Call for Submissions: Spring 2026—Butterflies and Beautiful Bugs

We’d like you to step outside to find design ideas for the Spring 2026 issue of Handwoven. Specifically, we’re in search of projects inspired by butterflies and other beautiful bugs in the natural world.

Why? Because these tiny creatures sport an astounding variety of looks: combinations of brilliant (or subtle) colors; stripes, dots, swirls, and other patterns; the most delicate transparency; and shimmering iridescence. What weaver wouldn’t be inspired by all of the possibilities?

A few beautiful bugs to inspire you. Photos by (clockwise from top left): Martin Oslic, Jack Kaminski, Олександр К, and Bob Brewer/Unsplash

We’re looking for scarves, dish towels, table linens, clothing, pillows—really, anything that catches your fancy. Please surprise us with your beautiful ideas!

As you design, we’d also like you to offer suggestions for how readers can make the project their own—for instance, ideas for alternate colorways or other uses for your draft (such as turning a dishtowel into a scarf if the hand of the textile is right for that kind of thing). How can weavers end up with a similar result using more or fewer shafts? (Hint—handweaving.net is a great resource for tracking down this kind of alternative.)

Whether you’ve submitted projects to Handwoven before or this is your first time, we strongly encourage you to show us your ideas—you never know until you try!

Samantha Haring’s Monarch Scarf design, from the Spring 2024 issue of Handwoven. Inspired by the butterflies of the same name, it’s woven using a six-shaft twill. Photo by Matt Graves

How to submit a proposal

Please use our Handwoven submission form for proposals.

Submission guidelines can be found here.

Check out the palette for the issue here. The first page of the file shows the palette, and the second page suggests several ways to combine those colors. And keep in mind that you don’t need to use the palette colors exactly as shown; consider whether lighter or darker shades would be helpful within your design.

We base our project selections for each issue on your photographs and the information about structure, fiber, draft source, and inspiration you include on the submission form.

Here is some guidance for your photos:
• If you’ve already woven the piece you‘re proposing, be sure to include clear photos that show the item overall as well as close-up shots of any key details.
• If you’ve woven a version of the piece but expect to reweave it if it’s selected, please send photos of the preliminary version along with a description of what you’ll be doing differently for the proposed project.
• If the piece is in progress, please include photos showing it on the loom.
• If you haven’t put it on the loom yet, please include a draft (hand-drawn or WIF), a sketch showing your concept, and a picture of your proposed yarn.

We will review all proposals and ask for additional photographs or information, if needed, to be sent in by June 16, 2025. If your project wasn’t on the loom before the initial proposal deadline, we very strongly recommend warping and weaving a portion of it before this date, and sending us photos of your work. We are unlikely to accept any projects that don‘t include photos showing a sample of the woven textile, whether it is on or off the loom.

Please send project updates, including photos, to the editorial email below and reference your submission.

After our content-selection meeting in late June, we will contact everyone who submitted article and project ideas to inform them of our decisions.

Accepted articles and finished woven projects are due, along with project paperwork, by the final materials date listed below.

Proposals for projects and articles due: April 28, 2025
Submissions in the form of photographs and article outlines due: June 16, 2025
For accepted project proposals, final materials (including woven projects and paperwork) due: July 28, 2025
For accepted standalone article proposals, final copy (including photos or illustrations) due: September 1, 2025

If you’d like to get a head start on the paperwork, look here to choose the option that fits your project.

Please use the email address below for inquiries that don’t fit into our submission form. If pieces of your proposal cannot be emailed, please contact us and ask for a physical mail address.

Editorial email: handwoven@longthreadmedia.com

I look forward to seeing your proposals!

Happy weaving,
Lynn