Big Cotton Chenille Bath Sheets

Long ago ... I wove big bath sheets of 100% cotton with fuzzy chenille for the weft. They made great gifts and I found that they last well for a very long time, longer than any store-bought bath sheet. Recently, a friend was over and noticed a bath sheet on the towel rack. She was interested to know if I had more or was planning to make more.

I rifled back through my weaving project records to 1986 and found the project details. These bath sheets were obviously woven on my original loom that was 36" (90 cm) wide because my big loom arrived two years later. And when I rifled through a deep shelf unit I discovered some of the original chenille that I know will stand up to lots of use.

These new bath sheets are being woven 42" wide in seven wide stripes of Dornik twill herringbone. The stripes should look quite subtle in the finished towels. My interested friend commented on the dark coral specks and I was able to use that colour in the varied warp.

Beaming the warp onto the loom's back beam

Threading the 840 heddles (42 inches wide x 20 threads/inch)

Warp is sleyed through the 10-dent reed at 2 threads per space

Warp tied on and header woven. Note the faint wide stripes.

Starting a bath mat in 4-4 twill (over 4 threads, under 4, over 4, etc.)

And I'm off to a long warp of 18 metres.

I'll soon notify my friend when the bath sheets are ready. I appreciate receiving good ideas like this one, so once I finish the bath sheets and some bath mats I'll offer her as the idea person a first look to decide whether or not to buy. Instead of a formal commission project, there are no expectations on anyone and everyone's happy.