Working on a New Weaving Draft and Tripping Out in the Garden

I’ve been working on a new weaving draft during the cooler hours in the studio.

It’s a 6-harness huck lace design I created using my Fiberworks software. I knew I wanted some variation in the warp and weft so the crossing of threads would stand out a bit more.

I had two cones of 8/2 Tencel—similar in color but not quite the same. One cone had about half a pound left, and from experience (yes, I’ve run out of yarn mid-project before…), I knew it wouldn’t be enough for a full warp. But it was perfect for adding a little color variation.

The photos don’t quite capture the subtle difference in color—you really have to see it woven on the loom. I’m really enjoying this weave. The treadling sequence is a bit longer, but it has a lovely rhythm when written out and is easy to follow. I’m almost done with the second scarf, which means I’m nearly at the end of the warp. I can’t wait to see how it looks after wet finishing—that’s one of the reasons I love weaving lace so much. The wet finish reveal is a little bit of magic.

There are so many color options to explore with this draft. A classic one would be a black warp and white weft, which would blend into a soft gray in the plain weave sections. Or you could go festive with red and green and turn it into a holiday table runner. So fun!

This draft is available here.

A Few Weaving Tips (from the studio):

Use what you have: Don’t be afraid to mix yarns that are close in color or texture. Sometimes the best results come from improvising.
Keep a weaving journal: Even just a few notes on sett, yarn, and treadling can save you later—especially if you want to repeat a project (or avoid a mistake).
Beat gently for lace: Let the structure do the work. A light beat keeps the openness and drape that makes lace so magical.
Wet finishing is the reveal: Don’t judge your cloth too soon. Lace transforms after washing—sometimes dramatically.
Trust your rhythm: If a treadling sequence feels awkward, try writing it out differently or change the tie- up. When it flows, weaving becomes meditative.
Play with color: Even subtle shifts can add depth and interest. Don’t be afraid to experiment—you might discover something beautiful.

This past week, under the full moon, I found myself out in the garden late—collecting Mugwort and Lavender for a little sleep bundle. It was dusk, and I’m usually not out that late. I go to bed early (though, in my defense, I wake up early too). While I was checking on some of my flowering herbs, I glanced over at the Skullcap and thought I saw hummingbirds doing some late-night foraging.

I do have a lot of hummingbirds, but these were smaller. Their wings made a different sound, and they looked… different. For a moment, I thought I was having a flashback to something psychedelic from my 20s. Then I realized—it was a moth.

Specifically, a Hyles lineata, commonly known as the white-lined sphinx. So cool! Later, after a bit of Googling, I learned they’re actually quite common, but since they’re mostly active at night, I’d never seen one before. There were two of them. The next night, I brought out a little lawn chair to watch them again and tried to get a photo. They were there—but wow, they are fast.

I guess I’m just amazed. Amazed by nature and this whole experience of life. It’s such a joy to be almost 50 and still learning new things—things I never knew existed, and so beautiful. I love the experience of life, both the good and the bad. If you look at it just right, it never gets old or boring.

There’s magic.
There’s always a new adventure—sometimes big, and sometimes very, very small.