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Waffle Weave and Wool—a Match Made in Heaven
Weave this gorgeous scarf, and you’ll experience why this weave structure and fiber were made for each other.
Weave this gorgeous scarf, and you’ll experience why this weave structure and fiber were made for each other. <a href="https://littlelooms.com/waffle-weave-and-wool-a-match-made-in-heaven/">Continue reading.</a>
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Shetland Scarf by Joe Sullins. Photos by Joe Coca
Contents
Recently, I wrote about weaving waffle weave on the rigid-heddle loom and how it’s much easier than you might think, especially when compared to some other multi-shaft weave structures. In its simplest form on the rigid-heddle loom, waffle weave takes just a pick-up stick and the ability to remember a 6-pick weaving sequence—that’s all it takes to weave up beautifully textured fabric.
While weavers often associate waffle weave with towels, it’s also fantastic for scarves. The little waffle pockets trap air to keep you warm without overheating, and the waffle texture adds great visual interest. I bring this up because while searching through old Handwoven projects, I came across the Shetland Scarf by Joe Sullins.
Woven in what he calls “window pane,” the scarf features a wonderful waffle pattern that’s ideal for beginners. I immediately fell in love, so naturally I had to offer this project as a subscriber bonus PDF download! (Not a subscriber yet? Learn more about the benefits and different tiers here.) Even better, I’ve got some ideas for modifications to make the scarf work for you, your loom, and your stash.
Playing with Color
While the scarf is simple, it’s executed beautifully. Joe enhances his design by using some gorgeous heathered Harrisville Shetland, and the color variations add incredible depth to an already lovely scarf. Of course, if you don’t have a cone (or two or three) of Shetland in your stash like I do, feel free to substitute your favorite scarf-weaving wool. While we don’t often think of waffle weave as an opportunity to play with color, it’s actually a great structure for using variegated yarns.
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Recently, I wrote about weaving waffle weave on the rigid-heddle loom and how it’s much easier than you might think, especially when compared to some other multi-shaft weave structures. In its simplest form on the rigid-heddle loom, waffle weave takes just a pick-up stick and the ability to remember a 6-pick weaving sequence—that’s all it takes to weave up beautifully textured fabric.
While weavers often associate waffle weave with towels, it’s also fantastic for scarves. The little waffle pockets trap air to keep you warm without overheating, and the waffle texture adds great visual interest. I bring this up because while searching through old Handwoven projects, I came across the Shetland Scarf by Joe Sullins.
Woven in what he calls “window pane,” the scarf features a wonderful waffle pattern that’s ideal for beginners. I immediately fell in love, so naturally I had to offer this project as a subscriber bonus PDF download! (Not a subscriber yet? Learn more about the benefits and different tiers here.) Even better, I’ve got some ideas for modifications to make the scarf work for you, your loom, and your stash.
Playing with Color
While the scarf is simple, it’s executed beautifully. Joe enhances his design by using some gorgeous heathered Harrisville Shetland, and the color variations add incredible depth to an already lovely scarf. Of course, if you don’t have a cone (or two or three) of Shetland in your stash like I do, feel free to substitute your favorite scarf-weaving wool. While we don’t often think of waffle weave as an opportunity to play with color, it’s actually a great structure for using variegated yarns. [PAYWALL] I love using a multi-colored yarn in the warp with a coordinating solid in the weft. The results are so much fun! Just make sure if you do substitute a new yarn that you adjust the width and sett of the scarf as needed to fit the new yarn.
Using a heathered yarn gives the scarf extra visual interest, and the braided fringe takes the sophistication level up an extra notch.
Adjusting the Width
Speaking of size, the required 9” weaving width makes this perfect for rigid-heddle weavers with narrow looms. In fact, if you don’t mind a slightly narrower scarf, you can absolutely weave this on an 8-inch loom. With the Shetland, draw-in and shrinkage amount to about 25 percent, so just plan accordingly. Of course, if you’re using a different yarn, total shrinkage may vary, and you might want to sample first—this is especially true if you’re using a superwash wool. Whichever way you adjust the scarf width, just make sure that your total number of warp ends is divisible by 4 so the waffle pattern doesn’t get cut off at the selvedges.
Finish with Flair
Finally, the scarf is finished off with a simple 4-end braid. While I do love a twisted fringe, there’s just something about a braided fringe that feels extra elegant. That said, if braiding 50ish fringe bundles doesn’t sound like fun, feel free to twist those puppies instead.
Ready to weave? Get your download here! I hope you love this scarf as much as I do!
Happy Weaving,
Christina
