Valley Yarns #79 Comfort Shawl

Valley Yarns Comfort Shawl Weaving Pattern

What Is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Comfort Shawl is a luxuriously soft woven shawl designed by Barbara Elkins. This finished piece measures 23¾ inches wide by 75 inches long, making it an ideal size for draping comfortably around the shoulders. The shawl is conceived as a comforting accessory suitable for personal use or as a meaningful gift. The design was originally created with charitable intent, with multiple samples woven to donate to the Cancer Connection, a local organization providing support for those dealing with cancer.

Weave Structure and Techniques

This shawl is constructed using a twill weave structure, which creates diagonal lines and adds visual interest to the finished fabric. The design employs a multi-color warp technique with striping, where the warp is wound in alternating color sections. The weft is then woven through this colorful warp, and notably, each shawl can be woven with a different weft color, making every finished piece unique and special. The striped warp sections alternate between solid color areas and 8-end sections where two colors alternate throughout the weaving process.

Equipment Required

• 8-shaft loom with a minimum 26-inch weaving width
• Reed (8-dent or 12-dent depending on preferred denting method)
• 1 shuttle and 1 bobbin
• Temple (helpful but optional)

Yarn Materials and Specifications

The Valley Yarns Comfort Shawl is woven entirely with Valley Yarns 2/10 Merino Tencel yarn, a blend of 50% merino wool and 50% Tencel. This fiber combination creates an exceptionally soft and easy-care fabric. The yarn yields 2800 yards per pound, with 1540 yards per cone.

Warp Yarn Requirements:

• Whipple Blue: 432 yards
• Grey Teal: 388 yards (plus additional yardage for floating selvedges)
• California Lilac: 392 yards
• Periwinkle: 196 yards

Weft Yarn Requirements:

• Periwinkle: 855 yards (or substitute any of the warp colors for variation)

Note: California Lilac and Periwinkle colors have been discontinued by Valley Yarns. The pattern recommends substituting with Lilac and Silver for current projects.

Weaving Specifications

• Total Warp Ends: 402 ends, including floating selvedges
• Warp Length: 3½ yards
• Sett: 16 ends per inch (epi), threaded as 2 ends per dent in an 8-dent reed, or alternatively as 1-1-2 in a 12-dent reed
• Pick Density: 14 picks per inch (ppi) on loom
• Width in Reed: 25 inches
• Finished Dimensions: 23¾ inches wide by 75 inches long

Why This Pattern Works

The combination of merino wool and Tencel creates a fabric that is exceptionally soft to the touch while remaining easy to care for—a key consideration for a comfort shawl. The twill weave structure adds subtle texture and visual depth, while the multi-color striped warp ensures that no two shawls are identical. The generous finished length of 75 inches provides ample fabric for various draping styles, making this shawl versatile for different occasions and body types.