Valley Yarns #251 Twist & Turn Napkins

Valley Yarns Twist & Turn Napkins: Weaving Pattern Summary

What Is Being Made

The Twist & Turn Napkins are a set of four hemmed table linens designed by Jill Staubitz. Each finished napkin measures 15.75" x 16.25" and features an elegant color palette inspired by classic Wedgewood China. This homeware weaving project combines three sophisticated colorways—Wedgewood Blue, Golden Ochre, and Alabaster—to create napkins suitable for both holiday entertaining and everyday dining occasions.

Weave Structure & Techniques

Weave Structure: The napkins are woven using a turned twill weave structure, which creates diagonal lines and visual texture across the fabric surface. This classic weaving technique produces an attractive, informal appearance while maintaining the durability needed for functional table linens.

Stripe Technique: The design employs a striped color arrangement throughout both warp and weft. The warp is wound following a specific color order with repeating blocks of 50, 44, 44, and 50 ends in alternating Wedgewood Blue, Golden Ochre, and Alabaster. The weft introduces additional color variation with three separate shuttles carrying different yarn colors, creating a complex interplay of horizontal and diagonal color movement that enhances the visual interest of the finished napkins.

Threading & Loom Setup

This pattern requires an 8-shaft loom that is at least 22 inches wide. The warp consists of 464 total ends (including doubled floating selvedges on each side for finished edges) threaded across eight shafts with varying heddle counts per shaft: shafts 1–4 each contain 47 heddles, while shafts 5–8 each contain 68 heddles. The threading draft creates the foundation for the turned twill structure. Three shuttles and three bobbins are needed to manage the three different weft colors during weaving.

Yarn & Materials

Yarn Specifications: The pattern calls for Valley Yarns 10/2 Cotton, a 100% mercerized cotton yarn available on 1-pound cones at 4200 yards per pound. Mercerized cotton provides a lustrous finish and excellent durability for table linens.

Warp Yarn Quantities:

• #2608 Wedgewood Blue: 752 yards
• #7129 Golden Ochre: 704 yards
• #1089 Alabaster: 400 yards

Weft Yarn Quantities:

• #2608 Wedgewood Blue: 730 yards
• #1089 Alabaster: 236 yards
• #7129 Golden Ochre: 414 yards

Loom Setup Details: The warp is wound to a total length of 4 yards at a sett of 24 ends per inch (2 per dent in a 12-dent reed). The width in the reed measures 19.25". After tying onto the front apron rod, the warp is spread using a few picks of scrap yarn with treadles 9 and 10 to prepare for weaving.

Finished Product Characteristics

The completed napkins showcase the elegant Wedgewood Blue colorway as the dominant tone, complemented by warm Golden Ochre and crisp Alabaster accents. The turned twill weave creates subtle diagonal texture that catches light beautifully, while the striped color arrangement adds visual sophistication. The mercerized cotton construction ensures these napkins are both absorbent and durable for repeated use and laundering, making them practical additions to any table setting.