Handwoven September/October 2023

Luminous & Lustrous

One of the joys of weaving is creating the unexpected. For this issue, that meant looking at how the combination of color, weave structure, and yarn types can produce the illusion of iridescence, pearlescence, and even incandescence in cloth. All nine projects seem to glow, reflect, and even shimmer in the light surrounding them.

Some of the articles address these same qualities, including Bobbie Irwin’s studies of woven iridescence, a Yarn Lab about weaving with neon bright colored yarns, and an Endnotes describing one weaver’s attempts to create iridescence but getting other unwanted effects. From a technical aspect, you can read about weaving with rayon chenille, a light-catching fiber that can also be a challenge to weave with, photography tips for weavers, and an interview with a scientist currently studying bioluminescence and photoluminescence in fiber. Tom Knisley has some tips if you are considering starting your own sheep-to-shawl team, and in What’s Happening we’ve highlighted a beautiful and long-awaited show about the weaving program at Black Mountain College. Finally, our Spotlight is on Toshiko Taira, a woman who is credited with reviving a Japanese fiber and weaving cultural tradition.