Pattern Description:
The April Mug Rug utilizes a Monk’s Weave structure, designed to reflect an Easter Basket appearance. It requires two contrasting colors of worsted weight cotton yarn for the warp and weft.
The design incorporates a non-traditional element: a single plain weave weft pass added between 4-row pick-up stick groups to increase stability and create a slightly jagged look.
Materials Needed & Measurements:
| Category | Item/Specification | |
| Loom/Heddle | 8 dent heddle | |
| Tools | Pick Up Stick | |
| Yarn Type | Worsted weight cotton | |
| Colors | Two colors of yarn (one for warp, one for weft), preferably high contrast | |
| Example Warp Yarn | Lily Sugar’n Cream Coral Rose | |
| Example Weft Yarn | Lily Sugar’n Cream shown in Seabreeze, Overcast, and Yellow | |
| Warp Ends | 50 ends | |
| Warp Length | 1.5 yards long | |
| Warp Quantity | About 75 yards |
Instructions for Making the April Mug Rug Pattern:
Monk’s Weave Setup and First Block (Section 1)
The Monk’s Weave structure relies heavily on the Pick Up Stick.
Setting the First Pick-Up Shed:
- Place the heddle in the neutral position.
- Use the pick up stick in front of the heddle.
- Insert the pick up stick following this sequence: go under 1 warp thread, then over 4, under 4.
- Continue the over 4/under 4 sequence until reaching the last thread, which should be caught by going under that last one.
Weaving the Monk’s Weave Blocks (4 Rows)
Once the pick up stick is inserted, turn it on end and push it up against the heddle to create the shed.
- Weft Passage and Edges: When passing the weft through the shed, note that the end thread will not be caught if you simply pass the weft through. You must go around this end thread and then pass the warp through the shed.
- Important: DO NOT BEAT the weft using the heddle in this stage. Keep the weft at a loose arch before weaving the next row to avoid issues with the edges.
Repeat this sequence until you have completed 4 wefts, all in the same shed created by the pick up stick, ensuring that you repeat the process of wrapping around the end thread before passing the shuttle through.
Controlling Tension and Draw-In
After completing each 4-row block, the weft needs to be settled.
- Beating Technique: Use the pick up stick, NOT the heddle, to gently push the weft forward. This should be done slowly, as the objective is to get the wefts to lay next to each other, not to pile on top of one another.
- Checking Width: This weave structure can easily cause too much draw-in, resulting in a narrow mug rug.
Gently tug on the edges to ensure you have not pulled too tightly or not tight enough; remedy any loops or significant draw-in immediately.
You may want to measure the width continually and use painters or masking tape on the pick up stick to easily check each section.
Adding the Stabilizing Plain Weave Pass
After the first 4-row block, remove the pick up stick.
- The Added Element: Raise the heddle to the “Up” position and do one pass of plain weave with the weft.
Make sure you wrap the end thread if needed. Gently beat this single pass into place using the heddle.
- This single weft of plain weave is a non-traditional addition to Monk’s Weave chosen to add stability, help the groups of threads lay more squarely, and give the warp threads a slightly jagged look.
The example shows that the first 4 sections without this extra pass cluster up together more.
Alternating Pick-Up Patterns and Finishing
The Monk’s Weave requires alternating the pick-up pattern for subsequent blocks.
- Setting the Next Pick-Up Shed (Section 2): For the next section, insert the pick up stick over 1 warp thread. Then follow the sequence: under 4, over 4, until the last thread, and then go over that last one (this is the opposite pattern of the first section).
- Repetition and Final Steps: Weave 4 rows in this new pick up shed as before (following the same tension and beating rules).
Repeat the entire process (4 Monk’s Weave rows followed by 1 stabilizing plain weave pass) until you have completed 18 sets of weft groups.
When adding the stabilizing plain weave row between sets, alternate whether the heddle is in the “up” or “down” position.
For the finish, weave 4 final rows of plain weave and then use a hem stitch to secure the ends.
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