Valley Yarns #286 Himagiri Poncho

Valley Yarns Himagiri Poncho

What is Being Made

The Himagiri Poncho is a trendy woven garment designed by Shilpa Nagarkar and inspired by the snowcapped mountains of the Himalayan range. This poncho is constructed from two seamed panels woven on a rigid heddle loom, creating a finished piece measuring 26.25" x 54.5". The design combines functionality with visual interest through the use of striped colorwork and traditional weaving techniques.

Weaving Structure and Techniques

This project employs plain weave as its foundation, combined with the clasped weft technique to create the striped pattern. Clasped weft is an advanced weaving method where two different colored weft yarns are interlocked at the color change points, allowing for distinct stripes without the need for multiple shuttles throughout the entire weave. The poncho uses hemstitching in groups of 4 warp ends (8 individual threads) to create a finished edge detail.

Construction involves seaming two separately woven panels together to form the complete poncho shape. The two panels are woven individually on the loom, then joined using coordinating cotton fabric and standard sewing supplies. This modular approach allows the weaver to work with a more manageable loom width while creating a larger finished garment.

Stitches and Structural Details

The primary structural element is plain weave, which interlaces warp and weft yarns in an over-under pattern at a consistent sett. The piece incorporates decorative elements including:

• Clasped weft color changes creating horizontal stripes
• Hemstitching for edge finishing
• Fringe created from warp ties and scrap yarn (minimum 5" length)
• 10 metal flower beads as embellishments

Materials and Equipment

Yarn: The Himagiri Poncho is woven entirely from Valley Yarns 2/10 Merino Tencel (Colrain Lace), a blend of 50% Merino Wool and 50% Tencel. This yarn combination offers the warmth and elasticity of merino wool with the smooth, lustrous drape of Tencel. The warp requires 1887 yards in Majestic Blue, while the weft calls for 1008 yards of Majestic Blue and 505 yards of Whipple Blue, allowing for the striped colorwork.

Equipment: Weaving is performed on a rigid heddle loom at least 30" wide, dressed with 217 doubled ends at a sett of either 7.5 or 8 epi (ends per inch), depending on the weaver's chosen heddle. The weft is woven at 8 ppi (picks per inch). One shuttle is required for weaving. Additional supplies include coordinating cotton fabric (approximately 10" x 10") for seaming the panels together, standard sewing supplies, and 10 metal flower beads for embellishment.

Technical Specifications

Each of the two panels requires a warp length of 78.25" (2.17 yards) of 217 doubled ends. The weaving width in the reed measures 29" at 7.5 epi or 27" at 8 epi. The warp is doubled during the warping process, and the weft is doubled through the clasped weft technique, creating a substantial fabric with good body and drape suitable for a wearable poncho.