Valley Yarns #223 Boundless Brocade Pillow

Valley Yarns Boundless Brocade Pillow

Project Overview

The Valley Yarns Boundless Brocade Pillow is a woven homeware project designed by Marthe Young that creates a finished 13" x 13.5" decorative pillow using brocade-inspired supplementary weft motifs on a rigid heddle loom. This project combines geometric patterning with functional textile construction, resulting in a polished finished piece suitable for home décor or gift-giving.

Weaving Techniques

This pillow employs plain weave with supplementary floats as its primary weaving structure. The supplementary weft technique creates dimensional brocade-inspired geometric designs through the use of floating threads that sit on top of the ground cloth without interlacing with every warp end. The designer hand-drafted the geometric motifs first, then used computer software (Stitchfiddle.com) to create the finished weaving charts, allowing for precise pattern placement and color contrast.

The weaving process involves working with two different weft yarns at different pick densities: supplementary weft picks are woven at 8 picks per inch for the patterned areas, while ground cloth picks are also woven at 8 picks per inch, creating a combined patterned area density of 16 picks per inch. Non-patterned areas are woven at a denser 24 picks per inch in the ground cloth yarn alone. This variation in pick density allows the geometric motifs to stand out visually while maintaining structural integrity throughout the textile.

Striping and Pattern Details

The color contrast between the black ground cloth and the natural-colored supplementary weft creates striking visual definition for the geometric designs. The pillow features striped patterning through the strategic placement of supplementary float motifs across the woven surface, with the hand-drafted designs creating repeating geometric elements that enhance the brocade aesthetic.

Equipment Requirements

This project requires the following weaving equipment:

• Rigid heddle loom at least 15" wide
• Two stick shuttles for weft insertion
• Pick up stick 18" or longer for manipulating supplementary weft floats
• 14" square pillow form for finishing
• Optional but highly recommended: 12-18" temple to maintain consistent width during weaving

Yarn and Materials

Warp Yarn: Maysville 8/4 Cotton Carpet Warp (100% cotton, 1600 yards per pound) in #2 Black, requiring 177 yards. This sturdy cotton warp provides a stable foundation for the supplementary weft technique.

Weft Yarns: The project uses two distinct weft yarns. Valley Charlemont (60% fine superwash merino wool, 20% silk, 20% polyamide, 439 yards per 100 gram skein) in Black serves as the ground cloth weft, requiring 210 yards. Valley Yarns Northampton (100% wool, 247 yards per 100 gram ball) in #2 Natural provides the supplementary weft for the geometric motifs, requiring 60 yards.

Loom Setup and Specifications

The warp is threaded at a sett of 8 ends per inch, creating a warp length of 54" with 118 total ends. The width in the reed measures 14.75", which accounts for take-up and shrinkage to achieve the finished dimensions of 13" x 13.5" (measured seam to seam). The combination of rigid heddle loom construction and careful sett selection ensures proper tension and float formation throughout the weaving process.

Weaving Considerations

Brocade weaving with supplementary floats is not an exact science, as individual weaver technique and tension variations affect the final outcome. The air space created between floating threads allows for greater potential shrinkage and draw-in compared to standard plain weave, making it important to account for these factors during project planning. The finished pillow design allows for the concealment of selvedge edges, creating a professional, polished appearance suitable for keeping or gifting.