Block Party Tote or Runner Weave-Along Pattern

YarnworkerU hosts weave-along a couple of times a year. The weave-along pattern is offered on a pay what you wish bases to guests while the weave-along is active and will revert to a fixed price after the weave-along is over. You are welcome to purchase the pattern and work on it independently or join us at YarnworkerU and gain access to all the support videos and all previous weave-along. 

The yarn I used is available from Cotton Clouds, can be purchased here.

Heddles Up!

Liz

About This Weave-Along
This small tote is sized to carry my tablet and swatching looms. It easily slips inside my backpack—a bag for my bag. Can you relate? The cloth is designed to mimic Monk’s Belt, a particular kind of overshot. The fabric alone would make a great statement piece for your holiday table.

WHO

This weave-along is appropriate for an adventurous beginner who has a good understanding of direct warping and basic weaving vocabulary. There will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

WHAT

Join us as we weave the fabric for a small tote sewn from a dense overshot fabric, designed to mimic Monk’s Belt. The tote measures about 9″ by 10″ with 10″ looped leather handles. It is fully lined with hand-stitched seams on the side. The finished woven fabric measures about  9½” by 23″. If you are using a 12.5-dent heddle your final measurements will be about 4% smaller.

I am not a sewist, but I love to stitch. I wanted a lined tote with hand stitched seams. I broke out my sewing machine for the lining, but if you don’t have one you could hand-stitch the lining to the tote fabric using the same steps. I do not profess I’ll show you the best way to sew a tote, but the method I constructed the tote.

Tools and Notions

Rigid-heddle loom with at least a 12″ weaving width; 12 or 12.5 dent heddle; 2-3 shuttles, two pick-up sticks at least 15″ long, metal or wood rod at least 15″ long, 40 string heddles, I used a 3/16″ metal rod cut to size at the hardware store. Optional: Low profile boat shuttle for the thin weft, 3/16″ rubber washers for rod. I’ll demonstrate using the new Surf shuttle from Fiber Artist Supply Company—a hybrid between a stick and a boat.

Notions: About a 11” x 27” piece of lining fabric, coordinating sewing thread, sewing needle or machine, tapestry needle, and bag handles. I used Cocoknits Short Bag Handle Kit cocoknits.com/collections/tools/ products/leather-handle-kit-short which also requires a leather awl or sack needle—something sharp and relatively thick to pierce the woven fabric and lining.

Yarn

Warp: 8/2 unmercerized cotton, 3,360 yd/lb (6,775 m/kg) shown in Cotton Clouds mini cones, 840 yd/4 oz (768 m/114 g) tube; front side showing totewoven in Rust; back side showing tote woven in Aquamarine variegated, this color is in very short supply, but there are plenty of other colors to choose from. You will need about 400 yds for the warp.

Weft: 8/2 unmercerized cotton, 3,360 yd/lb (6,775 m/kg) shown in Cotton Clouds mini cones 840 yd/4 oz (768 m/114 g) tube and worsted cotton 791 yd/lb (632 m/kg) shown in Universal Yarn’s Clean Cotton (85% recycled cotton/15% recycled polyester) 131 yd/2.65 oz (120m/75g) ball; front side showing tote woven in Wild Indigo; back side showing tote woven in Tiger Lily and Morning Glory. You will need about 80 yds thin and 80 yds thick.

Additional yarn: scrap about the size of your thin weft for weaving headers, about 12 yds 3/2 or similar yarn for string heddles.

Cotton Clouds is putting together a kit that includes coordinating colors of 4 oz tubes of 8/2, a full ball of Clean Cotton (131 yds), and a generous piece of 100% cotton muslin for lining the tote. They also made a version without the lining if you prefer to make a runner. There is enough yardage in the kit to make the tote or runner a bit larger if you wish. To learn more about the kit, visit cottonclouds.com/products/block-party-tote-or-runner  You can also create your own colorway by choosing a mini cone of either variegated or solid8/2 and a ball of Clean Cotton from their colors. The lining is only available with the kit. Tote handles sold separately by Cocoknits. If you are lucky enough to have an LYS, they may stock Cocoknits accessories

WHEN

Materials will be posted by noon Mountain Daylight Time on the appointed day.

October 17: Guest Registration Opens

October 24: WAL Officially Opens, Pattern Available.

November 7: Warping Tips Including Pick-Up Stick and Heddle Placement

November 14: Weaving Tips

November 21: Finishing Tips

December 5: Official Celebration

December 19: Guest Membership Closes

HOW

Active weave-alongs are made available to guest members. The pattern is offered on a pay-what-you-wish basis. Weave-alongs are made possible by YarnworkerU pledging members. Pledging Members get access to all previous weave-alongs, the Yarnworker curriculum, extra resources, and monthly live sessions and get-togethers.

Heddles Up!

Liz