Valley Yarns #03 Pinwheel Scarf

Valley Yarns Pinwheel Scarf: Woven Color and Weave Design

What Is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Pinwheel Scarf is a woven accessory designed by Barbara Elkins that creates a dynamic visual effect through color and weave technique. The finished scarf measures 8 inches wide by 62 inches long plus fringe, making it a versatile neck accessory. Despite its visually complex appearance featuring pinwheel patterns, the design is engineered to be accessible to weavers with intermediate loom skills.

Weaving Technique and Design Method

Color and Weave Technique: This scarf employs a sophisticated color and weave approach that creates a fun variation on traditional houndstooth patterning. The technique works by strategically alternating two colors—a dark and a light shade—in both the warp and weft to produce the illusion of spinning pinwheels cascading across the fabric. The method is open to endless color play; weavers can substitute any contrasting dark and light color combination to achieve different aesthetic effects while maintaining the same structural pattern.

Stripe Pattern: The weft is woven in alternating sections of 8 picks (passes of yarn across the loom) of black followed by 8 picks of sienna. Rather than cutting the yarn at each color change, the alternate color is carried up the side of the weaving, wrapped with the current weft to maintain neat edges. This efficient technique reduces yarn waste and creates clean selvages.

Loom and Equipment Requirements

This pattern requires an 8-shaft loom with a minimum width of 10 inches. The scarf uses a straight draw threading method, meaning each warp end threads through heddles in a simple sequential pattern. Equipment needed includes one reed, two shuttles, and two bobbins for managing the warp and weft yarns.

Warp and Weft Specifications

Warp Setup: The warp consists of 170 ends over 3 yards, including 2 floating selvages (edge threads that pass through the reed but not through heddles for a finished edge). The warp color order alternates between black and sienna following the draft pattern provided. The sett (density) is 20 ends per inch, which can be achieved using multiple reed options: 2/dent in a 10-dent reed, 1-2-2 in a 12-dent reed, or 2-3 in an 8-dent reed.

Yarn Specifications: Both warp and weft use 2/14 Alpaca Silk yarn. The warp requires 270 yards of black and 240 yards of sienna. The weft requires 220 yards of black and 214 yards of sienna. This yarn is composed of 80% alpaca and 20% silk, offering a luxurious blend with excellent drape and sheen. The yarn yields 3472 yards per pound, with each cone containing 1736 yards.

Finishing Methods

After weaving is complete, weavers have two finishing options: hemstitching on the loom for a refined edge, or creating a twisted fringe for a more casual appearance. The finished scarf should be handwashed in cool water using Eucalan or another quality woolwash suitable for delicate fibers. Water should be extracted by rolling the scarf in a towel, then the piece is dried flat or hung over a rod. A final steam press on the wool setting completes the finishing process, enhancing the drape and appearance of the completed scarf.

Finished Dimensions

The scarf measures 8.5 inches in the reed before finishing. After washing and finishing, the completed scarf is 8 inches wide by 62 inches long, plus the length of fringe added during finishing.