Warm Welcome Hot Pads: The Beauty of Rep Weave

Warm Welcome Hot Pads: Featuring Egyptian Cotton Cord

This month, we’re weaving warmth and hospitality into every thread with our Warm Welcome Hot Pads — a cozy and festive project made for the holiday season!

Woven with our Aurora Earth 100% cotton yarn and the brand-new Egyptian Cotton Cord, these hot pads bring together two exceptional fibers that perfectly balance strength with beauty. The result is a set of richly textured woven hot pads that are as durable as they are delightful — ready to protect your table or gift to someone special this season.

The Egyptian Cotton Cord adds structure and a burst of color to your weaving. Its smooth braided texture pairs beautifully with Aurora Earth 8/2 cotton, creating a rep-weave fabric that's a true celebration of handmade artistry.

What is Rep-Weave?

The Rep Weave technique is a traditional structure known for its striking ribs and bold, graphic texture. Rep Weave plays with the contrast between thick and thin yarns, allowing the heavier Egyptian Cotton Cord to create dimensional ridges while the finer Aurora Earth cotton adds definition. The result is a beautifully balanced fabric with a rhythmic surface that’s both eye-catching and functional — perfect for a set of holiday hot pads that look as good as they perform.

If you’re new to Rep Weave, you’ll love how rhythmic and meditative the process can be. Because this structure alternates thick and thin picks, maintaining an even beat is key — a firm beat will help your pattern stay balanced and the ribs stand out clearly.

Managing Selvages

When using two shuttles, it's essential to interlock the two yarns at the selvages to maintain a neat edge. When both weft yarns are on the same side, ensure they interlock properly. This can be achieved by following these rules:

• If the last weft pick goes under the outermost warp end, the next pick should also go under the other weft yarn.
• Conversely, if the last pick goes over the outermost warp end, the next pick should go over the other weft yarn. 

Be sure to change sheds between each pick. 

Keep an eye on your edges as you weave, gently adjusting your weft angle to prevent draw-in. 

Perfect Ways to Use or Gift Your Woven Hot Pads

Whether you’re weaving on a rigid heddle or a 4-shaft loom, this project invites you to embrace the spirit of giving and gathering. With each throw of the shuttle, you’ll be weaving warmth, texture, and heart into pieces that are perfect for your home — or as a thoughtful handmade gift to share with others.

• Holiday Gatherings – Protect your table in style while serving festive dishes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s dinners.
• Hostess Gifts – Pair a set with homemade cookies or a kitchen towel for a thoughtful thank-you gift.
• Housewarming Parties – A handmade touch to celebrate a new home — practical, personal, and full of warmth.
• Friendsgiving – Add handmade charm to the table or surprise your host with a cozy kitchen set.
• Holiday Gift Exchanges – The perfect small gift for Secret Santa or White Elephant that everyone will actually love.
• Mother’s or Father’s Day – Combine with a mug and favorite tea or coffee for a handmade kitchen bundle.
• Bridal Showers – Include in a “home sweet home” themed basket for the newlyweds-to-be.
• Everyday Kitchen Use – Brighten your counter or table year-round with handcrafted texture and color.
• Thank-You Gifts – Show appreciation with something made by hand and from the heart.

Our Warm Welcome Hot Pad Kits are available in two cheerful colorways. 

Festive Forest combines teal, mulberry, mustard, lime, natural, and black for a rich, cozy palette inspired by winter gatherings and glowing lights. 

Holiday Bazaar adds a playful twist with crystal rose, slate green, sungold, natural and chocolate, a vibrant mix that feels joyful and full of creative energy.

Each palette is irresistible in its own way, and together they’ll fill your home with colorful handmade cheer!

Let's Get Weaving!

• Gather your supplies: You will need a rigid heddle or multi shaft loom; 12.6" weaving width, 10-dent reed, and two shuttles.
• We make it easy!  Our Warm Welcome Hot Pad Kits make gathering your supplies easy! The kits include all the Aurora Earth 8/2 Cottons and four colors in our new Egyptian Cotton Cord that are needed to make four large hot pads.  Plus, you will receive the PDF Pattern by email with kit purchase. Click Here for Kit Information.
• Just the Pattern? The Warm Welcome Hot Pad Pattern is free in this blog for a limited time or purchase your download from our Patterns page.
• Join the Cotton Clouds Weaving Community on Facebook so that you can share your questions, pictures and accomplishments. 
  
• Let's Weave together!  I hope you enjoy weaving your very own Warm Welcome Hot Pads in Rep-Weave! 

Warm Welcome Hot Pad Pattern

Free Pattern Download!

We hope you enjoy weaving your Warm Welcome Hot Pads! Jessica and I have already made a few sets — they’re such a fun and practical project.

Jessica wove her hot pads in the Holiday Bazaar colors on her rigid heddle loom and Jodi wove hers on her 4-shaft Baby Wolf in the Festive Forest colors. We love how each color combination gives a totally different look, and they add the perfect handmade touch to our kitchen.

These hot pads make thoughtful gifts for friends and family, especially during the holidays. Pair them with a favorite recipe or a homemade treat for an extra-special surprise!

Order Your Warm Welcome Hot Pad Kit Today!

We’d love to see your finished hot pads! Share your photos in our Cotton Clouds Weaving Community on Facebook so everyone can be inspired by your color choices and creativity.

Thank you for weaving with Cotton Clouds!

Jodi & Jessica

Cotton Clouds, Inc

All yarns for this design are available from Cotton Clouds Inc. If you have any questions while weaving this poncho, don’t hesitate to send an email to jodi@cottonclouds.com and I will guide you along the way!