Valley Yarns #292 Tomato Thyme Towels

Valley Yarns Tomato Thyme Towels

What Is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Tomato Thyme Towels are a set of two woven kitchen or décor towels, each finished at 19" × 26". Designed by Merriel Miller, these towels are ideal for adding a pop of color to your home during spring refresh or year-round use. The project produces two complete towels from a single warp setup.

Weave Structure and Techniques

These towels are woven using plain weave on a four-shaft loom, the most fundamental and versatile weave structure. The design innovation comes from a simple change of sett—the density of warp threads—across six sections of the towel. This technique creates a crisp, striped visual effect without requiring complex threading or treadling patterns. The varying sett is achieved through irregular sleying, where some sections are threaded at 12 ends per inch (epi) while others are sleyed at 24 epi (double density). This straightforward approach makes the project accessible while delivering professional-looking results.

Stitches and Threading Details

Plain weave requires only two shafts to execute, though this project uses a four-shaft loom for stability and control. The sleying chart provides precise instructions for distributing 416 warp ends across the reed in an irregular pattern: sections of 40, 36, and 96 ends alternate with single-dent separators at 16 ends. Most ends are sleyed at 24 epi (2 per dent in a 12-dent reed), while six strategic sections use 12 epi (1 per dent), creating the striped design. The weft is beaten at 12 picks per inch (ppi) to maintain balanced fabric and prevent puckering.

Materials: Yarn and Equipment

The Tomato Thyme Towels are woven entirely in Valley Yarns 6/2 Cotton, a 100% unmercerized cotton yarn with 2,520 yards per pound. The warp requires 1,144 yards of Scarlet-colored yarn, while the weft uses 500 yards of the same yarn. Both are wound on 0.9-pound cones. The project requires a 4-shaft loom with a minimum weaving width of 24 inches, a 12-dent reed (essential for the irregular sleying pattern), one shuttle, and one bobbin. The warp length is 2.75 yards of 416 ends, with a finished weaving width in the reed of 21.33".

Finishing and Dimensions

Each towel is woven to approximately 32 inches on the loom to accommodate hems on both ends. The finished dimensions are 19" wide by 26" long per towel. Weavers should pay careful attention to maintaining a consistent 12 ppi pick density throughout weaving, as a higher ppi may cause the fabric to pucker and compromise the finished appearance.