Valley Yarns #261 Buffalo Plaid Throw

Valley Yarns Buffalo Plaid Throw

What is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Buffalo Plaid Throw is a lightweight woven blanket designed by Merriel Miller. This cozy throw features an oversized buffalo plaid pattern and is intended as a decorative accent piece for any home décor. The finished dimensions are 30 inches by 58 inches, plus 3 inches of fringe on each end, making it an ideal size for snuggling on cool evenings.

Weaving Structure and Technique

This throw is created using a canvas weave structure, which produces a balanced, sturdy fabric. The weaving technique relies on striped patterning to achieve the distinctive buffalo plaid design. The pattern is created through careful color placement in both the warp and weft, with each plaid block measuring 5 inches long and designed to be square in proportion.

The project requires a 4-shaft loom with a minimum weaving width of 38 inches. Weavers will need 1 shuttle and 3 bobbins to manage the multiple yarn colors throughout the weaving process. The recommended approach is to weave with a soft beat, gently tapping each weft pick into place to achieve the target density of 16 picks per inch (ppi), which works in harmony with the warp sett of 16 ends per inch (epi).

Warp and Weft Details

The warp consists of 562 ends (including 2 floating selvedges) and measures 2.75 yards in length. The warp is threaded at a sett of 16 epi using an 8-dent reed with 2 threads per dent, creating a weaving width in the reed of 35¼ inches. The warp color order follows a specific sequence using three colorways: French Blue (667 yards), Natural (440 yards), and Whipple Blue (440 yards).

The weft yarns echo the color palette with Whipple Blue (434 yards), Natural (345 yards), and French Blue (345 yards), allowing the plaid pattern to develop as the colored wefts interact with the striped warp.

Materials: Yarn and Equipment

This throw is woven using Valley Yarns 2/14 Alpaca Silk, a premium yarn blend consisting of 80% alpaca and 20% silk. This fiber combination creates the soft, cozy texture ideal for a throw blanket while maintaining a lightweight drape. The yarn is available on 0.5-pound cones and yields 3,472 yards per pound, providing excellent yardage efficiency.

The project requires a 4-shaft loom equipped with standard weaving equipment. Weavers will need an 8-dent reed and should have access to an apron rod system for securing the warp. Additional supplies include scrap yarn for dressing the loom in pseudo plain weave and materials for creating the 3-inch fringe finish on each end.

Finishing

The throw is finished with 3 inches of fringe on each end, created by leaving long tails during the weaving process. At least 4 inches should be reserved for fringe when initially tying onto the front apron rod, allowing for proper finishing and securing of the warp ends.