Misty Mountains Runner on the Cover of Handwoven 2025

Misty Mountains Runner: From Inspiration to the Handwoven Winter 2025 Cover

Opening the Winter 2025 issue of Handwoven Magazine and seeing my project on the cover was an unforgettable moment. It’s always an honor to be included in the magazine, but having a piece featured on the cover feels especially meaningful. It marks a milestone in my weaving journey -one that began unexpectedly years ago and has grown into a creative path I never could have imagined.

My interest in weaving can be traced back to a spontaneous trip to Peru. What was meant to be an adventure centered on exploring the country and hiking to Machu Picchu took an unexpected turn when a textile talk and weaving demonstration completely captivated me. The images, the textures, the rhythms of the loom - all of it stayed with me long after I returned home.

Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu - with a freshly torn ACL (I wish I was joking but alas I am not. And I did it!)

My husband and I when we (finally) reached the view

The textile talk in Cusco that started it all...

Soon after, I bought a small frame loom, just to experiment. I grew up around traditional fiber crafts, but weaving felt like an entirely new world -one that immediately felt like home.

A few years later, when I purchased my 8-shaft Harrisville Designs loom, the seller’s son shared that his mother, Marie, had been published in Handwoven, with her own project on the cover. He encouraged me, a complete stranger, to “get in that weaving magazine and use his mom’s loom for something amazing.” His words, along with gentle encouragement from a dear weaving friend, planted the seed that led to my first submission last year.

The story behind Marie's loom deserves a blog post in and of itself. But for now, here is a picture of me weaving on it.

So to find myself now on the cover, seven years after discovering weaving, feels both full-circle and incredibly special. I like to think Marie is smiling down.

Designing the Misty Mountains Runner

The Misty Mountains Runner grew from my curiosity about texture and my love of color-forward yarns. I discovered Spincycle Yarns’ Plump through knitting and became instantly hooked on its squishy texture and vibrant, unpredictable color shifts. When Handwoven announced its call for textured weaving, I couldn’t stop thinking - what would happen if I plumped up a traditional overshot draft?

Misty Mountains on my 8-shaft Harrisville Designs Loom

Pairing this bulky, color-shifting yarn with classic overshot structure and Brassard 8/4 cotton led to a runner full of movement, dimension, and tactile delight. The raised “mountains” created by the Plump weft give the fabric a bold, sculptural feel - one that practically invites you to reach out and "pinch" the mountain peaks. With Plump available in such a wide range of colorways, it’s easy to tailor the design to your own palette and style.

To finish the runner, I incorporated a supplemental fringe. A simple solid fringe didn’t feel right for a piece built around movement and color, so I leaned into the unique Spincycle gradients instead. The pattern includes tips on selecting and arranging segments of the weft yarn so your fringe becomes a continuation of the shifting palette within the cloth.

I had so much fun working with this yarn and structure that I designed a companion wall hanging as a bonus project for magazine subscribers. It extends the same ideas - texture, color play, and classic structure - into a piece perfect for the wall.

The Misty Mountains Wall Hanging featuring the plumpiest 'lil tassels ever!

Kits for the Misty Mountains Runner are available by messaging Micah or Jennie at Spincycle Supply Co., and the full pattern appears exclusively in the Handwoven Winter 2025 issue.

Looking Forward

This project is a reminder of why I fell in love with weaving: the interplay of tradition and experimentation, the unexpected beauty of color shifts, and the quiet joy of watching cloth take shape. It's also a joyful reminder that inspiration can come from many people and places, and these seemingly random moments - are not random at all - and can ignite a new passion in unexpected ways. 

I’m deeply grateful for the support and enthusiasm of this community, and I’m excited for what comes next.

Thanks for being part of the journey. 🌞