Sometimes when I’m on social media, I see silly little surveys that ask you to choose one item out of four that you’d get rid of if you had to make that choice. Often the items are foods, such as types of fries, and I don’t have a problem picking one (steak fries). I can’t help but wonder, though, how hard it would be to pick one type of yarn to get rid of. Cotton, linen, wool, hemp, silk, Tencel, bamboo—I love them all!
Fortunately, as weavers, we don’t have to choose; we can have them all, and we can have them as blends. Yarn blends often showcase the best attributes of each yarn. Silk/wool blends are typically lustrous and beautifully soft. Cottolins are stronger than cotton but easier to warp and weave with than linen alone. It’s for these reasons that the Fall 2024 issue is themed “Best of Both Worlds” and is dedicated to yarn blends and thoughtful fiber combinations in weaving.
For this issue, we’ll be looking for projects woven using yarn blends—any yarn blends! Think cottolin towels, silk/wool scarves, merino/Tencel shawls, and anything else you might fancy using blends. Blends can be combined with a small amount of non-blend yarn, but the blend should be the dominant feature. We’re also looking for fiber combinations used in fabric for a specific effect: think differential shrinkage or using an energized yarn with regular yarns to create texture. Projects that combine yarn types must be done in this way, or they will not count toward the theme. (You can ask if you’re not sure your project fits.)
For her Palindrome Scarf, Judith Shangold used Manos del Uruguay Alegria Grande, a blend of superwash wool and nylon. Photo by Matt Graves
As always, projects should be woven using a rigid-heddle, inkle, pin, potholder, or tapestry loom, or using weaving tablets/cards. Articles about techniques, design inspiration, or anything else related to weaving on a small loom are welcome as well.
Please note that we base our project selections for each issue on contributor photographs. We will review the proposals and ask for additional photographs, if needed, to be sent in early November. After the project-selection meeting, we will contact everyone whose project is accepted and ask that it be submitted along with the project paperwork.
You can find the palette for the issue here.
- Proposals for projects and articles due: 9/9/2023
- Photographs of projects due: 11/6/2023
- Non-project article text and photographs due: 11/6/2023
- Physical projects with paperwork due: 12/18/2023
Please use our Little Looms submission form for proposals. Submission guidelines can be found here.
Please use the address below for any questions or inquiries that won’t fit into our submission form. Please contact us and ask for a physical address to send any pieces of your proposal that cannot be emailed.
Editorial email: [email protected]
We are looking forward to seeing your proposals for projects and articles!
Happy weaving!
Christina