Valley Yarns #205 Houndstooth Placemats

Valley Yarns Houndstooth Placemats

Project Overview

The Valley Yarns Houndstooth Placemats are a beginner-friendly weaving project designed by Marthe Young. This homeware collection produces four finished placemats featuring a classic houndstooth pattern in blue and natural colorways. Each placemat measures 12.25" x 14.25" (with fringe adding 0.75" on either end), making them perfectly sized for standard table settings at a lakeside cottage or any home dining space.

Weave Structure and Techniques

This project uses a houndstooth weave structure combined with plain weave to create the distinctive geometric pattern. Although the houndstooth design appears visually complex, the weaving technique is straightforward enough for beginners to execute successfully. The pattern is achieved through careful color alternation in both warp and weft, creating the characteristic checkerboard-like appearance that houndstooth is known for.

The project incorporates striping techniques to build the pattern, with alternating blue and natural color sequences. Weavers will employ a direct warping method to dress the loom, and the pattern uses a threading chart to guide color placement through the heddle reed. The design includes a hemstitching technique for securing the first two picks with three-end bundles, adding both structural integrity and a finished appearance to the placemats.

Equipment Required

This project is designed for use on a rigid heddle loom measuring 15" or larger, equipped with a 10 dent reed. Weavers will need two stick shuttles measuring 16" or longer for managing the blue and natural weft yarns. The pattern recommends either one Beefy Pick Up Stick (20" or longer) or an additional stick shuttle (16" or longer) to facilitate the houndstooth pattern creation.

Yarn Materials and Specifications

The placemats are woven using Valley Yarns Goshen, a premium blend yarn containing 48% Peruvian Cotton, 46% Modal, and 6% Silk. This fiber composition provides durability, softness, and a subtle sheen appropriate for table linens. Each ball of Goshen yields 92 yards.

Warp yarn requirements:

• #27 Bermuda Blue: 228 yards (5 skeins total)
• #2 Natural: 167 yards (3 skeins total)

Weft yarn requirements:

• #27 Bermuda Blue: 180 yards
• #2 Natural: 102 yards

Total yarn needed for the complete project: 5 skeins of Bermuda Blue and 3 skeins of Natural, providing all necessary materials to complete all four placemats.

Loom Settings and Specifications

The project uses specific technical parameters to achieve the finished dimensions:

• Warp length: 100" of 140 ends
• Sett: 10 epi (ends per inch)
• Pick density: 8 ppi (picks per inch)
• Width in reed: 14"

These settings create a balanced weave suitable for placemats, with sufficient density to produce durable table linens while maintaining the clarity of the houndstooth pattern.

Weaving Process

After dressing the loom using the direct warping method and following the provided threading chart, weavers begin with a header using thin scrap yarn for approximately 1" to ensure even spacing of all warp ends. The actual placemat weaving begins with two stick shuttles—one wound with blue yarn and one with natural yarn—allowing for efficient color changes throughout the project. The pattern calls for weaving 9 picks of blue for the border, with hemstitching applied to the first two picks using three-end bundles for a secure, professional finish.