Handwoven January/February 2021

Not all of the yarns that weavers have at their disposal are created equal. Some yarns are not only beautiful, but they can also be considered beneficial to our world. The January/February 2021 issue of Handwoven takes a deep dive into yarns that make a positive environmental impact, such as plarn, hemp, Tencel, organically grown or dyed yarns, naturally colored cottons, and recycled yarns. Also featured are projects and articles about yarns spun from the fibers of rare sheep and goat breeds—thereby helping to preserve those breeds—and yarns spun and/or dyed by cooperatives that help people struggling to make ends meet. Tommye McClure Scanlin, well-known tapestry artist, describes in detail how to create and use a cartoon for weaving shapes, and Anne Laure Camilleri introduces Mary Burns, a Jacquard weaver and fiber artist who has spent a good part of her career chronicling the lives and history of Native Americans in beautiful weavings. Staying with the theme, the Yarn Lab by Elisabeth Hill features two singles yarns from Manos del Uruguay, a fair-trade cooperative founded and run by women that creates fiber-based business opportunities for impoverished women in rural Uruguay.

Projects + Stories:

• Notes from the Fell: Breed-Specific Yarns by Tom Knisely
• Idea Gallery: Make a Cartoon and Use It for Tapestry! by Tommye McClure Scanlin
• Traditions: Understanding Cashmere by Amy P. Swanson
• Yarn Lab: The Singles Scene by Elisabeth Hill
• Spotlight: Mary Burns: Weaver and Fiber Artist by Anne Laure Camilleri
• Endnotes: Friendship Placemats by Sheri Ward
• Color-and-Weave Tintes Naturales Towels by Linda Gettmann (2-or 4-shaft)
• Circle of Life Table Runner by Deb Essen (4-shaft)
• Patchwork Baby Blanket by Sara Goldenberg White (rigid heddle)
• Among the Stars Pillows by Barbara Goudsmit (4- or 8-shaft)
• Audrey Stole by Katrina King (8-shaft)
• Log Cabin at Sunset by Merriel Miller (rigid heddle)
• Hemp Bag Bliss by Krista Richey (8-shaft)
• Trinity Shawl by Greta Holmstrom (pin loom)
• Bags on a Budget by Carol Hacherl with Thea Nortness (4-shaft)
• Comfort in Solitude by Rebecca Fox (4-shaft)
• Floral for All Wrap by Scott Hanratty (4-shaft)