Celebrate with Colour: Give Weaving Drafts a Holiday Makeover
The holidays are just around the corner, and while you may already have your favourite decorations up (a tree with lights, a cheerful snowman, or a wreath on the door), there are always a few places around the home that could use an extra festive touch. Maybe a handwoven tea towel for the kitchen, a runner for the dining room table, or a cozy pillow for the living room. And if you’re visiting the SweetGeorgia site, you’re likely someone who loves to make things by hand, rather than buy them. We’re here to help you transform any weaving draft by swapping a few colours into something special this upcoming season.
For the examples below, we used iWeaveIt, a weaving design app for iPad, but you can just as easily use graph paper and coloured pencils. It’s a great way to test colour ideas before committing to them and discovering that they don’t look quite how you hoped.
woven with Maurice Brassard 8/4 Unmercerized Cotton.
What Are Festive, Holiday, or Celebration Colours?
Festive colours can be anything. We recognize that the holidays and festive seasons can mean many things. Our examples may not reflect what you celebrate, so choose what feels meaningful to you.
Or, perhaps you simply want to enjoy the colours of the season; the cool winter tones of the northern hemisphere, or the bright summer hues of the southern hemisphere. Use this post as a starting point to create something that reflects your own style and traditions.
Simple One-Colour Swaps
It might sound simple, and it is! Changing colours to match your décor is an easy and fun way to make your home holiday-ready. Let’s look at a few examples of how changing just one colour can make an impact on the look of your handwoven cloth.
Rosepath Blanket
Take Felicia Lo’s Rosepath Blanket. It’s woven in a bright yellow that feels like sunshine and summer. But imagine it in a deep forest green instead. Suddenly, it evokes the feeling of pine trees and winter. It’s amazing how a single colour change can completely shift the mood of a project. And can’t you just picture it draped over your couch or ottoman, ready for winter snuggles!
pattern from the Weaving Twills on 4-Shafts course.
Wall of Troy Table Runner
While exploring ideas, our team wanted to see how some of these designs might look in real life. We asked our sample weaver to reimagine Laura Fry’s Wall of Troy Runner, which originally featured an icy blue tone, already perfect for a wintry touch.
pattern from the Intentional Weaver course.
woven with Maurice Brassard 8/4 Unmercerized Cotton.
We loved the cool feel of the original, but changing it to a warm-toasty red created a whole new look. Laid across a dining table, surrounded by good food and company, it makes the moment feel extra special.
woven with Maurice Brassard 8/4 Unmercerized Cotton.
Playing with Two Colours
Swapping one colour is easy, but two can be trickier. White is often a safe and versatile choice for either warp or weft because it goes with anything, which is why it is used so often. Pairing two colours can feel risky, but it can pay off beautifully. Let’s look at a couple of examples!
M&W Placemats
Let’s look at Laura Fry’s M&W Placemats, which already have a seasonal look in blue and white. What happens when we switch to gold and red? Suddenly, they glow with festive warmth. Placemats make lovely accents on small tables, not just kitchen tables, but side tables too!
pattern from the Intentional Weaver course.
Breakfast Eggs Towels
Next, we looked at Amanda Wood’s Breakfast Eggs Towels, originally woven in white and yellow for a bright-cheerful vibe. By changing those to two shades of blue, they take on a crisp-fresh feel.
We couldn’t resist asking our sample weaver to bring this version to life, and the finished towels are beautiful. With their cool tones, you can use them all season, and if you make extras, they make thoughtful handmade gifts.
pattern from the Colour & Weave on a Rigid Heddle Loom course.
woven with Maurice Brassard 8/4 Unmercerized Cotton.
Adding Three, Four, or More Colour Accents
Simple colour swaps are fun, but adding accent colours can help balance a design or make it more dynamic. Try a simple one colour accent, or add half a dozen colours to change the look completely. The idea is to allow yourself to explore colour and see what sparks your creativity!
Snowball Runner
Take Felicia Lo’s Snowball Runner. The original features a dark blue background and a hot pink pattern weft, already bold and eye-catching. Try swapping both colours for red and white, then add just a touch of green. That small accent can shift it from simply stunning to truly festive.
pattern from the Weaving Overshot on 4-Shafts course.
Wall of Troy Table Runner
Let’s revisit the Wall of Troy Runner, this time using multiple colours for depth and interest. We have drastically changed this pattern while keeping the Wall of Troy design as the main feature!
Many of these ideas draw from our Stripes, Plaids & Tartans course, which explores design principles such as colour, balance, contrast, and proportion.
Bring on the Bling!
There’s more than one way to make a handwoven piece feel festive. Specialty yarns, creative placement, and how you use the fabric can make a big difference.
Bitmap Towels
Consider Felicia Lo’s Bitmap Towels, which already use four colours. You can make them feel like Christmas by simply swapping the palette, or pare back to three colours and turn them into a New Year’s celebration. Try a yarn with gold or silver yarn for weft, or use SweetGeorgia CashLuxe Spark for a subtle sparkle that twinkles like stars in the sky! There are so many specialty yarns you can use to dress up your weaving.
pattern from the Weaving Summer & Winter on 4-Shafts course.
Spin Specialty Yarns
You’ve just spun a Faux Popcorn Garland Yarn; this could make for a fun weft. Next week, look for a new post on how to spin bells and beads into your yarn, another way to add festive elements to your handwoven cloth.
Many spinners love fibre blends with silk, stellina, or angelina to add a bit of zhuzh to their handspun yarns. Exploring fibre prep is a wonderful way to create the exact yarn you want. Now imagine using this hand-prep, handspun yarn in your handwoven holiday home décor. We know, the ideas just don’t stop once they get going!
Dazzle with Dyeing
Have you ever dyed your own yarn? It’s amazing to have that much control over your colours. If festive for you means purple and yellow, you can choose the exact shade of purple and yellow that makes your heart sing! You can even use techniques that let you place dye exactly where you want it, creating something unique and one-of-a-kind.
Placement & Purpose
Who’s to say where your handwoven cloth belongs? Think about hanging a runner on the wall as art to add festive flair to your space. Lay it at the foot of your bed, weave a seasonal rug, frame it for your mantel, or sew with it! Make stockings, a tree skirt, or anything you can imagine. Once you’ve swapped the colours to reflect your traditions, your fabric can become anything you want.
Your Own Holiday Touch
We could share endless examples, but the real joy comes from experimenting with various drafts and playing with colour yourself. Colour exploration is at the heart of what we do. And we love sharing ways for you to explore colour too!
If you ever find it hard to choose colours, watch our free Colour Play course at the School of SweetGeorgia. While you’re there, browse our weaving courses (over 20 and counting), all featuring the weaving patterns shown here and many more. We will make the new holiday versions of the Wall of Troy Runner and Breakfast Eggs Towels also available to our members on the School of SweetGeorgia.
Give yourself the gift of creative inspiration this holiday season and bring a little handwoven magic into your home.
Want to Chat About Weaving Drafts and Colour Options in a Supportive, Fibre-Loving Group?
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