Specifications
| Brand: | Valley Yarns |
| Designer: | Barbara Elkins |
| Craft: | Weaving |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Techniques and Construction: | Stripes |
| Pattern Code: | 249 |
Product Description
Testing the limits of what’s possible on a 4-shaft loom, Valley Yarns Bordered Diamond Silk Scarf produces a fairly complicated pattern with only four shafts. Made with our gorgeous 20/2 silk, this radiant scarf is sure to turn heads wherever it is worn! With fairly complicated threading and treadling sequences, this draft is recommended for Adventurous Beginners and up.
Equipment: 4-shaft loom with a minimum 12” weaving width, 1 boat shuttle, 1 bobbin
Warp Yarn: 813 yards Valley Yarns 20/2 Silk (100% Spun Mulberry Silk, 8.8oz/2744yds per cone) shown in 635 Indigo
Weft Yarn: 586 yards Valley Yarns 20/2 Silk (100% Spun Mulberry Silk, 8.8oz/2744yds per cone) shown in 634 Medium Navy
Warp Length: 3 yards of 271 ends (includes 2 floating selvedges)*
Sett: 32 epi (2-dent in a 16-dent reed, 2-3-3 in a 12-dent reed), ~32 ppi
Finished Dimensions: 7¾” wide and 68” long, excluding fringe
Weave Structure: Twill
*The draft is written for one scarf based on a 3-yard warp, but because the threading and treadling are complex, it makes sense to weave multiple scarves! If you want to weave more than one scarf, add another 2 yards per additional scarf to the warp and commensurate weft.
Valley Yarns Bordered Diamonds Silk Scarf
What Is Being Made
The Bordered Diamonds Silk Scarf is a woven accessory designed by Barbara Elkins, measuring 7.75 inches wide by 68 inches long (excluding fringe). This elegant scarf showcases a diamond pattern with decorative borders, created using premium silk yarns in coordinating indigo and navy tones. The finished piece is suitable for adventurous beginners and experienced weavers seeking a moderately challenging project.
Weaving Structure and Techniques
This scarf employs a twill weave structure on a 4-shaft loom, which creates the characteristic diagonal lines and dimensional appearance of the bordered diamond pattern. The design uses striped techniques in the warp and weft to build visual complexity while maintaining structural integrity. The threading and treadling sequences are intentionally intricate, requiring close attention to detail during setup and execution. The pattern is designed to look visually complex while remaining achievable on a standard 4-shaft loom with a minimum 12-inch weaving width.
Stitches and Threading Details
The scarf uses a twill stitch pattern as its foundation. The threading draft consists of 271 ends distributed across the loom, with 2 floating selvedges on each side for finished edges. The pattern includes clearly marked starting and ending points for the bordered diamond sections, with counting lines provided throughout the threading draft to ensure accuracy. The warp is threaded at a sett of 32 ends per inch (epi), achieved using either a 16-dent reed with 2 threads per dent, or a 12-dent reed with a 2-3-3 threading sequence. The treadling sequence is equally detailed, requiring careful attention to the lift plan to produce the intended diamond motif.
Materials: Yarns and Equipment
Warp Yarn: Valley Yarns 20/2 Silk in #635 Indigo, requiring 813 yards. This yarn is 100% spun mulberry silk with a yardage of 4900 yards per pound, sold in 8.8 oz/2744 yard cones.
Weft Yarn: Valley Yarns 20/2 Silk in #634 Medium Navy, requiring 586 yards. This yarn shares the same fiber content and yardage specifications as the warp yarn, providing color contrast while maintaining consistent fiber properties.
Equipment Required: A 4-shaft loom with a minimum weaving width of 12 inches, 1 boat shuttle for weft insertion, and 1 bobbin for winding weft yarn. A 16-dent or 12-dent reed is needed depending on your preferred threading method. The warp length is 3 yards of 271 ends total, which includes the floating selvedges. The finished width in the reed is approximately 8.5 inches, with a projected pick density of approximately 32 picks per inch (ppi).
Design Notes
Designer Barbara Elkins created this draft with two primary goals: to showcase the qualities of 20/2 silk yarn and to achieve a visually complex appearance using only a 4-shaft loom. The unintended consequence of the intricate threading and treadling sequences makes this project most suitable for adventurous beginners and experienced weavers. The pattern is structured to allow for weaving multiple scarves on a single warp; additional scarves require an additional 2 yards of warp length and proportional weft yardage per scarf.
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