Quilt Block Baby Blankets

I used 8/2s unmercerized cotton. I doubled 8/2s colored cotton for the pattern - I actually threw the shuttle twice for each pattern pick. That way they threads lie side by side and don't cross over. I sett it at16 epi, warp width: 34.25", total warps - 548 plus 2 floating selvages.

... instead of winding my pattern bobbin with two threads (double) I wound it with a single thread and as I was weaving, for each pattern pick (thread) I'd thow the shuttle once, beat, go around the floating selvage and throw the pattern shuttle again in the same shed. So, my "doubled" pattern threads would lie nicely side by side. To wind two yarns doubled on a bobbin has some problems: as you weave, one of the threads becomes longer than the other, and needs adjusting constantly. There are some little tricks to avoid that while winding the bobbin.

Some weavers use a shuttle with two bobbins. I tried that, but it slows me down too. So I prefer to have one thread on one shuttle and throw it twice. Floating selvages are essential to keeping the thread caught at the edges.

This pattern takes 6 harnesses, but there are many other really lovely patterns for 4 harness looms. Marguerite Davison's book, A Handweaver's Pattern Book, is a good source for 4h patterns. You can usually find it in guild libraries and it's available in many weaving shops. It has been a trusty companion to many weavers for many, many years.

By the way, if your table loom is too narrow for a baby blanket, there's no reason why you can't weave half width and then join two pieces down the center. Colonial coverlets were always woven on narrower looms and then two or three pieces were joined for width.