When planning the 2018 issue of Easy Weaving with Little Looms, I wanted projects that taught basic rigid-heddle loom design techniques. Projects are the perfect hands-on way to learn something like pick-up, and when you’re done, you get something lovely you can use.
Jenny Sennott’s project Two Sweet Blue Towels are the perfect project for learning pick-up. Each towel has a different pick-up pattern, and both are short and simple to follow. The towels are long enough to get you comfortable weaving with pick-up sticks, but not so long as to be intimidating. The 4/2 cotton in the warp and weft make weaving pick-up just a little easier. With a yarn such as rayon, things can get a bit slippery, and with a wool you can end up with yarns that stick together. With cotton, your weaving experience will be just right, as your pick-up sticks slide in easily and without slipping around. What more could a beginning weaver ask for?
By the time you’re done weaving the towels, you’ll be comfortable with the process of pick-up and ready to take on more advanced pieces—although no one would fault you if you wanted to weave more of these gorgeous towels! If you’ve been meaning to pick up more pick-up (sorry), I can’t recommend this project enough.
Happy Weaving!
Christina
Supplies:
Equipment needed: Rigid-heddle loom 18” weaving width; 12-dent heddle; 1 shuttle; 2 pick-up sticks.
Yarn: 4/2 cotton (Dragon Tails, Earth Guild) #D455 Teal; #D442 Brilliant Blue; #D411 Crystal Cove.