Materials 

Warp & Weft:3/10 Alpaca Weaving Yarn - Andrea used Black and Cloud (Discontinued)

Project Notes

Pattern

To weave two color blocked panels similar to Andrea's, follow the warp & weft color order below. 

• Color A = Black
• Color B = Cloud

Warp Color Order: Warp the following pattern for a total of 210 warp ends 

• 70 warp ends of Color A
  
• 70 warp ends of Color B
  
• 70 warp ends of Color A 
  

Weft Color Order: Weave the following pattern for both panels. Begin and end each panel with hemstitch and make sure to leave plenty of room for fringe.

• 6" withColor A
  
• 3" with Color B
  
• 42" with Color A
  
• 3" with Color B
  
• 6" with Color A
  

Andrea writes, "When the panels are complete and off the loom, wash them both in cool water and mild soap. I used a wool wash, but any mild soap will do in a bind. I then wrung out the excess water, rolled the panels up in a towel to absorb even more excess water. I then ironed them on the wool setting while they were still slightly damp. Ironing can lengthen and/or widen the fabric so make sure to line up the panels from time to time to make sure they are the same length and width. If desired, you may use a fringe twister to create tassels at the ends of each panel as I did. I kept the back tassels longer than the front to give it even more of a pronounced asymmetrical look (2" fringe in the front and 5" fringe in the back). This step took quite a long time so make sure you have a good show to watch on Netflix or listen to the Weave podcast!

Sewing Instructions 

After washing, ironing and finishing your fringe, follow these steps to sew your weaving into a simple poncho. 

1. Line up your panels one on top of the other and begin pinning them together starting at the bottom and up one side lengthwise for about 27". Once sewn, this will be the back of your poncho.
2. Sew with a simple straight stitch and 1/4"-1/2" seam allowance along the edge for approximately 27". Andrea writes, "I wanted the jacket to be longer in the back and shorter in the front, which is what determined the length I sewed the panels together in the back. I suggest pinning the panels together and trying it on before sewing to determine where you want the jacket to fall on you. Adjust the pins accordingly and that will give you an idea of how much to sew the two panels together."
3. Iron open the seam.
4. If you want to create arm holes, try on the poncho and pin the front and back panels together to get a feel for where you would like the arm holes to fall.
5. Measure to make sure the holes will be in the same place on each side.
6. Sew a 4" seam on each side with a straight stitch and a 1/4"-1/2" seam allowance.
7. Iron open the seams.

About Andrea Carpenter

The Winter Phoenix is a California based handwoven textile brand by Andrea Carpenter. Each piece is inspired by nature, astronomy, art, music, and literature. A purist at heart, Andrea creates one-of-a-kind pieces that are not only inspired by the earth, but that also come from it by using sustainably sourced fibers.

Andrea has been gravitated towards fibre and texture since she was a young child when her mother taught her to crochet—a practice passed down the generations of women in her family. Over the last twenty plus years, she has dabbled in knitting, embroidery, sewing, and cross-stitch, but it wasn’t until she discovered weaving that she found her fibre passion.

Website | Instagram | Weave Podcast Episode 44