Cotton and Linen Wrapping Cloth

Cotton & Linen Wrapping Cloth

These cotton and linen wrapping cloths are inspired by the Japanese tradition of Furoshiki - an everyday wrapping cloth used traditionally for gifts or transporting food. This pattern creates two 28" square wrapping cloths using one cone of Italian Cotton Linen Weaving Yarn. The subtle spaces in the warp come from a simple technique called "skip dent", where a dent or two is skipped throughout the reed as you are threading. The variations in density create a lacy, textured cloth.

Please note: we no longer carry this yarn, but you are welcome to use this blog post for inspiration. 

Designed by Bree Bergen for GIST: Yarn & Fiber.

Need some help getting started? Check out Resources for Beginner and Intermediate Weavers. 

Materials

Warp & Weft: 1 cone of Italian Cotton Linen Weaving Yarn, Bree used slate

Bree writes, "I decided to use the same linen/cotton fibre for both the warp and weft to highlight the colour and texture of the fibre. I included some simple open work details - I really liked the way it showed off the thickness and variation in each thread. The material shares the crispness and texture of 100% linen, which I use fairly often, but without its moodiness/fussiness. It is perfect and I am looking forward to using it again."

Project Notes

• Tools Required: 2-4 shaft floor or table loom, 12 dent reed, shuttle & bobbins 
• EPI: 22 (in a 12 dent reed) - thread 2 ends per dent, skipping one dent each time you begin threading a new inch and three dents in the center of the cloth 
• Width at Reed: ~30 
• Warp Ends: 610
• Warp Length: 80"
• Draft: Tabby weave 
• Finished Dimensions: Two wrapping cloths that measure approximately 28" x 28" square
• Finishing Details: Hemstitch, fringe trimmed to about 1/4" 
• Care Instructions: Machine wash cold, tumble dry low, or air dry if preferred 

Weaving & Finishing

Threading: Use a skip dent technique to create an interesting pattern in the cloth 

• Thread 2 ends per dent
• At the start of each new inch skip 1 dent
• When you reach the center of your cloth skip 3 dents
• Continue skipping 1 dent at the start of each inch until you finish threading the reed

Weaving & Finishing: 

• Begin and end each cloth withhemstitch 
  
• Weave ~30" per cloth, make sure to leave space between them (see photo above)
  
• Cut off the cloth off the loom, cut the two cloths apart and trim the fringe to about 1/4" on each side.

About Bree Bergen

Based in Winnipeg, Canada, Bree Bergen is a textile artist, art educator, and residential architect. Her interests include a number of very different disciplines, including drawing, art education, and architecture, all of which inform her weaving practice. She enjoys the material awareness that weaving instils, and the research-based learning and hands-on design problem solving that underpins the craft. Bree holds a BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and a Masters in Architecture from the University of Manitoba. She has led art classes for various organizations, including Toronto's Harbourfront Centre, the Toronto District School Board, Canadian Mennonite University, Manitoba Children’s Museum, and the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Bree has completed artist residencies at the Banff Centre, the New York Centre for Book Arts, and the Pouch Cove Foundation in Newfoundland. 

Website | Instagram