
photo: "65 Roses" variegated silk yarns in Kiku (20/2) silk.
We all are drawn to the magic of variegated yarns. The color combinations call to us, like the siren calls to Odysseus.
But then, how to use them? Here are a few tips:
1) Color Movement: Using variegated yarn in your warp will give you vertical color movement.
Using variegated yarn in your weft will give you horizontal color movement. It may give stripes.
Using variegated yarn in your warp AND weft, can give mixed results. CLICK HERE to read what Madelyn van der Hoot (a much better weaver than I will ever be!) has to say.
2) Sett matters. Madelyn van der Hoot suggests a warp emphasis (if variegated yarn is in the warp) or weft emphasis (if variegated yarn is in the weft) Read more of Madelyn's comments HERE.
3) Alternate: To make your precious skein of variegated yarn go further, you can alternate the variegated with a solid color that matches one of the variegated colors. This "open ups" the vertical color movement, giving a bit of "breathing space" to the variegated (see photo in gallery below).
I like to do this in the warp--I can still have a single shuttle weave. The photo in the gallery, from 2011, was my first time trying out this idea. I used a solid color weft that's skinnier than the warp. I was conservative and wove plain weave. But it will work well with many twills.
4) Shadow Weave is always fun. You can pair a solid color yarn with your variegated yarn. Shadow weave is most successful with high contrast in values (lighter vs darker). Black is always a good option to pair with a variegated.
***NEW*** 2Skeins = 2 scarves FREE Draft using Kiku Yarn
Since most of our 65 Roses variegated yarns are Kiku (20/2 silk), I adapted our popular "Tidal Pools" shadow weave draft for Kiku yarn. Now you'll see two separate drafts:
NEW 4-shaft 'Tidal Pool' using Kiku Yarn
4-shaft 'Tidal Pool' using Zola Yarn
What's great about the free drafts, is the math is done and each has been test woven, so you can make 2 scarves with 2 skeins of silk.
**CLICK HERE** to see all of our free drafts.