I love weaving on my Rigid Heddle Loom and I love making towels!
Stripes, plaid, checkered and now waffle weave!
You can’t imagine how excited I was when I realized that waffle weave can be achieved on a 2 shaft loom, using plain weave and just one pick-up stick.
Aurora Earth 8/2 cotton is the basic yarn used in these towels. Two strands are held together to warp 400 ends in a 10 dent reed.
I used for the warp Aurora Earth Solid and Aurora Earth Variegated for the weft.
It was amazing to see the textured squares form with an easy pick up stick sequence. Here is the method I used for these towels:
1. Heddle down
2. Heddle up with pick up stick brought forward
3. Heddle down
4. Heddle up
5. Heddle in neutral position, pick up stick brought forward and turned on edge.
6. Heddle up
I know that I will be using this technique on more that just towels!
Get your Rigid Heddle Waffle Weave Towel Kit now!
Or if you have a 4 Shaft Loom you may want to check out our Waffle Weave Towel Kit from Design Collection 18. (Design Collection 18 is available from Interweave Press in a Download Version)
This Waffle Weave design is also used in the Waffle Weave Runner/Placemats featured in Handwoven May/June 2010.
Thank you for weaving 2 shaft projects with me!
Your fellow Rigid Heddle Weaver, Jodi Ybarra
Coming Soon: Rigid Heddle Waffle Weave Runner with our new yarn Remix and Recycled Cotton.
I have a cricket loom, can I make this waffle weave on it? I’m new to weaving. I’ve only made 2 scarves but I want to make towels. I can’t afford another loom right now so I’m wanting to experiment on this one.
This would be a great project for your Cricket Loom. You can make towels any width and any length. The waffle weave technique is very easy using just 2 heddles (such as a Cricket Loom or any Rigid Heddle Loom) and a pick up stick.
Have fun weaving!
Jodi
Maybe I’m not quite understanding the directions but I’m not sure how the pick up stick is used. Do I use the pick up stick to go over and under the warp threads? Do I do this with the heddle in neutral position? Does it stay in the whole time? Thanks so much for the help.
How was the pick up stick threaded? I would like to try this. Thanks
When the warp is tied on: With the heddle in the down position (slot threads up) and working behind the heddle, slip the pick-up stick under 2 slot threads then over 2 threads all the way across. Then slide the pick up stick to the back of the loom.
The weaving sequence is as follows:
1. Heddle down
2. Heddle up with pick up stick brought forward
3. Heddle down
4. Heddle up
5. Heddle in neutral position with pick up stick brought forward and turned on edge.
6. Heddle up
How do you calculate warp width when you thread two stands in the slots and holds?
Hi Sherri,
When you are warping with 2 strands in each hole and 2 strands in each slot you will have 20 epi if using a 10 dent heddle. If you are using a 12 dent heddle you will have 24 epi. The ends per inch are just doubled. So if you have 400 ends with a 10 dent heddle you will divide 400 by 20. You will then have 20″ weaving width in the heddle.
Hope this helps.
Jodi
very helpful! i’m looking forward to trying this but have a question. do you use 1 or 2 threads in the weft? Thanks
You can use two threads in the weft but your waffle weave structure may be a bit different.
I like to use 2 threads in the weft making it a nice balanced weave at 20 epi and 20 ppi.