Triple Stripe & Spot Lace Linen Towel Set
Designed and woven by Malynda Allen
I recently discovered that I really like linen towels in my kitchen. Linen is crisp, cool, and absorbent, and it dries quickly. It is wonderful for drying dishes and hands, and it softens the more you use and wash it. Sometimes stiff linen warp can be a challenge on a rigid heddle loom, so I chose to eliminate the problem by using a cotton warp and a linen weft. A simple pick-up pattern adds interest and repeats throughout this set of towels. With two colors of linen weft, I could play around with color combinations.
Project Specs
Finished size: Three hemmed towels, approximately 23" x 15-1/4"
Weave structure: Plain weave with spot lace pick-up
Total warp ends: 177 ends with yarn held double—132 natural, 45 ends contrast
Warp length: 111" (includes 10 percent take-up and 18" of loom waste)
Width in reed: 17.7"
EPI: 10 epi
PPI: 12 ppi
What You'll Need
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Warp Yarn: 8/2 unmercerized cotton, 850 yards in natural and 300 yards in a contrasting color. I used Georgia Yarn Company Natural for the main color and Valley Yarns Eggplant for contrast.
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Weft Yarn: 16/2 linen similar to the background color and 18/3 linen in a color similar to the warp contrast color. I used Valley Yarns 16/2 half bleach and Gist Yarn 18/3 linen in Lavender, a total of 350 yards 16/2 half bleach and 300 yards 18/3 contrast.
200 yards 16/2 linen for Towel 1
200 yards 18/3 linen for Towel 2
150 yards 16/2 linen and 100 yards 18/3 (doubled for this towel only) for Towel 3
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Yarn substitution: You can use 8/2 unmercerized cotton for the weft, though it may slightly change the width of the finished towel. You can also use 18/3 linen for both weft colors; since 18/3 is slightly thinner than 16/2 linen, you may get fewer picks per inch.
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rigid heddle loom with at least an 18" weaving width. (I used my 25" Flip loom and Trestle Stand.)
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10 dent rigid heddle
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two shuttles (I used stick shuttles)
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one pick-up stick at least 18" wide
- sewing machine and sewing thread to match the warp
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Note: These towels can be woven on three shafts of a floor loom. The width would be perfect for any Wolf Pup. You may need a longer warp to accommodate more loom waste.
Materials
Equipment
Directions
Warping
Warp following the color order, using the direct or indirect method. If you are direct warping, please remember to double each end.
Insert the pick-up stick: Place your heddle in the down position and pick up the (raised) slot threads in the following pattern:
5 down, * (1 up, 2 down) twice, 1 up, 5 down, 1 up, 5 down. Repeat from * 4 times, ending (1 up, 2 down) twice; 1 up, 5 down.
Slide the pick-up stick to the back of the loom so it rests over the warp beam. You are now prepared to weave.
Shaft loom warping and weaving: Warp the loom and weave the towels following the drafts and the instructions. For clarity, this is how a rigid heddle weaver would read the wif draft.
Shafts 1 and 3 hold the threads in slots. Shaft 2 holds the threads in holes. Shaft 3 holds the threads on the pick-up stick.
Treadle 1 is the same as heddle down. Treadle 2 is the same as heddle up, with the pick-up stick forward, lying flat. Treadle 3 is the same as heddle up.
Weave Towel 1: Main Color Weft
Wind one shuttle with 16/2 Half-bleach Linen.
- Weave 1-1/2" of plain weave for the hem, ending with the down shed.
- Weave following pattern A until the towel (including plain weave hem) measures 26-1/2" under tension on the loom.
- Weave 1-1/2" of plain weave for the hem—the full towel should now measure 28".
- Weave 2 to 3 picks of a contrasting color to separate your towels.
- Hint: When you weave the contrasting picks, leave loops at the selvedges. This will make it easy to remove the waste yarn before stitching with a zigzag stitch.
Weave Towel 2: Contrasting Weft
Wind one shuttle with 18/3 Linen in your contrast color.
- Weave 1-1/2" of plain weave for the hem, ending with the down shed.
- Weave following pattern A until the towel (including plain weave hem) measures 26-1/2" under tension on the loom.
- Weave 1-1/2" of plain weave for the hem—the full towel should now measure 28".
- Weave 2 to 3 picks of a contrasting color to separate your towels.
Weave Towel 3: Striped Weft
Weave 1-1/2" of plain weave from the hem, ending with the down shed.
- Weave following pattern B, changing colors when indicated, until the towel (including plain weave hem) measures about 26-1/2" under tension on the loom.
- Weave 1-1/2" of plain weave for the hem—the full towel should now measure 28".
- Weave a few picks of a contrasting color to hold the weft in place.
- Note that 18/3 Linen in Lavender is used doubled in the weft for this towel only. You can either pass the shuttle through the shed twice, catching the selvedge edge thread (this is what I did), or wind the shuttle with doubled yarn.
Finishing
Cut the towels from the loom. Secure the weft at each end by machine stitching with a zigzag stitch.
- Machine wash the towels in warm water. Tumble dry until damp-dry. Press. Cut apart towels at the waste yarn marks.
- Press the hems 1" to the wrong side. Turn the raw edge under to meet the fold. Press again. Hand or machine stitch hems in place, then press again. Enjoy!
