I have always loved a White Sale–that January staple where you can load up on all the things that you need for your house but never seem to buy during the rest of the year. This year WEBS is holding our version of a White Sale, a Weaving promotion that is too good not to take advantage of.

From January 22 through January 29, customers who buy 3 cones of Valley 8/2 Cotton or Valley 6/2 Cotton will receive a free download of our new weaving eBook, Favorite Five Dish Towels. The best part, for all of our readers and customers, is that the White Sale will be online as well as in-store! We’ve included some very well-loved drafts as well as a few newbies, and a bonus small dish cloth is yours as well.

The drafts are written for both 4-shaft as well as 8-shaft looms, and they all work well for both 8/2 and 6/2 cotton. You’ll be able to make Carol Birtwistle’s sprightly Ribbon Towels, Chris Hammel’s beautiful and evocative Garden Towel with either a summer or winter weave structure, two of Barbara Elkin’s designs, the Modified Star Work dish towel and the Waffle Weave Buddies, as well as a new draft, the Crepe Towel. Your bonus, the Petite Dish Cloth, is a tiny work of art, and would be perfect as a housewarming gift along with some handmade soaps and a lovely soap dish.

It’s not often that you get to make your own White Sale! Let us know your color choices and the delighted reactions you see if you decide to bestow one of these designs on a deserving friend for the bleak midwinter.

The 6th of our 40th Anniversary weaving drafts, the Dots & Dashes Chenille Scarf woven in 4 or 6-shafts in our Valley Yarns Rayon Chenille, was designed by Dena Gartenstein Moses.

Valley Yarns Rayon Chenille can be really fun to work with, once you get the hang of it. This scarf remind me of a bowl filled with brightly colored candy. On the loom, it will appear somewhat flat, but the ribbon will pop out and the scarf will get luxuriously soft when washed properly.

A note about working with chenille: Chenille wants to move, stretch and worm, which can make it tricky to work with, but also forgiving. I like using front to back warping and just accepting the gnarls as part of the process, working them out using my sense of humor and as much patience as I can muster. If the warp snarls when beaming, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve done anything wrong. Over time, working it out will get easier. I strongly advise against using a comb to work through your warp. This scarf is easiest woven on six shafts. It can be adjusted to four shafts, although your shed may not be as lovely as usual.

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This week Kathy talks with Jane, Co-Owner of Schacht Spindle Company with her husband Barry since 1969. Jane has recently published a new book, Woven Scarves with co-author Stephanie Flynn Sokolov.

Woven Scarves by Jane Patrick and Stephanie Flynn Sokolov – available at yarn.com

This is a follow up to her previous title, the Weaver’s Idea Book, and makes a perfect pairing for the new and intermediate weaver using a rigid heddle loom. These project start with plain weave and then explore stripes, plaid,  different yarns to use, and so much more.

Steve’s Yarn Picks :

• On-Line Supersocke 4-ply Neon Color
• Sublime Luxurious Tweed DK
• Misti Alpaca Closeouts
• 40th Anniversary Huntington hand dyed by Lorna’s Laces!

Anniversary Sale Yarns through April 30th:

• Cascade Eco Wool – retail prices go up on May 1st!
• Rowan Fine Art Aran
• Plymouth Yarns Boku
• Tahki Yarns Kismet

Reminder:

The Anniversary Sale continues but the April Sale yarns go back to their regular prices on May 1st and then a whole new selection of yarns are available.

Tent Sale May 17^th and 18^th, Fleece Market on the 17^th with food trucks The Bistro Bus, Laughing Tomato and Sugar Bakers cupcakes!