Valley Yarns #233 Weaving Rainbows

Valley Yarns Weaving Rainbows Color Gamp Table Runner

Project Overview

The Weaving Rainbows Color Gamp Table Runner is a vibrant homeware weaving project designed by Wendy Bestor. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a finished table runner measuring 16.25" x 62.75" when hemmed. The project showcases a complete rainbow of colors woven together in both warp and weft, demonstrating how multiple hues interact and complement one another in a single woven piece.

Weave Structure and Techniques

Primary Weave: Huck Lace is the foundation weave structure for this project. This technique creates an open, textured fabric with decorative possibilities. The designer incorporated huck spots—a distinctive feature of huck lace weaving—to add visual interest and brightness throughout the color gamp design. The use of stripes in both the warp and weft creates a systematic color exploration, allowing weavers to observe how each color interacts with every other color in the palette.

A color gamp is a traditional weaving sampler that displays all colors of a palette in both warp and weft directions, creating a grid-like intersection of every color combination. This methodical approach helps weavers understand color relationships and make informed decisions for future projects.

Equipment Requirements

• 4-shaft loom with minimum 21" weaving width capacity
• At least 2 shuttles for weft insertion
• 6 bobbins for yarn management
• 8-dent reed (warp is set at 2 ends per dent)
• Heddles: 136 required on both shaft 1 and shaft 2

Yarn Materials and Specifications

Yarn Type: Valley Yarns 5/2 Cotton, 100% mercerized cotton with a yardage of 2100 yards per pound. This yarn is sold on 1-pound cones and provides excellent stitch definition and sheen characteristic of mercerized cotton.

Warp Yarns (6 colors, 320 total ends):

• #3542 Poppy: 168 yards
• #6277 Deep Periwinkle: 168 yards
• #4456 Orange: 156 yards
• #1205 Banana: 156 yards
• #5398 Pine Green: 156 yards
• #2314 Royal: 156 yards

Weft Yarns (6 colors):

• #3542 Poppy: 149 yards
• #4456 Orange: 116 yards
• #6277 Deep Periwinkle: 116 yards
• #1205 Banana: 111 yards
• #5398 Pine Green: 111 yards
• #2314 Royal: 111 yards

Loom Setup and Specifications

Warp Length: 3 yards of 320 ends total. Sett: 16 ends per inch (epi), achieved by threading 2 ends per dent in an 8-dent reed. Width in Reed: 20" with centering for proper loom dressing. Finished Pick Count: 15 picks per inch (ppi).

The warp color order follows a systematic stripe pattern, repeating the sequence: 2 ends, 18 ends of color, 2 ends, 2 ends, then moving to the next color. This creates distinct color blocks while maintaining the gamp structure. After threading according to the provided threading draft and tying onto the front apron rod, weavers should spread the warp using several picks of scrap yarn to ensure even tension.

Weaving Process

Weavers follow the provided treadling draft to weave approximately 78" of fabric. The pattern includes 30 picks at the beginning, which establish the color gamp structure. The combination of the huck lace weave structure with the systematic color striping creates both visual interest and a functional, textured surface suitable for a table runner.

This pattern is distributed by Valley Yarns for personal use only and is available as a downloadable PDF.