Weaving Crackle: Hello Sunshine Pillow

A versatile and adaptable block weave structure, crackle is a wonderful style for weavers to explore when looking to expand on and challenge their current weaving skills. Producing a range of designs, crackle cloth works beautiful for many things including kitchen towels, textiles, and upholstery through to shawls and scarves. Just one of the block weave structures we explore at the School of SweetGeorgia, Felicia Lo’s Hello Sunshine Pillow pattern is part of her Weaving Crackle on 4-Shafts course. A bright and fun project to work on while exploring crackle weaving, while also later providing a beautiful pop of colour for your home.

ABOUT CRACKLE BLOCK WEAVE

Crackle is a weave structure derived from the Scandinavian Jamtlandsvaev. It’s a block weave which lends itself well to 4-shaft looms, and shares similarities with overshot and summer & winter block weaves while offering its own unique benefits. It is extremely adaptable and versatile, and perfect for weavers looking to expand their weaving skills.

Sample crackle weave cloth on the loom
Crackle Sampler Pattern by Felicia Lo — woven in Ashford 10/2 and 5/2 Mercerized Cotton

One of the unique benefits to crackle weave is that it solves some of the challenges we can have with overshot cloth. For example, with crackle, the pattern weft is tied down to the cloth at regular intervals. So we don’t get big long floats on our cloth like we do in overshot. The longest float in crackle weave is just three threads wide. Because of this, crackle cloth can be much more practical for many things including kitchen, textiles, and upholstery where small floats are preferred. Crackle also produces fabric with a really lovely drape and can be used for items like shawls and scarves.

Crackle can be woven in so many different ways! It can feel like it has a very simple threading structure, but it’s the treading variations that you could spend your whole life weaving.

HELLO SUNSHINE PILLOW PATTERN

Featured in the Weaving Crackle on 4-Shafts course, SOS members can download a copy of the Hello Sunshine Pillow pattern to practice their block weaving skills. This pillow was one of Felicia’s favourite projects to weave as she explored and enjoyed a year-long crackle warp. Using SweetGeorgia Flaxen Silk Fine in a summery, sunshine yellow, it welcomed her every time she sat down to the loom.

Hello Sunshine Pillow crackle weaving close up
The bright linen and silk blend yarn, Flaxen Silk Fine, adds a sunny pop of colour to any home

Felicia chose to weave traditional crackle (i.e. in the manner of overshot). This means that we weave with a tabby pick in between every pattern pick. You can weave either 4 pattern picks, or choose your own treadling pattern.

The warp is long enough to weave two pillow tops along with using commercial fabric backs. Or if you prefer, you can sew the two handwoven pillow tops together to make a double-faced pillow cover. The warp also includes 20″ / 50.8 cm of warp for sampling.

Note that we will soon have weaving kits available at the SweetGeorgia shop for weaving your own Hello Sunshine Pillow. Sign up for our email newsletter to be notified once they are available.

Hello Sunshine Pillow crackle weaving sitting on a linen coloured chair
The completed Hello Sunshine Pillow sample

LEARN MORE AT THE SCHOOL OF SWEETGEORGIA

SweetGeorgia wants to ensure you have everything you need for your weaving and crafting success. Be sure to check out our growing library of fibre-craft workshops and tutorials at the School of SweetGeorgia. There you can also find a list of recommended warping equipment & weaving tools. Or browse through all of our weaving posts in the blog.

Not yet a member of the School? We invite you to come, explore, and see what it is all about! Use the code: EXPLORETHESCHOOL to get a 14-day trial for just $1!

Hello Sunshine Pillow crackle weaving close up
Print

Weaving Crackle // Hello Sunshine Pillow

This Hello Sunshine Pillow was Felicia's absolute favourite project to weave while exploring and enjoying a year-long crackle warp. The summery, sunshine yellow welcomes you every time you sit down to the loom, and also later when enjoying its colourful comfort in your home.
Craft Weaving
Maker Felicia Lo
Designer Felicia Lo
Skill Level Intermediate
Weave Structure Crackle

Equipment

  • 1 4-shaft loom at least 24″ / 61 cm weaving width
  • 1 10-dent reed sleyed 2 per dent
  • 2 boat or stick shuttles
  • 1 reed hook

Materials

Instructions

  • The Hello Sunshine Pillow pattern is featured in Felicia Lo's Weaving Crackle on 4-Shafts course, available to School of SweetGeorgia members.
  • Wind a 2.75 yd / 2.5 m warp with the warp yarn using a warping board or mill. Using your preferred method, dress the loom following the threading draft, including a floating selvedge thread at each edge of the warp. Tie or lash the warp ends onto the front apron rod.
  • Wind bobbins for the ground weft and pattern weft yards. Weave a plain weave header to spread the warp. Check carefully at this stage for any threading errors.
  • Follow the pattern instructions to begin weaving, starting with the ground weft shuttle for tabby.
  • The warp length includes 20" / 50.8 cm for sampling. Weave two picks of contrasting yarn to separate the sampling portion.
  • Weave for approximately 22" / 55.9 cm from the start for the first pillow top.
  • Weave two picks of contrasting yarn to separate the pillow tops. Weave the second pillow top for 22" / 55.9 cm from the contrasting yarn.
  • Wet-finish the cloth and roll in an absorbent towel to remove excess moisture. Cut the pillow pieces apart to separate them. Give the pieces a hard press with an iron, then lay flat to dry completely.
  • Place the two pillow pieces one on top of the other with right side of fabric facing inside. Using a sewing machine, sew the two pieces together on three sides to create a pillow case. Turn the pillow case inside out and insert the throw pillow form. Hand sew the opening to enclose the pillow form to make a double-sided handwoven pillow. Enjoy!
    Hello Sunshine Pillow crackle weaving sitting on a linen coloured chair

Notes

For this sample, the pillow case was sewn to 16.75″ / 42.5 cm square and stuffed with a purchased 18″ / 45.7 cm square pillow form. This pillow form was quite soft and fit loosely inside the pillow case. You may need to adjust the size of your pillow case or pillow form to get the level of firmness desired in your finished pillow.
Learn more at Felicia Lo’s Weaving Crackle on 4-Shafts course at the School of SweetGeorgia.
  • Weave Structure: Crackle
  • Warp Length: 2.7 yd / 2.5 m (includes 30″ / 76.2 cm for loom waste, take-up, and shrinkage and approximately 20″ / 50.8 cm for sampling)
  • Woven Length: 22″ / 55.9 cm per pillow top. Each finished pillow measures approximately 16.75” / 42.5 cm wide x 16.75” / 42.5 cm long
 

The post Weaving Crackle: Hello Sunshine Pillow appeared first on SweetGeorgia Yarns.



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