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September 19, 2023 newsletter

Cozy Wraps & Blankets

Mohair and Harrisville Shetland yarns

Evenings are getting cooler and – if you have been tempted by the JST cozy wrap and blanket kits – now is the time to weave some warmth for your shoulders as we move into Fall. It’s hard to believe after the heat this summer has given us that we cross the Autumn Equinox this coming Friday!


Ruckle Beach

This kit has become a favourite project for the weavers who have woven and worn it! It will bring cozy comfort on cool autumn evenings to whoever grabs it to throw around their shoulders 😉 If you are fortunate enough to have a loom that will allow you to weave a blanket 43″ in the reed – you are all set to weave a blanket instead of 2 wraps.

Level of Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Weave structure: Plain weave
Material: Harrisville Shetland
Each kit makes: 1 blanket or 2 wraps


Burgoyne Berry Shetland Wraps

Looking for a tad more challenge in your weaving? This wrap is perfect for you. It’s basically the same size as the one above but in a pattern that is fun to watch develop as you weave.

Level of Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Weave structure: 3/1 twill, 1/3 twill & Basket weave
Material: Harrisville Shetland
Each kit makes: 2 wraps 24″ X 72″ plus fringe


Two Stripe Mohair Blankets

Looking for a new experience in weaving? Why not weave a Two Stripe Mohair Blanket and have it ready and waiting for a cool winter’s night? If you are a member of the School of Weaving – you can learn how to weave with mohair – Season 1 Episode 9 – Making a Mohair Blankie… Yes!  Have fun choosing your favourite from the colour options below.

Check out our Knowledge Base articles on:
Weaving with Mohair
Finishing Mohair
Skeleton tie-ups on a Counter-Marche Loom

Grant’s Shetland Blankie PDF Pattern

Grant’s Shetland Blankie PDF pattern is available as a FREE download. The pattern is for 2 blankets and requires 6 cones of Harrisville Shetland yarn. You can purchase the colours in the pattern or choose your own. Your loom and reed need to be able to welcome a 45″ width. This is a perfect pattern for the beginner weaver!

Level of Difficulty: Beginner
Weave structure:Twill
Material: Harrisville Shetland
pattern yields: 2 Blankies

Click here to purchase the yarn.
 
For fulling instructions, visit JST Knowledge Base
Fulling your handwoven fabric.

Limited Colourway Edition!

We are happy to bring back this wonderful limited edition colourway, Majestic Maple in Tussah. Grab them while we have them!

Falling Leaves Huck Lace Tea Towels

These lovely towels feature Huck Lace which gives you a chance to play with Huck and create the designs provided in the pattern OR create your own designs. You will have 8 tea towels when your warp is done that can be used as gifts or kept for your kitchen, brightening it up with the colours of Fall!


From Our Inbox

This week we are sharing this wonderful blanket that Ruth from Montana wove as a gift for her son and his wife to commemorate the year they got married.

In an additional note from Ruth she explained how she came up with the idea for the stripes in this treasured blanket: The idea to use the daily high temperatures for the weft colors came from knitted scarves I remember from several years ago. Those scarves were inspired by the Tempestry Project.

Good morning Jane,

I wanted to share the double weave blanket I made using the techniques provided in Season 3 Episode 7 of the School of Weaving.

The blanket commemorates the year my son and daughter-in-law were married. I used Harrisville Shetland set at 8 EPI, a simple charcoal frame, and for the color sequence in the weft used the high temperature readings for the year they were married. I assigned a different color to each 5 degree temperature change and each day was 2 shots of weft. There were lots of color changes so it was intentional weaving with lots of time to remember the year and my lovely children. The finished blanket has a wonderful, cuddly, soft hand and measures 64” x 96.5” excluding the fringe.

I’ve attached photos so you have an idea of the blanket.

Thank you so much for the instruction and information you provide through the school – you are an inspiration!

Kindest regards,

Ruth Terry


All David and Spring looms are in stock and ready to ship. Once ordered the looms generally take 5 days to reach our customers!

Here to help

Have a weaving question? Find us on the Jane Stafford School of Weaving Forum and on

Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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September 12, 2023 newsletter

September’s Paint Box

Venne 22/2 Cottolin

From left to right: Deep Red, Raspberry, Mauve, Cassis, Bright Pink, Flaming Red, Rich Berry, Autumn Red, Orange, Jaffa, Golden Yellow, Yellow & Very Light Yellow

Opening up the yarn pages of any Venne yarn on our website is like opening a paint box. You get to choose the colours you want to see “playing” together. You can then design your unique tea towels, runners, or other household linens with the colours you choose. Venne Cottolin is our favourite yarn for tea towels because you can weave hard-wearing and absorbent towels that will last for years. Cottolin is made of 70% organic cotton and 30% linen. The linen in the combination has been used for centuries for household items. Our ancestors referred to them as “linens” and had a “linen” cupboard so they could store their kitchen and household textiles for a lifetime.

  • Plain weave 16-20 epi (ranging from a gossamer fabric at 16 epi to firm cloth at 20 epi)
  • Twill 20-24 epi (ranging from a nice drapey fabric at 20 epi to a firmer cloth at 24 epi)

Venne Collection

Cottolin isn’t the only magical Venne yarn that we carry. We also carry their Organic Cotton, Eco Jeans recycled yarn, and Organic 16/2 Linen. The quality of these yarns makes them the go-to yarn for many weavers who want to create a lasting gift for cherished families and/or themselves.

Organic Cotton

Venne 8/2 Organic GOTS certified cotton is available on 100g cones with 710 yds/cone (3,230 yds/lb.).

Plain weave: 16-20 epi (ranging from gossamer cotton at 16 epi to firm cloth at 20 epi
Twill: 20-24 epi (ranging from a nice drapey fabric at 20 epi to a firmer cloth at 24 epi

Eco Jeans Recycled Yarn

Are you aware that Venne’s Eco Jeans yarn is 100% recycled and is made from worn jeans, jackets and other articles of jeans fabric? Here’s your chance to create a wonderfully soft scarf, shawl or… as well as doing a tiny something for our tired planet. It’s made of 48% cotton, 47% polyester and 5% other material. This super soft yarn is a tad thicker than 8/2 cotton and slightly textured.


Organic Linen

This exquisite line of 16/2 linen comes in stunning colours and is just waiting for you to design a “one-of-a-kind” treasure. It’s available in 100g tubes – 600 yards per tube (2,700 yards/ lb). Both setts below give you a nice drapey fabric.

  • Plain weave: 15 epi & 15 ppi   
  • Twill: 18 epi & 15 ppi

Inspiration

A few weeks ago we posted this photo on social media from one of our customers who purchased this wonderful pallet of autumn colours in Venne GOTS certified organic cottolin Olive, Brass, Golden Brown, Rich Berry, Autumn Red, Deep Red, Brick Red and Apricot. We just had to share it with all of you in case you are looking for a bit of inspiration for your next project. 


From Our Inbox

Our “From Our Inbox” this time comes to us from Austria where Brigitte Schweitzer created this stunning length of cloth after watching Jane’s School of Weaving episodes. She wove this treasure using Venne Organic cotton and we’re guessing from your photo Brigitte – that you have 8 shaft Turned Twill towels in your future 😉
Hallo Jane and Team,
I’m really happy of my last weaving. I love the colours and the material, it’s Venne Bio cotton. Thank you for your inspiration.
Best wishes from Austria,
Brigitte Schweitzer


All David and Spring looms are in stock and ready to ship. Once ordered the looms generally take 5 days to reach our customers!


Here to help

Have a weaving question? Find us on the Jane Stafford School of Weaving Forum and on Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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September 6, 2023 newsletter

Brushed Mohair

September is here and we’re headed into a colourful fall – in more ways than one! You can add to the colour of your September by weaving a mohair throw – or shawl or scarf 😉 Check out the range of colourful mohair you can “dress” your loom with. Design your own project using one of your favourite graphics with Fibonacci as your guide.

Brushed 78% mohair, 13% wool, 9% nylon,
available in 100 g cones – 215 yds/cone (approx. 975 yds/lb).

We have a Reference Guide available for download for a scarf, shawl or throw.


Weaving with Mohair – Season 1 Episode 9

Watch while Jane talks about mohair as she weaves a scarf and a throw.
Not a member of the School of Weaving – now’s the time to start with a 7-day free trial!
This is what you’ll learn in Season 1 Episode 9:

-Making the fuzziest warp ever
-Warping Front to Back
-Tying one warp onto an existing warp or a pseudo warp.
-Winding on the stickiest warp in the world…….easy, peasy
-Creating the perfect tie-up for a nice clean shed
-Beat sequence
-Winding bobbins with fuzzy yarns
-Hemstitching with mohair

All David and Spring looms are in stock and ready to ship. Once ordered the looms generally take 5 days to reach our customers!


Here to help

Have a weaving question? Find us on the Jane Stafford School of Weaving Forum and on

Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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August 29, 2023 newsletter

Weaver’s Tool Box

Those little tips and tricks you learn from Jane and weaving friends…..

We thought you might enjoy a few “handy hacks” using items that you might have just lying around waiting to be used in a new way. Some you might have around your home and others you can find at your local hardware store or another store in your neighbourhood.

Sticky Note

Weaving Twill? Grab a sticky note, fold it in half corner to corner and use it to double-check your ppi by making sure you are weaving a 45-degree angle.


Removeable Tape or Stickers

Anyone weaving through School of Weaving episodes and watching Jane weave, knows how important these removable labels are for keeping your treadling in order. Note in this specific example – Jane puts her plain weave on the outside treadles and her Twill pattern treadles in the middle. Easy peasy to learn the rhythm of the pattern you are weaving.


Graph Paper

Not sure whether you understand the draft for a project? Graph paper is the perfect way to look at your structure without having to get a warp on the loom. JST graph paper is included in so many School of Weaving PDFs – find one, scan copies and away you go!

You can also download a 4 and an 8 shaft Draft Design Sheets right here:
4 shaft Design Sheet
8 shaft Design Sheet


LED Lights

These little LED light strips work wonderfully when you are threading your loom or weaving. They shed light where you need it most while threading and weaving. And you can find them in a hardware store or online in your own community.


Making A Repair Heddle

We have many little videos that help you fix or understand an issue you are having – this one is on making a repair heddle! Check out our YouTube channel.


Handy, Must Have, Tools

Spools

Winding a long warp with 2 or more threads in your hand but only have 1 or 2 cones of the yarn you are using? Wind a part cone onto one or two of these spools and you are all set to wind. What’s left on your spool can be wound off on bobbins and will be ready to weave.


Fringe Twister

Every weaver needs one of these Fringe Twisters. They are so much faster and neater than twisting your fringes by hand!

Fringe Twisters - Double

Traditional 11″ Brass Scissors

Jane’s favourite scissors! We all need one really great pair of scissors to be used only on fabric. Do you have one or more people in your life who don’t understand the necessity of keeping these away from paper? Label them with a sticker saying fabric only!


Harrisville Brass Heddle/Reed Hook

Any member of the School of Weaving knows how “attached” Jane is to her Harrisvile Heddle/Reed hook. 😉 It leads a busy life – threading heddles, sleying the reed AND last but certainly not last – as her pointer in so many School of Weaving episodes.


Dr. Beckmann Colour and Dirt Collector

One sheet added to your wash water, whether you wash by machine or by hand, will grab any fugitive colour lurking around in your yarn. They are truly amazing!


Cone Holder

The photo for this cone holder – tells the story. It will hold up to 8 cones and/or tubes of yarn waiting for you to quickly wind your warp with up to 5 ends in your hand. We aren’t suggesting that winding 8 at once would be the way to wind a good warp 😂


All David and Spring looms are in stock and ready to ship. Once ordered the looms generally take 5 days to reach our customers!

Summer and Winter with Colour and Weave is Live!


Here to help

Have a weaving question? Find us on the Jane Stafford School of Weaving Forum and on

Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.