4-Shaft, Eri Silk Scarf Weaving Kit

What could be more perfect for spring than a light weight lace shawl woven with Eri silk? 

Eri Silk worm, Samia ricini, is raised by local villagers in the Assam region of India.  Eri Silk is called “the poor man’s silk” because it has less sheen and it is “hairier” than silk from the more common Bombyx mori silk worm.  

However, Eri Silk is rather magical—it keeps the wearer cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 

Design Process:
Our self-imposed design challenge: to create a lace shawl using 4 shafts, woven with a single shuttle.  We wanted to use three colors, but avoid stripes. The final design constraint was to keep the weaving width under 18 inches so it could be woven on Robin’s narrower loom. The width in the reed is just under 17-1/2 inches!

We reviewed several books for inspiration, but focused on Marguerite Davidson’s green book—our “go to” source for 4-shaft drafts.  After much discussion, we settled on a Swedish Lace pattern “Johann D’s Lace #32”. 

As I began playing with the draft and colors, I quickly realized that by alternating two colors in the warp, one color creates the warp floats and the other becomes a quiet “background” color.  Also, one side of the cloth has only warp floats, the other has only weft floats, creating a two-sided cloth. 

As lace is traditionally woven in light colors, we chose three pale colors: peach (Sugar Plum Fairy), a quiet grey (Sterling Silver) and the natural creamy-color of Red Eri Silk.

The result is a lovely light weight shawl for a cool evening with a design that appears to require more than 4 shafts.

"Sugar Plum Fariy" generally wide silk scarf will be perfect to wear at summer weddings, graduations, or to give as a Mother's Day gift.

Your Sugar Plum Lcee kit makes one shawl/scarf, each about 14¾ inches wide by 88 inches long, plus (plus 10" of fringe on each end, before twisting).

Each kit includes:
original Sugar Plum Fairy colorway:
    --784 yds (75g) of OmShanti-White (20/2 eri silk yarn), color #427 Sterling Silver
    --775 yds (74g) of OmShanti-White (20/2 eri silk yarn), color #428 Sugar Plum Fairy
    --910 yds (85g) of OmShanti-Red (20/2 eri silk yarn), natural color

new Periwinkle color option (photo of yarns coming soon):
    --784 yds (75g) of OmShanti-White (20/2 eri silk yarn), color #956.L Periwinkle Light
    --775 yds (74g) of OmShanti-White (20/2 eri silk yarn), color #436 Mt Rainier Grey
    --910 yds (85g) of OmShanti-Red (20/2 eri silk yarn), natural color

Your have the option to include Handwoven Magazine Spring 2025 issue (or not--see drop down box selection), which has all the instructions.

Finished size: (after wet-finishing) 14¾ inches × 88 inches plus 7½ inch twisted fringe.

Scarf designed by Susan Du Bois and woven by Robin Witon for Treenway Silks.

Thank you Handwoven for the photo draped over the ottoman