Summer Weave

It’s summer, and the heat might make you think twice about wearing a scarf. But maybe you’re looking for a light, stylish accessory for a slightly cooler evening. With a loom like the Kromski Presto or Harp Forte, your fiber choices are limitless!

Wool isn’t ideal for summer. Cotton or linen are cooler, but they may lack the soft, flowing drape that makes a scarf feel luxurious. That’s where silk comes in—nobody can deny its cool, sumptuous feel. Keep in mind, though, that a tightly woven silk fabric can restrict airflow. When you weave your own scarf, you control the weave’s tightness. A looser weave produces a lovely drape and lets the summer breeze pass through.

Yarn choice matters, too. A tightly plied yarn behaves like a tightly woven fabric. A single-ply yarn is usually looser, making it a better option for a lightweight summer scarf—though it may pill more than plied yarn.

For this project, we used single-ply 100% silk yarn (10 WPI) and a ribbon yarn, made by cutting lightweight silk fabric into strips and tying them together for a beautifully variegated effect.

We’ve warped up a width of 7.5″ on the 16″ Presto that is equipped with the 8 dent heddle. This project would also fit easily on the 10″ Presto or any of the Harp Forte Looms. The warp was done in a random stripping pattern created by alternating the ribbon yarn and the single ply every couple inches or so.

For this scarf, weaving was done with two shuttles using a fairly random pattern. Some sections use only the silk ribbon as the weft, while others alternate two passes of ribbon with two passes of the single-ply yarn.

The most important tip for this type of project is to beat lightly. Avoid pressing the weft too tightly—doing so would compromise the loose, airy feel that makes this scarf perfect for summer.

Take a look at the photo below: you can actually see open spaces in the weave, which contribute to its light, breezy texture.

Because the silk ribbon doesn’t fray easily, it’s left loose in the fringe. The single-ply yarn, however, can pill if left untwisted, so a little twist helps keep it neat.

This scarf makes a perfect, versatile accessory for any wardrobe! Thanks to the loose weave and careful fiber selection, it’s ideal for summer wear and doesn’t need to be stored away. Grab your Kromski loom along with some lightweight yarn or ribbon and start weaving before the weather turns cold again!