). Interlock the wefts when they meet at the selvedge.
10. Weave one pick of the thick weft. Interlock the wefts when they meet at the selvedge.
11. Repeat steps 9-10 for 18". Your weaving should be approximately 8 PPI.
    

12. Finish the thick weft using the same technique as the beginning.

13. Weave an edge as you did at the beginning and hemstitch.
14. Place 2 spacers. This will allow fringe for the placemat you just wove and for the next one.
15. Repeat steps 5-14 for all 4 placemats.

Finishing

1. Place one final spacer in the next shed.
2. Weave a few picks of plain weave. I call this a “footer,” and it helps to hold the warp ends in line when trimming the fringe.
3. Remove the placemats from the loom.
4. Trim the fringe to your desired length. I cut mine to 1" using a rotary cutter.
5. Wash in warm water with gentle detergent. Allow mats to soak for a while and agitate gently.
6. Remove from the water, pressing out as much water as possible.
7. Place on a clean bath towel and roll to squeeze out more water.
8. Lay flat to dry. Trim any loose ends.