Valley Yarns #209 Cipher Placemats

Valley Yarns Cipher Placemats: Woven Twill Homeware

What Is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Cipher Placemats are a set of four woven placemats designed by Barbara Elkins. Each finished placemat measures 12.5" x 16.25", making them practical table linens suitable for everyday dining or special occasions. The project yields multiple coordinated pieces from a single warp setup, ideal for creating matching table settings or as gifts.

Weave Structure and Technique

These placemats are constructed using a twill weave in the Stubenitsky technique, a specialized method that creates visual interest through strategic color placement and threading. The Stubenitsky technique is particularly suited to fabrics viewed at close range, as it produces subtle pattern effects when woven in tints and tones of the same or closely related colors.

The technique works by threading every third end on shaft 1, which creates the distinctive characteristics of the weave structure. This approach allows weavers to develop sophisticated fabrics with minimal complexity, making it accessible for 4-shaft loom users while producing professional results.

Loom and Equipment Requirements

This project requires a 4-shaft loom with a minimum weaving width of 18 inches. The pattern calls for one shuttle and one bobbin for the weaving process. A temple is listed as optional but helpful for maintaining consistent fabric width during weaving.

Threading and Sett Specifications

The warp consists of 261 ends (including two floating selvedges) threaded according to the provided draft. The sett is 18 ends per inch (epi) and 18 picks per inch (ppi), achieved by threading 2 threads per dent in a 9-dent reed, or alternatively using a 12-dent reed with a 2-1-2-1 threading pattern. The width in the reed is 14.5 inches, producing finished placemats of 12.5 inches in width.

Yarn Materials

The Cipher Placemats are woven entirely in 5/2 Valley Cotton, a 100% mercerized cotton yarn that provides durability and a refined finish suitable for table linens.

• Warp Yarn: 5/2 Valley Cotton in #2909 Grayed Blue, requiring 1044 yards (sold on 1-pound cones at 2100 yards per pound)
• Weft Yarn: 5/2 Valley Cotton in #2574 Heather, requiring 757 yards (sold on 1-pound cones at 2100 yards per pound)

Warp Preparation and Loom Setup

The total warp length is 4 yards of 261 ends in the Grayed Blue colorway. After dressing the loom using your preferred method and following the threading draft, floating selvedges are included at each end to prevent edge distortion. Before threading begins, ensure that shaft 1 has sufficient heddles available, as this shaft carries a higher heddle count due to the Stubenitsky technique requirements.

Weaving Process

After tying on the warp, weavers begin with scrap yarn and a "near" plain weave to close spaces in the warp. This near plain weave uses treadles 1 and 3 (treadle 5) against treadles 2 and 4 (treadle 2). While not a true plain weave, this method effectively prepares the warp for the main weaving without requiring extensive yardage.

The pattern includes an inner hem section woven with 7 picks before transitioning to the main twill pattern. This construction method creates finished edges and helps anchor the fabric structure.

Color and Design

The placemats feature a sophisticated color combination pairing Grayed Blue in the warp with Heather in the weft. This tonal approach is characteristic of the Stubenitsky technique, which reveals its full visual complexity when colors are closely related. The resulting fabric displays subtle stripe effects and depth that emerge from the interplay of the two yarn colors within the twill structure.