We are excited to announce the ANWG 2025 towel exchange, taking place in Yakima next summer. This engaging activity allows attendees to contribute a handwoven towel and, in return, receive a special towel crafted by another weaving enthusiast. Participation in the ANWG 2025 conference is required.
Towel Specifications
- Size: Finished towels should be at least 18″ x 27″ or larger. Smaller towels will be categorized separately.
- Materials: Towels should be made from absorbent yarns such as cotton, hemp, linen, or cotton/linen blends. Common yarn sizes for towels include 2/3, 5/2, 8/2, 10/2, and 20/2.
- Colors: You are welcome to use any colors, including those that match the conference theme or colors from your personal stash.
Participation Requirements
- Registered conference attendees may participate.
- Each participant may submit one towel.
- Towels should be woven with absorbent fibers: cotton, hemp, linen, cotton/linen or any other appropriate fiber for a towel.
- The towel should be finished — hemmed, washed, dried and pressed. The approximate finished size should be 18 x27 inches. The towel may be a little wider and longer. Smaller towels will be accepted into a separate grouping.
- Pattern and colors of your choice, but you are encouraged to use any or all of the Conference colors.
- Fill out the Towel Time submission form and pin it to your towel when submitting it. This is the label for your one towel. It includes your name, email address, and phone number, along with your guild name and location. Also include info on the weaving draft name, source for the draft, yarn size, fiber, and sett used.
- You will receive a numbered receipt, which will be used on Saturday to pick up your new towel.
- When towels are distributed on Saturday, participants will need to present the receipt.
- The towels will be distributed, using the number on the receipt to ensure that participants do not get their own towel back.
- Towel assignment will be random. Participants will not choose their new towel.
Design Ideas
- Consider incorporating the conference colors into your design.
- Explore a variety of weave structures, such as twill variations, laces, M&O, overshot, crackle, summer & winter, or plain weave.
- Keynote speaker Robyn Spady has lots of design ideas on her website, https://heddlecraft.com, and on her Facebook page.
For additional inspiration, you may consult resources like Pinterest, Etsy, Handwoven magazine, or simply search for “handwoven towels” online.
The coordinators for this exchange are Ilze Tomsevics and Beth Zimmerman of the Seattle Weaver’s Guild. The towels can be dropped off and exchange picked up during the Conference according to the schedule on the Conference website. The towel exchange will be set-up in the lobby of the Conference Center.
We look forward to your creative contributions and a wonderful event at ANWG2025!
Co-chair Ilze Tomsevics