Weave a Shimmering Warm-Weather Scarf

Designer Sue Anne Sullivan used a turned honeycomb structure in metallic Lurex yarn and shiny pearl cotton to capture the irregularity and shimmering airiness of the veined cells in damselfly wings. She says that when light shines through this cloth, the effect is magical.

Read on to learn more about this project, developed exclusively for the Spring 2026 issue of Handwoven, or head to the library to access the project PDF. Please enjoy this subscriber bonus project from the Spring 2026 collection.—Handwoven editors

About the Damselfly Scarf

Living in the Pacific Northwest, I always find it a treat to catch sight of the occasional damselfly or dragonfly during the warmer months. I am particularly fond of the gorgeous blue creatures [PAYWALL] I sometimes see. Breathtakingly beautiful, they are a delight to watch as they elegantly fly, hover, and alight briefly here and there.

Found around the world near streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes, damselflies lay their eggs in these bodies of water. When the eggs hatch, naiads live underwater for the next year or two before developing wings and emerging from the water as adults. Once fully grown, they zip around eating many kinds of flying insects, including (thankfully!) lots of mosquitoes.

Due to the transformative nature of the insects’ life cycle, many cultures view these lovely creatures as symbols of personal growth and inner spiritual journeys.

I considered several methods for capturing the damselfly’s colors and semitransparent wings in handwoven cloth. At first, I considered using a crammed-and-spaced denting technique to create a gauze-like cloth and mimic the wing membranes. Then I played with drafts using a classic honeycomb threading/treadling to achieve cell-like areas.

Nothing felt right until I happened across Kate Lange-McKibben’s turned-honeycomb towel project in Handwoven (see Resources). I began to experiment with a turned-honeycomb approach, tweaking the threading and treadling to capture the irregularity of the veined cells in the damselfly’s wings. The combination of metallic Lurex yarn and shiny pearl cotton gave me the vibrancy and shimmer that I was seeking.

Lightweight and airy, this warm-weather scarf captures the beautiful colors of the damselfly’s body and the delicate transparency and iridescence of its wings.

Weave it Yourself: Project Overview

STRUCTURE
Turned honeycomb.

EQUIPMENT
8-shaft loom, 12" weaving width; 8-dent reed; 2 shuttles.

YARNS
Warp: 3/2 pearl cotton (1,260 yd/lb; UKI Supreme), #63 Yale Blue, 134 yd. Astra Glow Metallic (Lurex, 3,000 yd/ lb; Huntingdon Yarn Mill), #160 Rainbow, 130 yd; #20 Silver, 85 yd; #80 Blue, 111 yd.
Weft: 3/2 pearl cotton, #63 Yale Blue, 6 yd. Astra Glow Metallic, #160 Rainbow, 435 yd.

OTHER SUPPLIES No-rinse wool wash; thin cotton fabric for pressing; rotary cutter, straightedge, and self-healing mat.

WARP LENGTH
141 ends 3¼ yd long (allows 7" for take-up, 37" for loom waste; loom waste includes fringe).

SETTS
Warp: about 12½ epi (pearl cotton, 1/dent in an 8-dent reed; metallic, 2/dent in an 8-dent reed).
Weft: about 17 ppi.

DIMENSIONS
Width in the reed: 11³⁄₈.
Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 73".
Finished scarf: (after wet-finishing) 8¾" × 64" plus 4" fringe.

Weave it Yourself: Project PDF + WIF

Visit the Handwoven library to get the PDF and WIF of the Damselfly Scarf.