Valley Yarns #238 Ebb & Flow Double Wide Chenille Throw

Valley Yarns Ebb & Flow Double Wide Chenille Throw

What is Being Made

The Ebb & Flow Double Wide Chenille Throw is a woven blanket designed to overcome the width limitations of standard looms. This project creates a finished throw measuring 56" x 74.5" by utilizing double-weave techniques, allowing weavers to produce a blanket-sized textile on looms with a minimum 34" weaving width. The design was created by Wendy Bestor and is ideal for crafters seeking to expand their loom's capabilities without piecing multiple panels together.

Weaving Techniques

This project employs double-weave as its primary technique, a method that creates two layers of fabric simultaneously on a single loom. Double-weave allows the finished fabric to be approximately double the width of the loom's capacity, making it possible to weave wider blankets on standard equipment. The pattern uses plain weave as the foundational weave structure, the simplest and most fundamental weaving technique, making this an excellent project for learning double-weave methods.

The design incorporates striping through strategic use of different colored weft yarns. Weavers are encouraged to use this basic draft as a foundation for creating their own custom color and stripe sequences, allowing for personalization and creative variation.

Loom Requirements and Setup

The Ebb & Flow pattern accommodates both 4-shaft and 8-shaft looms, providing flexibility for different weaver skill levels and equipment. The loom must have a minimum weaving width of 34" and accommodate a single shuttle with 2 bobbins during the weaving process. The reed should be set at 8-dent, with most ends threaded 4 per dent at a sett of 32 epi (ends per inch), with 16 epi for each layer. A special threading detail calls for the last 8 ends on the left edge to be threaded 2 per dent, which helps minimize the visibility of the folded edge in the finished blanket.

Warp Specifications

The warp is wound using Valley Yarns 5/2 Bamboo, a yarn composed of 100% rayon derived from bamboo fiber. This yarn is sold on approximately 1.25-pound cones at 2,100 yards per pound. The pattern requires 4,096 yards of Midnight-colored bamboo warp, necessitating at least 2 cones weighing a combined minimum of 2 pounds. The total warp length is 4 yards with 1,024 ends, and the width in the reed measures 32".

Weft Specifications

The weft utilizes Valley Yarns Rayon Chenille, a 100% rayon chenille yarn sold on approximately 1-pound cones at 1,450 yards per pound. Two chenille colors create the striped effect: Silver Gray and Grayed Blue, each requiring 1,252 yards (approximately 1 cone each, weighing at least 0.9 pounds total). The combination of bamboo warp with chenille weft creates a fabric that is both visually striking and tactilely luxurious.

Material Properties and Care

The finished blanket is both machine washable and machine dryable, making it practical for regular use and easy maintenance. The bamboo and chenille fiber combination produces a fabric described as "gorgeously snuggly," offering both comfort and durability. The double-weave construction creates a substantial, two-layered textile that provides warmth and coziness suitable for a throw blanket.

Design Approach

This draft exemplifies simplicity in structure combined with sophisticated technique. The single-color midnight warp paired with two-color chenille weft creates visual interest through the striping pattern without requiring complex threading or weaving sequences. The pattern encourages weavers to use it as a foundation for experimentation, adapting yarn colors and stripe arrangements to match personal preferences and color palettes.