Blue Morpho Runner

Mimicking the butterfly that inspired it, one side of this runner is vibrant with blues, and the other is a subdued camouflage brown. Weave it as written, or improvise your own version with the help of treadling blocks.

About this Project

The wings of the blue morpho butterfly are breathtaking: When open, they shimmer in iridescent blues and aquas. When closed, lovely shades of brown come to the fore, accented with beautiful spots and patterns along the edges. This incredible transformation inspired designer Sydney Sogol to create a design that’s also striking on both sides—one showcasing shiny and vibrant blues and aquas, and the other offering a softer, cozy camouflage brown.

Contents

• Project Instructions PDF
• Runner WIF
• Runner Lift Plan

Details

Structure
Twill blocks.

Equipment
8-shaft loom, 17" weaving width; 12-dent reed; 1 shuttle.

Yarns
Warp: 8/2 Tencel (100% lyocell; 3,360 yd/lb; Syd’s Threads), Light Turquoise, 266 yd; Kingfisher, 196 yd; Blue Morpho, 252 yd; Deep Kingfisher, 182 yd; Blue Wings, 245 yd; Blue Morpho Speckled, 210 yd. Beam 8/2 Organic Cotton (3,360 yd/lb; Gist Yarn), Acorn and Toffee, 28 yd each.
Weft: Beam 8/2 Organic Cotton, Acorn, 943 yd. Note: Warp yarns are available as a hand-dyed kit at sydneysogol.com. Alternatively, you can create a blue and teal gradient with yarns such as Little Dipper 8/2 Tencel (3,360 yd/lb; Yarn Barn of Kansas), #452 Jubilant Jade, #505 Silver Blueberry, #520 Caribbean Sea, #555 Robin Egg Blue, and #610 Nymph. For the speckled yarn, try a variegated 8/2 Tencel such as Coastal Escape from Meridian Mill House.

Dimensions
Width in the reed: 16 ¹⁰⁄₁₂".
Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 83".
Finished size: (after wet-finishing and hemming) 14½" × 76" plus 2" fringe.