I would like to weave some tea towels for a thank-you gift. I have a 4 shaft loom and will be using 8/2 unmercerized cotton. What is your favorite weave structure for towels? Would you suggest that I weave some plain weave at the beginning and end of each towel for the hem area?
My favorite weave structure for tea towels is Rosepath. As you weave, it makes a flower-like structure which is very pretty. I have woven it in 10/2 and 8/2 cotton and both are wonderful. Have fun with color and put some stripes in it.
Yes, do put some plain weave at each end -- 1 1/2 inches for each hem (to be folded in thirds), and use a thread that's half the thickness of your 8/2, i.e. 16/2 cotton. This makes for lovely fine hems which do not distort the hem area.
I have done waffle weave for towels and also block twills. I also do a plain weave area for hem. I usually use 8/2, the same as the body of the towel.
Do you have any problem with the difference in take-up and washing between the waffle weave and the plain weave hems?
They do takeup different not too bad. I found a waffle weave hem is heavy. I didn't like the way it looked. Maybe you could do a sample and see what you think.
HI PattyAnne....my favorite structure for towels is Single Two-Tie Unit weave, also known as Summer and Winter, or some variation of. I like the stability, the slightly thicker construction which can be quite absorbant and the ability to have a LOT of pattern on a very stable cloth. The ground cloth in Summer and Winter is plain weave and all the patterning is tied to the surfaces of the cloth so the pattern floats are always short.....
If you are interested, you might want to join the Summer and Winter Study group and use towels as your project!
Su Butler
The first time I wove waffle weave towels I wove the hems in plain weave and ended up with "roller coaster hems" (Wavy hems due to the difference in take up.) Since then I've learned a couple of tricks . On waffle weave towels I do my hems in basket weave . This seems to balance the difference in take-up. I also try to beat these basket weave hems lightly so there is room for the fibers to adjust. Trish
Wow! I am lovin' all the suggestions and tips! Thanks!! You know.. I think I will head over to the Summer and Winter goup and lurk. I love all these opportunities to LEARN more weaving tips!
How do you do basketweave hems on a waffle weave threading?
Hi, if you have access to the Best of Weaver's book Fabrics That Go Bump, there are nice drafts of 4 and 8 shaft waffle weaves and basketweave hems in the article "Towels in Waffle and Turned Twill" by Mary Berent. If not, you can tie up 1-2 and 3-4 for the 4 shaft version. Raise 1-2 and throw 2 picks ( using a floating selvedge is important so you do not just unweave that first pick). Then raise 3-4 and throw 2 picks in that shed. For the 8 shaft waffle weave, tie up 1-2 and 5-6 on one treadle and 3-4 and 7-8 on another. For your hems, throw 2 picks on the 1-2, 5-6 shed and throw 2 picks on the 3-4, 7-8 shed. I do beat each pick in but keep the shed open when I am throwing the shuttle in the same shed twice so that I remember to put 2 picks in. If anyone can explain this better than I can - please chime in. I hope this helps.
Thanks, Trish. I abandoned a waffleweave bath towel project when I couldn't get the ruffling out of the plain weave hems in the sampling. I understood throwing two picks in the same shed, just wondered how the threading worked out. I'll look up the book and maybe try again.
I understand completely and have been in your shoes! When there was too much take-up difference between my towel and hem the only solution I could find was to sew a fine line close to the body of the towel and then take out the weft yarn in the plain weave hem - leaving a short fringe for the end of the towel. I've been much happier with the basketweave hems. Your goal is to ease the difference in takeup between the waffle weave body and non-waffle weave hem. Good luck!
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