Valley Yarns #263 Pebbles in the Stream Scarf

Valley Yarns Pebbles in the Stream Scarf

What is Being Made

The Pebbles in the Stream Scarf is a woven scarf designed by Jill Staubitz that showcases the distinctive visual impact of doubleweave construction. This finished scarf measures 60.5 inches long by 10 inches wide (excluding fringe) and features bold graphic blocks of solid color that appear on both sides of the cloth simultaneously. The design uses a classic "windows" scarf concept, combining solid and variegated yarns to create an intriguing color composition inspired by the soft blends found in nature.

Weaving Technique and Structure

Doubleweave is the primary technique used in this scarf. Doubleweave is an advanced weaving structure that creates two separate layers of cloth woven simultaneously on a single loom, allowing solid blocks of color to appear on both the front and back surfaces. This technique produces a reversible, double-thick fabric with striking visual contrast.

The scarf employs an 8-shaft doubleweave structure, which requires an 8-shaft loom with a minimum 16-inch weaving width. The warp is dressed with 440 total ends at a sett of 40 ends per inch (epi) total for both layers, or 20 epi per layer. The weft is worked at 17 picks per inch (ppi) per layer. The warp length is 3 yards with 220 ends per layer, and the width in reed is 11 inches.

Stitches and Weaving Details

While traditional weaving does not use "stitches" in the embroidery sense, the doubleweave structure creates interlocking patterns through the systematic raising and lowering of warp threads across eight shafts. The warp color order alternates carefully within each color block, and weavers are instructed to wind two warp ends at the same time while maintaining the cross to prevent tangling. Threading follows a specific pattern across the eight heddles, with particular attention paid to color transitions where the same color appears back-to-back between blocks.

Materials and Yarns

This scarf is woven entirely with Valley Yarns 8/2 Tencel, a yarn made from 100% Lyocell fiber. Tencel is known for its smooth, lustrous finish and drape, making it ideal for scarves.

Warp Yarns:

• Valley Yarns 8/2 Tencel in Birch: 552 yards
• Valley Yarns 8/2 Tencel in Iris: 324 yards
• Valley Yarns Variegated 8/2 Tencel in Lake Combo: 444 yards

Weft Yarns:

• Valley Yarns 8/2 Tencel in Birch: 245 yards
• Valley Yarns 8/2 Tencel in Iris: 216 yards
• Valley Yarns Variegated 8/2 Tencel in Lake Combo: 223 yards

All Valley Yarns 8/2 Tencel is sold on approximately 1-pound cones with a yardage of 3,360 yards per pound. The Lake Combo variegated yarn features lovely soft blends of Iris transitioning into Teal, providing visual interest and depth to the finished scarf.

Equipment Requirements

Weaving this scarf requires an 8-shaft loom with a minimum weaving width of 16 inches. Additional equipment includes 3 shuttles and 3 bobbins to manage the multiple yarn colors required for the doubleweave structure.