Valley Yarns #271 Lucy's Linen Napkins

Valley Yarns Lucy's Linen Napkins: Woven Linen Table Linens with Diamond Brocade Motifs

What is Being Made

Lucy's Linen Napkins is a weaving project that produces a set of four finished napkins, each approximately 14" x 14" in size. These napkins are designed as elegant table linens featuring subtle diamond motifs inspired by historic weaving samples from the New England Weavers Seminar collection. The design combines a white Half Bleach linen warp with a natural linen weft to create understated visual contrast that allows the diamond patterns to stand out with simple, refined elegance.

Weaving Technique and Structure

This project uses brocade as its primary weaving structure, a technique that allows decorative motifs to be woven into the fabric surface. Brocade weaving creates raised or prominent pattern areas by floating supplementary yarns or manipulating the basic weave structure to highlight specific design elements. In Lucy's Linen Napkins, the brocade technique is employed to render the diamond motifs that give these napkins their distinctive character.

The project requires an 8-shaft loom that is at least 20 inches wide. The use of multiple shafts enables the complex threading and lifting sequences necessary to create the brocade patterning. Weavers will need one shuttle and one bobbin for the weaving process, plus matching sewing thread for finishing the napkin edges through hemming.

Yarn Materials and Specifications

Both warp and weft are made from Valley Yarns 20/2 Linen, a 100% linen yarn with a yardage rate of 3000 yards per pound. The yarn is supplied in 1650-yard tubes.

• Warp Yarn: Valley Yarns 20/2 Linen in Half Bleach (951 yards required)
• Weft Yarn: Valley Yarns 20/2 Linen in Natural (678 yards required)
• Total Yarn Needed: 1 tube of Half Bleach and 1 tube of Natural

The choice of 20/2 linen provides a fine, smooth yarn suitable for creating the delicate diamond patterns while maintaining the structural integrity needed for functional table linens.

Loom Setup and Sett

The warp is wound to a length of 3 yards with a total of 317 ends. The sett (density of warp threads) is 20 ends per inch (epi), achieved by threading 2 threads per dent in a 10-dent reed. The width in the reed measures 15.85 inches, which allows for the finished napkin width of approximately 14 inches after loom finishing and hemming.

The project calls for a warp length of 3 yards, providing sufficient yardage to weave all four napkins in a single warp setup. Weavers wind the warp using the Half Bleach linen, then dress the loom by threading the heddles according to the draft pattern provided.

Special Considerations for Linen Weaving

Linen yarn requires careful handling during warp winding and bobbin preparation. The pattern notes that linen can become difficult to manage if extra twist is introduced during these processes. To prevent this problem, the linen tube should be positioned horizontally so that yarn unwinds at a 90-degree angle from the tube, rather than pulling directly off the end. This is accomplished by suspending the tube on a knitting needle threaded through holes in a shoe box, allowing the tube to rotate freely as yarn is drawn off.

Design Inspiration and Credits

Lucy's Linen Napkins was designed by Mary M. Jones and Anita Thompson. The diamond motif pattern draws inspiration from historic weaving samples housed in the New England Weavers Seminar collection, translated into a contemporary linen napkin design that emphasizes understated elegance and functional beauty for the table.