Plaid Windows Blouse

Deanna Deeds is one of my favorite weaving designers. She brings a fresh, insightful approach to all of her weaving projects, solving problems as she goes. The Plaid Windows Blouse by Deanna, found in Handwoven May/June 2018, is no exception, with its lacy see-through windows of 20/2 cotton among brightly colored checks in Cotton Fine, a sturdy cotton/wool blend. Pick your own colors of Cotton Fine, and you’ll have a one-of-a-kind plaid blouse you can wear all summer.

Deanna Deeds’s Plaid Windows Blouse

Designer Deanna Deeds’s Statement

Inspiration sometimes comes all at once in an exhilarating rush, but for me, it happens most often in increments, with one idea building on a previous one. Many times, the inspiration for my fabric is another fabric. A sample will suggest a further development, sparking an idea for a finished product.

This blouse was the result of several ideas coming together. A small study group I participate in was working on projects combining thick and thin yarns. One study took me through a series of alternating stripes of fine and heavy yarns, keeping the sett the same for the fine yarn as for the heavy, resulting in lacy “windows” in the cloth. I had several pretty colors of Brown Sheep Company Cotton Fine left over from Yarn Lab for the September/October 2017 Handwoven, and I thought the colors contrasted nicely with a neutral thin yarn.

I had originally thought to make a large wrap from the fabric but once it was finished, I decided the colors were a bit too bright and the fabric just a bit too crisp for a shawl. Building on some ideas from Sara Goldenberg and Jane Patrick’s Simple Woven Garments, it became this airy summer blouse.

Whether you use the colors Deanna used or adapt the draft to colors of your own choosing, enjoy this light blouse perfect for a warm summer day.

Weave well,

Susan

Project at a Glance

PROJECT TYPE: 2-shaft.

STRUCTURE: Plain weave.

EQUIPMENT: 2-shaft loom, 27" weaving width; 15-dent reed; 2 shuttles; 2 bobbins.

YARNS: Cotton Fine (80% cotton/20% wool; 2,000 yd/lb; Brown Sheep Company); Tubular Spectrum 20/2 cotton (8,400 yd/lb; Lunatic Fringe Yarns).

OTHER SUPPLIES: Liquid seam sealant such as Fray Check; nylon tricot seam binding such as Seams Great; 2 buttons.