How to Swedish Weave

Use simple materials to create designs on towels.

Swedish weaving (huck weaving) is a blend of darning, embroidery and weaving. Using three basic materials -- huck cloth, embroidery floss or pearl cotton and a tapestry needle, you can create simple or ornate weaving designs on both ends of the toweling. Huck cloth comes in several colors, but it only comes in one width. Swedish weaving is a good "beginning" embroidery process for the new crafter. By following a printed pattern or written directions, she can easily create a decorative towel.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Tapestry needle
• Embroidery floss or pearl cotton
• Dish towel with a selvaged edge

Instructions

1. Measure out a length of embroidery floss or pearl cotton about 30 inches long. Cut this strand of floss or cotton.

2. Thread your needle with six strands of embroidery floss or a strand of pearl cotton.

3. Slip your needle into the fabric about one inch away from the selvage edge, weaving the needle and floss over and under five towel threads. Point your needle toward the selvage edge.

4. Anchor the cut end of floss with the fingers of the hand holding the towel as you weave over and under. Turn the thread and floss back and go under and over the same threads once again. Your floss is now anchored.

5. Weave over and under with your floss until you reach the opposite end of the towel. Turn the towel and weave under and over different threads so you begin creating a woven pattern.

6. Weave new rows, working over and under, then on the return, under and over until you have created a Swedish weave design on your towel.

Tips & Warnings

• If you run out of floss in the middle of a row, anchor it and continue weaving the same row with a new length of floss.

• If you weave a Swedish weave design on Monk's cloth, begin working your design from the center out toward the edges. Because of the loose weave of this cloth, it is too easy to distort the woven cloth as you work.

• When you finish weaving a length of floss, cut it close to the fabric after anchoring.

• Do not make knots with the floss.

References

• Needlepointers.com; Swedish Embroidery; Gail Hodges
• Here and Above: Swedish Weaving