This is the perfect project to practice your pick-up skills. While honeycomb is suited to many applications, this fabric is intended for a pillow. Toned down a bit by the weft, this design picks up just enough of the sparkle to show off the honeycomb weave structure.

Overview of Weave:

This pillow is woven in honeycomb weave—a weave structure well-suited to the rigid heddle loom. The wavy lines, or deflected threads, result from alternating sections of plain weave and warp float sections. The heavy weft outlining the cells accentuates the bending of the weft and adds dimension to the weave.

To weave honeycomb on the rigid heddle loom, you will need 2 pick-up sticks, one for each block. Pick-up stick A will remain in place and will weave block A. Pick-up stick B is used to weave Block B and needs to be inserted and removed after each Block B sequence.

Weave Structure:

Honeycomb

Finished Size:

18ʺ (45.75 cm) wide and 37ʺ (94 cm) long.

Warp

Yarn A:

Schoppel Zauberball, 75% Virgin Wool/25% Nylon, 3.5 oz/459 yd (100 g/420 m) Fuschia, Black, Navy space-dyed yarn, #2082.

Yarn B:

We used Interlacements Gold Toasty Toes for this project (now discontinued). A good substitute: Blue Moon Fiber Arts, 92% superwash merino wool, 8% lurex 4 oz/400 yd (113 g/365 m), Super Sparkle in Pond Scum.

Weft

Yarn C:

We used Frog Tree Pediboo, 80% Merino Wool/ 20% Bamboo 3.5 oz/462 yd (100 g/422 m), 852 Antique Gold (now discontinued). A good substitute: Madelintosh Tosh Vintage, 100% superwash merino, 3.5 oz/200 yd (100 g/183 m), Liquid Gold.

Yarn D:

Brown Sheep Company Nature Spun Sport, 100% Wool, 1.75 oz/184 yd (50 g/168 m), Alpine Violet.

Yarn E:

Brown Sheep Company Burly Spun, 100 % wool 8 oz/132 yd (226 g/121m), Heathered Indigo

Equipment:

20” (51 cm) Flip Rigid Heddle Loom with a 10-dent reed, 2 – 20” (51 cm) stick shuttles, 2 – 25” (63.5 cm) pick-up sticks, and a darning needle.

Notions:

Invisible zipper.

Number of Warp Ends:

194 working ends

Warp Length:

63” (160 cm), includes 25” (63.5 cm) waste

Width in Reed

: 19.5” (49.5 cm)

EPI:

10

PPI:

Variable

Warp Color Order:

A* = Yarn A doubled (i.e. 14 working ends is a total of 28 actual ends) B = Yarn B

Preparation:

To pick up the warp threads, place the heddle in the down position and pick up the raised threads as instructed below.

Pick-up stick pattern A—

7 up, 6 down, 7 up, 6 down, *10 up, 6 down* (repeat between * 4 times), 7 up.

Pick-up stick pattern B—

7 down, 6 up, 7 down, 6 up, *10 down, 6 up* (repeat between * 4 times), 7 down.

Weaving:

Weave 6 picks of Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport (Yarn D) then hemstitch 2 warps and 2 wefts.  Weave pick-up pattern for 19” (48.25 cm):

1. Down, use Burly Spun (Yarn E) Place heddle in down position, weave across.
2. Up, use Burly Spun (Yarn E) Place heddle in up position, weave across.
3. Down, use Nature Spun Sport (Yarn D) Place heddle in down position, weave across.
4. Up and pick-up stick, use Nature Spun Sport (Yarn D) Place heddle in up position and slide pick-up stick up to behind the heddle. Leave the pick-up stick flat—don’t turn it on edge. Weave across.

Repeat steps 3 and 4, 5 more times for a total of 12 picks of Nature Spun (Yarn D).

Insert pick-up stick B

5. Down, use Burly Spun (Yarn E) Place heddle in down position, weave across.
6. Up, use Burly Spun (Yarn E) Place heddle in up position, weave across.
7. Down, use Frogtree Pediboo (Yarn C). Please heddle in down position, weave across.
8. Up, with pick up stick, use Frogtree pediboo (Yarn C) Place heddle in up position and slide pick-up stick up to behind the heddle. Leave the pick-up stick flat—don’t turn it on edge. Weave across.

Repeat steps 9 and 10, 11 more times for 12 picks of Pediboo (Yarn C).

You will be repeating this pattern until your weaving reaches 19-20” (48.25 – 51 cm). Now weave 20 ½” (52 cm) of plain weave using Nature Spun Sport (Yarn D). Finish by hemstitching 2 warps and 2 wefts.

Finishing For Pillow (not shown):

Wash in warm water in the sink with a splash of dish detergent, rinse with warm water, gently squeeze remaining water from fabric and hang to dry. Press, then using a matching thread stitch in an invisible zipper onto both ends, connecting them. Now turn inside out and use matching thread to stitch sides together. Turn right side out. Place an 18” (45.75 cm) pillow form inside, zip, then snuggle up.

Featured Product – Flip Folding Loom

Flip, our folding rigid heddle loom, is comfortable, compact, sturdy, and a pleasure to weave on. Designed for high performance, this loom folds in a jiffy for storage or transport.

Weave in comfort. Choose three different weaving modes: use the rear leg for hooking to a table edge, clamp it to a table for stand-up weaving, or install it on our convenient trestle stand. Warp in a flash. With the Flip Bag, you can easily take Flip along with you.

Fine-toothed nylon ratchets provide precise tension control. The conveniently located heddle blocks on the sides of the loom hold the rigid heddle in the up, down, or neutral position. The heddle, available in 5, 8, 10 and 12 dents per inch, is made of durable ABS plastic, with large eyes and slots. Flip is ideal for plain weaves and pick-up patterns.

Our designed-in two-heddle capabilities make it easy and natural to weave with two heddles.

Included with Flip are clamps and a warping peg for direct-loom warping. We include instructions for both direct and pre-measuring methods. Our top cross braces allow long warps, up to 5-6 yards (depending on yarn weight and winding paper), to be wound on the beams without impacting the size of the shed.

Flip is available in 15”, 20”, 25”, and 30″ weaving widths, and includes one 5-, 8-, 10-, or 12-dent reed, warping peg, 2 shuttles, 2 clamps, threading hook, and complete warping and weaving instructions.