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Running Stitch Towels

Handwoven Running Stitch Towels

Running Stitch Towels

 

Weave a set of towels to match yourRunning Stitch Napkins with two contrasting colors ofDuet Cotton/Linen. This casually elegant motif is woven by alternating warp and weft colors in a specific order to create the illusion of an intricate pattern, also known as color-and-weave.

You can download an updated version of this pattern and purchase a kit here.

Designed by Christine Jablonski for Gist Yarn.

Handwoven Running Stitch Towels

Yarn

Warp: 1 cone of Duet Cotton Linen in Dune and 1 cone of Duet Cotton Linen in Cerise (1/4lb cones, 2,390 yd/lb), approximately 348 yards required - 292 yards Dune, 56 yards Cerise

Weft: Same as warp, approximately 195 yards required - 177 yards Dune, 18 yards Cerise

Equipment

Loom: Rigid heddle loom at least 15" wide

Reed: 12 or 12.5 dent

Shuttles: 2 boat shuttles or stick shuttles

Bobbins: 2 (if you are using a boat shuttle)

Other: Sewing machine (optional)

Specifications

 

Technique: Plain weave, color-and-weave

EPI: 12

PPI: 12

Width at Reed: 13.25"

Warp Ends: 174 (146 ends Yarn A, 28 end Yarn B)

Warp Length: 2 yards (includes 44" of weaving for towels plus 28” for loom waste and sampling)

Woven Length (measured under tension on the loom): 22” per towel

Finishing: Hemstitch or machine stitched hem with frayed edge

Finished Size: 2 towels measuring 12” W x 20” L after washing and hemming 

Care: Machine wash cold on delicate cycle, air dry or tumble dry low, press as needed

 

Instructions

 

 

 

1. Warp the loom using your preferred method (direct or indirect) with a total of 174 warp ends, 2 yards long, following the warp color order below. Center for a weaving width of 13.25". Please note, if you direct warp on a rigid heddle loom, your warp will be 14.5” in the reed and decrease by 14 spaces when you thread each doubled Yarn B into single slots or holes. This will cause your warp to be slightly off center, so you can move the warp over a few spaces as you thread to center it in the reed.

  • 2 ends Yarn A sleyed with a single thread per hole or slot
  • 2 ends Yarn B (held together as one) sleyed with both threads in the same hole or slot
  • Repeat these steps 13 more times. There will be 14 stripes (28 ends, since Yarn B is doubled) of Yarn B in the warp
  • 118 ends Yarn A sleyed with a single thread in a hole or slot

2. Begin and end each towel with hemstitch, if that is your preferred method. You can also machine stitch each edge when you have finished weaving (as pictured). Weave following the weft color order below.

  • 4 picks of Yarn A in alternating sheds
  • 2 picks of Yarn B in the same shed, beating between each pick, so that color B is doubled in the weft. Be sure to catch the thread at the selvedge when you throw the second pick so that you do not unweave the first pick.
  • 2 picks with Color A in alternating sheds.
  • Repeat these last two steps until you have 12 rows of Color B (doubled weft picks). Then weave only with Color A in alternating sheds until the towel reaches 22” total measured under tension on the loom. Weave with scrap yarn for about an 1" between each towel to leave room for fringe.

3. After removing the yardage from the loom (and before cutting the towels apart) use a sewing machine to straight stitch the ends of each towel, making sure to back-stitch the first few and last few stitches to secure the edges of the hem. The stitching should be about 1/2" from the scrap yarn marker on either side. Cut the towels apart at the scrap yarn marker, leaving a short fringe on either side. Machine wash cold on delicate and air dry (or tumble dry low if preferred). Press as needed. If you chose to hemstitch the edges, cut apart the napkins at the center of the 1" space left for fringe, then wash.

Handwoven Running Stitch Towels in Duet Yarn

About Christine Jablonski

In addition to being GIST's Operations Manager and Wholesale Director, Christine is a weaver and exhibiting fiber artist. She scampered down the rabbit hole of rigid heddle weaving several years ago as a way to use up her knitting stash and never looked back. In addition to very practical cloth woven to adorn home and body (tea towels are her favorite home linen projects to weave), Christine also weaves conceptual works that explore themes of mood and memory, strength and fragility, and often reflect on the current political and ecological landscape. Her work is held in private collections across the country and is shown regionally in New England galleries. To see more of Christine's work, check out her Instagram