Valley Yarns #216 Leaves of Gold & Silver

Valley Yarns Leaves of Gold & Silver Weaving Scarf

What Is Being Made

The Leaves of Gold & Silver is a woven scarf designed by Joanne Wood Peters featuring a striking leaf-motif pattern. This downloadable weaving draft produces a finished scarf measuring 6.5 inches wide by 64.5 inches long (excluding fringe), making it an elegant accessory suitable for everyday wear or as a decorative piece.

Weaving Structure & Techniques

This project uses a Fancy Twill weave structure, which creates the dimensional leaf pattern by combining bold color contrasts with structured thread interlacing. The design employs striped color placement in both the warp and weft to showcase the Silver and Gold tones prominently. The scarf features a two-section design where the draft changes direction at the center, requiring weavers to work Section 1 for approximately 35 inches and then Section 2 for approximately 35 inches to complete the full length.

The weaving technique includes hemstitching after every four picks (passes of the shuttle), which reinforces the fabric structure and creates a finished appearance. Weavers use straight treadling (shafts 1 through 8 in sequence) throughout the project, as the Fancy Twill structure does not permit plain weave options.

Equipment Requirements

• 8-Shaft loom, minimum 10 inches wide
• 1 shuttle and 1 bobbin
• 12-dent reed for proper sett density

Yarns & Materials

This scarf is woven using Valley Yarns 8/2 Tencel, a premium yarn composed of 100% Lyocell fiber. Tencel is prized for its lustrous appearance, smooth drape, and sustainable production process, making it ideal for scarves that require both visual appeal and comfort.

Warp Yarns (total 3 yards at 201 ends):

• Silver Gray: 315 yards
• Straw (gold tone): 240 yards
• Black: 48 yards (including 2 floating selvedges)

Weft Yarns:

• Black: 430 yards (woven throughout entire scarf)

Valley Yarns 8/2 Tencel is supplied in approximately 1-pound cones, yielding 3360 yards per pound, providing excellent yardage efficiency for this project.

Stitches & Sett Specifications

The scarf is set at 27 ends per inch (epi) in the warp and woven at 27 picks per inch (ppi) in the weft, creating a balanced, cohesive fabric. The threading uses a 2-2-2-3 pattern across the 12-dent reed to achieve this precise sett. The warp width in the reed measures 7.4 inches, which finishes to 6.5 inches after weaving and wet finishing account for natural loom take-up and yarn relaxation.

The color order threading follows a specific pattern that alternates Silver Gray, Straw, and Black yarns to build the striped foundation that highlights the leaf motif when combined with the Fancy Twill structure and black weft.

Finishing Details

After weaving, approximately 8 inches of warp is reserved for fringe creation, with scrap yarn woven at the beginning to separate the warp and facilitate fringe tying. The hemstitching technique worked every four picks adds both structural integrity and a refined, professional finish to the completed scarf.