Valley Yarns #61 Plaited Twill Shawl

Valley Yarns Plaited Twill Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Plaited Twill Shawl is a woven rectangular shawl designed by Leslie Ann Bestor. This finished accessory measures 22 inches by 72 inches plus fringe, making it an elegant wrap suitable for layering or draping. The shawl features a sophisticated plaited twill pattern woven in two contrasting colorways, with decorative beaded fringe that adds visual interest and movement to the finished piece.

Weaving Techniques

This project employs plaited twill as its primary weaving structure, a technique that creates interlocking diagonal lines through the strategic crossing of warp and weft threads. The plaited twill pattern is particularly effective when worked in two contrasting colors, as the color contrast emphasizes the dimensional quality of the twill structure. The design incorporates floating selvages at both edges to create clean, finished side edges without additional finishing work.

The shawl is woven on an 8 shaft loom at a weaving width of 26 inches, which allows for the complex threading and treadling sequences required by the plaited twill draft. The weaver follows a specific threading order that begins with a floating selvage, repeats the pattern 20 times across the width, and ends with balancing threads and another floating selvage. Weaving continues for 80 inches on the loom before finishing.

Finishing techniques include fringe twisting, where the warp ends are twisted together and size 6 beads are incorporated into the twisted sections before final twisting. The completed shawl is then soaked in Eucalan wool wash, gently squeezed to remove excess water, rolled in a towel to remove moisture, and hung to dry, which sets the weave and allows the fabric to fully relax into its final drape.

Stitches and Structural Elements

The core stitch structure is twill weave, specifically a plaited variation that creates a reversible pattern with visual depth. The sett (thread density) is 16 ends per inch, which provides adequate density for the 2/10 yarn weight while maintaining the fabric's intended drape characteristics. The warp consists of 404 ends total, including the floating selvages, which are threads that do not participate in the main weave structure but instead float at the edges to create finished selvages.

The treadling diagram provided in the pattern specifies the exact sequence of shaft lifts required to create the plaited twill effect, with the pattern repeating for the full 80-inch weaving length. The pattern is balanced at both the beginning and end with specific pick sequences to ensure even tension and pattern completion.

Materials: Yarn and Equipment

The Valley Yarns Plaited Twill Shawl is woven using Valley Yarns 2/10 Merino Tencel, a blend of merino wool and Tencel (lyocell) fiber. This fiber combination is chosen specifically for its soft hand and excellent drape qualities, making it ideal for a shawl that will be worn close to the body. The warp requires 1616 yards of Ocean Blue, based on a 4-yard warp length, while the weft requires 900 yards of Whipple Blue. The two blue colorways create visual contrast that highlights the plaited twill pattern structure.

The project requires an 8 shaft loom with a minimum weaving width of 26 inches to accommodate the 404 warp ends at the specified sett. A single shuttle is used to carry the weft across the loom. Additional finishing materials include size 6 beads for the twisted fringe embellishment and Eucalan wool wash for the final wet finishing process.