Subscriber Exclusive
Spice Up Your Summer Wardrobe with Shilpa’s Brilliant Venu Scarf
It’s woven with bamboo yarn in M’s and O’s, and the results are soft and luscious.
Designer Shilpa Nagarkar’s Venu Scarf brings a brilliant set of colors to summertime weaving. Photos by Matt Graves
Enjoy this subscriber bonus project from Handwoven Summer 2025.—Handwoven editors
Venu Scarf by Shilpa Nagarkar
Venu is the Sanskrit word for bamboo. Bamboo is widely employed in parts of India. I’ve seen it used in furniture, for kitchen utensils, and even in the construction of sustainable houses. It’s amazing how versatile this natural product is.
Because I enjoy working with natural fibers, I decided to weave this scarf out of bamboo. I love how soft and luscious it turned out.
The Venu Scarf, designed by Shilpa Nagarkar, is woven in vivid pink, orange, and blue bamboo yarn.
Project at a Glance and PDF Link
STRUCTURE
M’s and O’s.
EQUIPMENT
6-shaft loom, 24" weaving width; 10-dent reed; 3 shuttles.
YARNS
Warp: Bambu 12 (100% rayon from bamboo; 6,300 yd/lb; Silk City Fibers), #164 Indigo, 1,883 yd.
Weft: Bambu 12, #418 Cerise, 880 yd; #393 Ginger, 776 yd; #164 Indigo, 52 yd.
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Enjoy this subscriber bonus project from Handwoven Summer 2025.—Handwoven editors
Venu Scarf by Shilpa Nagarkar
Venu is the Sanskrit word for bamboo. Bamboo is widely employed in parts of India. I’ve seen it used in furniture, for kitchen utensils, and even in the construction of sustainable houses. It’s amazing how versatile this natural product is.
Because I enjoy working with natural fibers, I decided to weave this scarf out of bamboo. I love how soft and luscious it turned out.
The Venu Scarf, designed by Shilpa Nagarkar, is woven in vivid pink, orange, and blue bamboo yarn.
Project at a Glance and PDF Link
STRUCTURE
M’s and O’s.
EQUIPMENT
6-shaft loom, 24" weaving width; 10-dent reed; 3 shuttles.
YARNS
Warp: Bambu 12 (100% rayon from bamboo; 6,300 yd/lb; Silk City Fibers), #164 Indigo, 1,883 yd.
Weft: Bambu 12, #418 Cerise, 880 yd; #393 Ginger, 776 yd; #164 Indigo, 52 yd. [PAYWALL]
WARP LENGTH
538 ends 3½ yd long (includes floating selvedges; allows 9" for take-up, 32" for loom waste; loom waste includes fringe).
SETTS
Warp: 30 epi (3/dent in a 10-dent reed).
Weft: 18–20 ppi.
DIMENSIONS
Width in the reed: 181⁄10".
Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 85".
Finished size: (after wet-finishing and hemming) 16½" × 81" plus 5" fringe.
Visit the Handwoven library to view the PDF for the Venu Scarf, available to Handwoven magazine subscribers.
