A Yarn and Pattern Kit for Confident Rigid Heddle Weavers - High-Contrast Tartan in 100% British Wool
If you own a rigid heddle loom, this kit gives you everything you need to weave a black, sky blue and orange tartan scarf in 100% British wool - a high-contrast, contemporary colourway that produces bold, graphic colour blocks in a balanced weave tartan structure. The kit contains yarn and a pattern; the loom is not included. The tartan sequence uses three shuttles and is designed for weavers comfortable with warping and colour work. Finished scarf approximately 23cm wide and 150cm long, with a 13cm fringe at each end.
About This Colourway
Black, sky blue and orange is one of the most striking colourways in the TabbyandTweed tartan scarf range. Where the green and mustard kit draws on countryside heritage tones and the navy and grey kit offers classic versatility, this colourway is bold and contemporary - high contrast, vivid, and graphic. The three colours produce strong, clean blocks in the tartan structure, and the finished scarf reads as a distinctive, eye-catching accessory.
What Is a Balanced Weave?
The instruction booklet for this kit guides you through weaving a balanced weave tartan. A balanced weave is a structure in which the warp threads (the vertical threads set up on the loom) and the weft threads (the yarn woven horizontally across each row) are present in equal density - the same number per inch in both directions. Neither the warp nor the weft dominates the fabric surface; both are equally visible. For a tartan pattern this matters: in a balanced weave, the colour blocks of the sett appear in equal proportions in both warp and weft directions, preserving the geometry of the checked design.
How Tartan Weaving Works on a Rigid Heddle Loom
Tartan weaving uses the standard plain weave over-under motion, but with a specific colour sequence arranged in both the warp and the weft. The warp threads are threaded in the tartan colour order; the weft is woven in the same sequence row by row. Where the sequences cross, they create the checked tartan blocks. This kit's instruction booklet sets out the exact threading sequence and weft repeat for the black, sky blue and orange design.
Three shuttles are recommended - one for each colour used in rotation across each row. This makes managing the three-colour sequence significantly easier than cutting and rejoining yarn at each colour change.
What is Included
- skeins of 100% British wool yarn in black, sky blue and orange (DK weight)
- Weaving instruction booklet with full threading sequence, warp colour order, and weft repeat chart for the balanced weave tartan design
The loom, heddle, shuttles, and finished scarf shown in the product images are not included. This is a yarn and pattern kit for weavers who already own a compatible loom.
Loom and Equipment Requirements
This kit requires a rigid heddle loom fitted with a 7.5 or 8 ends per inch (epi) heddle with a total of 82 holes and slots. The pattern works on any compatible rigid heddle loom. If you need an 8epi heddle, it is available separately in the TabbyandTweed accessories range.
Three shuttles are recommended for the weft colour rotation - one per colour, used in sequence across each row.
Buying with a Loom
This scarf kit is also available as a bundle with the TabbyandTweed rigid heddle loom. See the rigid heddle loom kits section for the bundle option. If buying as a gift for someone who does not yet own a loom, the bundle is the recommended option.
Who This Kit Is For
This kit is for weavers who own a rigid heddle loom and are comfortable with warping and basic colour work. The three-colour tartan sequence with multiple shuttles is more demanding than a plain weave or simple two-colour scarf. Weavers who have completed one or two plain weave projects and want a more structured colour challenge will find this a rewarding and visually impressive next step.
For a simpler tartan project to build confidence first, the TabbyandTweed cream and beige checked scarf kit uses just two colours and is a good intermediate step before attempting a three-colour tartan.
Made in the UK
The pattern is designed by TabbyandTweed in their Salisbury, Wiltshire workshop. The yarn is 100% British wool sourced from British sheep.
What is a balanced weave?
A balanced weave has equal numbers of warp threads and weft rows per inch, so neither dominates the fabric surface. In a tartan, balanced weave ensures the colour blocks appear in equal proportions in both the warp and weft directions, preserving the geometry of the sett.
Does this kit include a loom?
No. This is a yarn and pattern kit for weavers who already own a rigid heddle loom. A loom bundle option is also available. The finished scarf shown in the images is not included - it shows what the kit enables you to make.
What loom do I need?
A rigid heddle loom with a 7.5 or 8epi heddle and 82 holes and slots total. Three shuttles are also recommended. The pattern works on any compatible loom.
Is this kit suitable for beginners?
This kit is for weavers already comfortable with warping their loom although there is a warping tutorial on the TabbyandTweed YouTube channel for anyone that would like some extra help.
Why are three shuttles needed?
The tartan uses three yarn colours in the weft rotation. One shuttle per colour makes the sequence much easier to manage than cutting and rejoining yarn at each colour change.
What is the finished size?
Approximately 23cm wide and 150cm long, with a 13cm fringe at each end - approximately 176cm total including fringe.
