Valley Yarns #150 Candied Beet Towels

Valley Yarns Candied Beet Towels – Weaving Pattern Summary

What Is Being Made

The Candied Beet Towels are a set of four finished dish towels, each measuring 15.75" x 28.5", designed by Paula Veleta. This weaving project creates functional homeware with intentional asymmetrical design, featuring long bands of color transitions followed by color blocks at one end and a basket weave-like lace effect structure at the opposite end. The design prioritizes both aesthetic depth and practical utility for everyday kitchen use.

Weave Structure and Techniques

This pattern employs a lace effect weave structure inspired by Jane Patrick's The Weaver's Idea Book, which creates visual depth through an openwork pattern rather than solid cloth. The design specifically uses striped color sequences as the primary visual technique, with long bands of color followed by distinct color blocks. The weave structure is engineered to work on a rigid heddle loom using two reeds in a configuration beyond basic plain weave, allowing weavers to achieve a more sophisticated textile with dimensional qualities.

The asymmetrical layout is a deliberate design choice that distinguishes these towels from conventional rectangular woven goods. The combination of long color bands, color block sections, and the basket weave-like lace effect creates visual interest and prevents monotony across the finished cloth.

Equipment Required

• Rigid heddle loom at least 20" wide
• Two 12 dpi (dents per inch) rigid heddle reeds
• Four stick shuttles or one boat shuttle with four bobbins for weft insertion
• One pick-up stick wider than the loom width for manipulating the lace effect pattern
• Warping board (recommended for managing the long warp length)

Yarns and Materials

Warp Yarns: Valley Yarns 10/2 Cotton (100% cotton, 4200 yards per pound) in four colorways:

• #3794 Burgundy – 770 yards
• #6186 Azalea Pink – 660 yards
• #7129 Golden Ocher – 660 yards
• #2194 Turquoise Blue – 36 yards

Weft Yarns: Valley Yarns 10/2 Cotton (100% cotton, 4200 yards per pound) in the same four colors, calculated for four complete towels with identical color sequences:

• #3794 Burgundy – 1442 yards
• #7129 Golden Ocher – 167 yards
• #6186 Azalea Pink – 111 yards
• #2194 Turquoise Blue – 98 yards

The choice of 10/2 cotton allows weavers to work with a finer material and achieve a closer sett (thread density), resulting in a more refined finished textile. The 100% cotton composition makes these towels absorbent and durable for kitchen use.

Technical Specifications

Warp Setup: 454 ends (individual warp threads) at 5 yards each, totaling 180 inches of warp length. This generous length accommodates sampling of color combinations and allows the weaver to produce all four towels from a single warp setup.

Sett: 24 epi (ends per inch), which determines thread density and contributes to the cloth's structure and drape.

Reed Width: 18.9 inches in the reed, producing finished towels 15.75 inches wide after finishing.

Warp Color Order: The pattern uses a repeating warp color sequence wound six times across the warp, creating the striped foundation for the asymmetrical design.

Design Philosophy

Designer Paula Veleta created this pattern with two primary goals: to incorporate asymmetry into dish towel design and to demonstrate how a rigid heddle loom can produce sophisticated weave structures beyond plain weave using two reeds. The result is a cloth with visual and tactile depth achieved through the lace effect pattern, elevating a functional kitchen textile into a design-forward homeware piece. The long warp length and repeating color sequence provide weavers with the opportunity to experiment with color combinations before committing to the final towel weaves.