Make it Your Own: Intersecting-Light Placemats

I’ve said it before, but I love log cabin. This simple color-and-weave pattern has countless variations, and it’s a great way to create cloth that looks complex with simple plain weave. It is log cabin’s simplicity that also makes it a great vehicle for experimentation. Take the Intersecting Light Placemats by Jodi Ybarra from the Winter 2024 issue. You can weave it as written or have a bit of fun playing with the pattern and palette. In this subscriber bonus article, we’ve got some ideas and even a bonus color palette for making this project your own. (Not a subscriber? Learn more about subscriptions and what they have to offer here.)

First, consider playing with the block sizes by weaving different variations of the patterning by making blocks smaller or larger. To do so, increase or decrease the repeats in the weft color order. See what happens when all the blocks are the same size or try playing with asymmetry.