Take All Your Looms Out to Play with a Pair of Projects

Enjoy this subscriber bonus project from Handwoven Spring 2025.—Handwoven editors

Beachcomber Towels by Dana Lutz

What happens when you use the same yarn (a linen/cotton blend) and colors (a gentle group of tans) to design one set of towels for a four-shaft loom and another set for a rigid-heddle loom? You end up with a large group of towels that are fraternal twins!

Designer Dana Lutz’s Beachcomber Towels for the rigid-heddle loom (below) were inspired by the serene beauty of the beach. Embracing the soothing hues of sand and driftwood, the towels are light and airy, and feature a delicate blend of colors throughout. (The Beachcomber Towels also appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Easy Weaving with Little Looms.)

You’ll find Dana’s related multi-shaft Shades of Flax towels in the Spring 2025 issue of Handwoven, on pages 52–55.

Why not weave both versions?

The Beachcomber Towels, designed by Dana Lutz, are light and airy.

Project at a Glance and PDF Link

STRUCTURE
Plain weave and pick-up.

EQUIPMENT
Rigid-heddle loom, 19" weaving width; 12.5-dent heddle; 2 pick-up sticks; 4 shuttles.

YARNS
Warp: Duet Cotton/Linen (55% linen/45% cotton; 2,390 yd/lb; Gist Yarn), Dune, 306 yd; Marble and Anchor, 221 yd each.
Weft: Duet Cotton/Linen, Dune, 270 yd; Marble and Anchor, 170 yd each. 8/2 cotton for hems, 68 yd.