Valley Yarns #222 Spring Blooms Towels

Valley Yarns Spring Blooms Towels

What is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Spring Blooms Towels are woven kitchen towels featuring a floral-inspired design adapted from flower motifs originally developed for Tencel scarves. This downloadable weaving pattern produces two finished towels, each measuring 17.5" x 29.75" after hemming. The design was created by designer Joanne Wood Peters and woven by Wendy Bestor, combining aesthetic appeal with practical functionality for everyday kitchen use.

Weave Structure and Techniques

This project uses a 6-shaft twill weave structure, a classic technique that creates diagonal lines and adds visual interest while maintaining the durability needed for kitchen textiles. The striped pattern is achieved through strategic color placement in both the warp and weft, allowing the flower motif to emerge through careful color contrast and yarn arrangement. The design requires thoughtful color selection to ensure sufficient contrast for the pattern to display clearly.

The weaving technique involves multiple color changes in both directions of the weave, creating a complex but rewarding finished fabric. The pattern uses a 1-2-2-2 threading arrangement in a 12-dent reed (alternatively, 2-3-3 in an 8-dent reed) at a sett of 21 epi (ends per inch), which creates a balanced, absorbent fabric suitable for kitchen use.

Equipment Requirements

Weavers will need an 8-shaft loom with a minimum weaving width of 22 inches, along with one shuttle and four bobbins for managing the multiple yarn colors. The warp length is 3 yards of 461 ends (including 2 floating selvedges), and the finished width in the reed measures 21.9 inches.

Yarns and Materials

The Valley Yarns Spring Blooms Towels are woven entirely with Valley Yarns 8/2 Cotton, a 100% unmercerized cotton yarn with a yardage of 3360 yards per pound, sold on 1-pound cones. This fiber choice provides excellent absorbency and durability for kitchen towels.

Warp Yarns:

• Valley Yarns 8/2 Cotton #4425 Orange: 495 yards
• Valley Yarns 8/2 Cotton #3794 Burgundy: 330 yards
• Valley Yarns 8/2 Cotton #2448 Mediterranean Blue: 330 yards
• Valley Yarns 8/2 Cotton #8799 Pearl Grey: 228 yards

Weft Yarns:

• Valley Yarns 8/2 Cotton #4425 Orange: 295 yards
• Valley Yarns 8/2 Cotton #3794 Burgundy: 295 yards
• Valley Yarns 8/2 Cotton #8799 Pearl Grey: 222 yards
• Valley Yarns 8/2 Cotton #2448 Mediterranean Blue: 220 yards

The color palette combines warm and cool tones—orange, burgundy, Mediterranean blue, and pearl grey—selected specifically to provide the contrast necessary for the flower motif to stand out clearly in the finished towels.

Pattern Details and Design Inspiration

Designer Joanne Wood Peters initially explored flower motifs for Tencel scarves but recognized that the design would translate beautifully into cotton kitchen towels. The challenge lay in selecting colors with sufficient contrast to showcase the intricate pattern. By collaborating with experienced weaver Wendy Bestor, who wove the sample towels, the design was refined and brought to its full potential as a functional yet decorative kitchen textile.

The pattern includes a detailed Warp Color Order Chart and Threading Draft to guide weavers through the setup process. Instructions specify centering the warp for a weaving width of 21.9 inches and dressing the loom using the weaver's preferred method. The pattern recommends spreading the warp with a few picks of scrap yarn in plain weave using treadles 7 and 8 before beginning the main weave.