Winning Hand Pillows

Traditional playing cards inspired the colors used in this project—black (spades and clubs) and burgundy (hearts and diamonds).

About this Project

After over 25 years of weaving, Kate Kilgus has accumulated quite a stockpile of 5/2 and 3/2 mercerized cottons. She designed these cushion covers to use small amounts of cotton in several colors. The older she gets, the more conscious she is of using materials she already has so she can keep her stash under control—and prevent it from becoming an unwelcome future burden.

Kate finds crackle appealing for cushion covers because the floats are much shorter than those found in overshot, minimizing any potential snags.

Contents

• Project Instructions PDF
• Pillow WIFs

Details

Structure
Crackle weave.

Equipment
4-shaft loom, 16" weaving width; 15-dent reed; 2 shuttles; 3 bobbins.

Yarns
Warp: 5/2 mercerized cotton (2,100 yd/lb; UKI Supreme), #030 Antique, 618 yd; #12 Red, 39 yd; #125 Pacific Blue, 48 yd.
Weft: Tabby: 5/2 mercerized cotton, #30 Antique, 355 yd. Pattern: 3/2 mercerized cotton (1,260 yd/lb; Valley Yarns), Burgundy and Black, 163 yd each. Note: If the 3/2 cotton is out of stock, Yarn Barn of Kansas offers very similar colors in that size.

Dimensions
Width in the reed: 15¹⁰⁄₁₅".
Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 71".
Finished size: (after wet-finishing and sewing) four pillows, 13" × 13" each.

• 
• 

Photos by Matt Graves

---

Visit our help article for more information on WIFs, including what they are and how to use them.