Valley Yarns #85 Summer Garden Towel

Valley Yarns Summer Garden Towel

What is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Summer Garden Towel is a handwoven kitchen towel designed by Chris Hammel. This homeware project creates a functional yet decorative textile suitable for everyday kitchen use, from drying dishes to covering warm baked goods. The finished towel measures 20 inches by 32 inches after washing and hemming, making it a practical addition to any kitchen while serving as a woven record of the time and season in which it was created.

Weaving Structure and Techniques

This towel is woven using the Summer and Winter structure, a classic weaving technique that allows weavers to create multiple distinct patterns on a single long warp by varying the treadling sequence. The Summer and Winter structure is particularly well-suited to this project because different pattern variations can be achieved easily through different treadling combinations, allowing a weaver to set up one long warp and weave several towels while keeping the weaving process engaging and visually interesting. Each towel can be made unique despite sharing the same warp setup.

The design incorporates striped patterning throughout the towel. The warp is threaded with three distinct colors—Porcelain Blue, Orange, and Banana—creating a striped visual foundation. The use of 6/2 unmercerized cotton for the pattern weft allows the blocks to square nicely, contributing to the crisp, defined appearance of the Summer and Winter pattern.

Equipment Required

• 4-shaft loom with a minimum weaving width of 26 inches
• 2 shuttles for managing multiple weft yarns
• 12-dent or 8-dent reed (depending on preferred denting method)
• Fishing line, weights, and temple (helpful though optional for maintaining consistent selvages)

Yarn Materials and Specifications

Warp Yarns: The warp is constructed using Valley Yarns 10/2 Cotton, a 100% mercerized cotton yarn available at 4,200 yards per pound. Three colors are used: Porcelain Blue (#2166) at 1,533 yards, Orange (#4456) at 126 yards, and Banana (#1205) at 270 yards. The warp consists of 551 ends (including floating selvedges) and requires 3.5 yards of warp length, which includes approximately 30 inches of loom waste and 12 inches for sampling.

Weft Yarns: The pattern weft uses Valley Yarns 6/2 Cotton in Natural, a 100% unmercerized cotton yarn at 2,520 yards per pound, requiring 910 yards for the project. The tabby weft (the plain weave that structures the piece between pattern rows) uses Valley Yarns 10/2 Cotton in Porcelain Blue (#2166) at 910 yards. An under-hem weft of 22 yards of blue cotton sewing thread completes the construction.

Sett and Finishing Details

The towel is set at 24 ends per inch (epi), which can be achieved using either a 12-dent reed with 2 ends per dent or an 8-dent reed with 3 ends per dent, providing flexibility based on available equipment. The width in the reed is 23 inches, finishing to 20 inches wide after washing and hemming. This finishing process allows the towel to reach its final, functional dimensions while the cotton yarns relax and settle into their natural state.

Design Philosophy

Designer Chris Hammel created this towel as both a functional kitchen textile and a personal journal of sorts. The weaving process captures a moment in time—in this case, a summer season spent enjoying a garden. By weaving multiple towels on the same warp with varied treadling sequences, the weaver can create a series of unique pieces that collectively document different periods and moods, making each towel a meaningful record of the weaver's life and creative journey.