weaving-msg - 2/26/08
Weaving, types of cloth. Weaving techniques.
NOTE: See also the files: looms-msg, tapestries-msg, spinning-msg, knitting-msg, quilting-msg, textiles-msg, Cloth-of-Gold-art, color-a-fab-bib, weavng-sizing-msg.
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Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: ilaine at panix.com (Liz Stokes)
Subject: Re: Dog Hair?
Organization: Panix Public Access Internet & Unix, NYC
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1993 10:48:48 GMT
patmoore at acs.ucalgary.ca (Patricia Lynn Moore) writes:
>btw: despite the pun, it is not woof, but weft, as in weave.
>(same declension as leave/left)
er, warp and weft are the two directions of thread on a loom. The
warp is stretched out between the beams and the weft is the side to side
threads that get filled in as you weave. Woof is another word for weft
(really).
-Ilaine
Liz Stokes | Ilaine's E-Z Garb Workshop
Ilaine de Cameron | We're going to try an experiment now. Instead of using
| a loom, we're going to wind all the yarn into balls
ilaine at panix.com | and adopt an infinite number of kittens...
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: hwt at bcarh11a.bnr.ca (Henry Troup)
Subject: Re: Weaving
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa, Canada
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1993 17:33:59 GMT
motto at cbnewsf.cb.att.com (mary.rita.otto) writes:
|> I was wondering if anyone was interested in Card Weaving.
...
|> Has anyone some patterns or techniques to share? Or an interest in
|> getting the patterns I've made? Or suggestions for the uses for the
|> woven bands (other than trim on garb)?
Great stuff!
The cardweaving interest list was running from cw at envy.kwantlen.bc.ca and
administered by:
Elizabeth "E.B." Braidwood Donna Hrynkiw
Lions Gate, An Tir Kwantlen College
donna at envy.kwantlen.bc.ca Surrey, B.C.
I use cardwoven bands as tie-and-carry straps, and as drawstrings. I find this a great use for the samples of learning techniques. One of my banners is hung on cardwoven tape.
Have you done any of the two-and-two threading? You thread all the cards with two adjacent holes in one colour and the other two in a different colour. By manipulating the cards you can get all kinds of things from plain to stripes to diagonal stripes. It's in Collingwood, and looks really spiffy.
*Peter Collingwood, "The Techniques of Card Weaving", out of print.
--
Henry Troup - H.Troup at BNR.CA (Canada) - BNR owns but does not share my opinions
From: palmer at cis.ohio-state.edu (sharon ann palmer)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Weaving
Date: 22 Aug 1993 01:54:20 -0400
Organization: The Ohio State University Dept. of Computer and Info. Science
Henry.Troup at BNR.CA writes:
>Have you done any of the two-and-two threading? You thread all the cards with two adjacent holes in one colour and the other two in a different colour. By manipulating the cards you can get all kinds of things from plain to stripes to diagonal stripes. It's in Collingwood, and looks really spiffy.
I made a sash threaded each card alike, with a shade in each hole:
White, blue, navy, black. It has wonderful bargello-like patterns.
I use crochet cotton for sashes and cords, it comes in many colors
and is smooth and strong.
Ranvaig sapalmer at magnusug.acs.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: motto at cbnewsf.cb.att.com (mary.rita.otto)
Subject: Re: Weaving
Organization: AT&T
Date: Sun, 22 Aug 1993 06:37:40 GMT
Henry.Troup at BNR.CA writes:
Greetings Henry!
I'm so glad to hear you are interested in talking about weaving. I have
written to Elizabeth, as you've suggested. But how nice to exchange a
few ideas.
Your suggestions of tie-and-carry straps and drawstrings are good. And also
for the hanging of banners. Someone else suggested narrow ribbons for
the hanging of pendants. Another person suggested narrow ribbons for the
sealing of scrolls, which opens a door of opportunity to trade with the
scribes for all manner of interesting things.
Have I done the 2+2 threading? Why, yes. My first sampler band was woven
in just this technique, and shows stripes, solids, checks, diagonals, and
letters. It is a very useful technique.
I have done an interesting variation on this technique, based on research
into ancient pieces in museums. I call it the 2+2-varying pattern.
Essentially, it is like the 2+2 technique. The first two threads of
each card are threaded with the same color for all the cards. For example,
white. Then the other two threads, while matching each other, vary across
the warp to create stripes of different colors. By choosing stripe colors
which are of similar color values, the non-varying color becomes the
"foreground" and the varying color becomes the "background". The overall
effect is quite striking. Using Kountry Kabled Kotton (brand) yarn, I
wove a rather interesting piece with this technique, using the following
draft pattern (although with more cards than shown below, but you get the
idea).
A white white white white white white white white
B white white white white white white white white
C white red red blue blue green green white
D white red red blue blue green green white
Because the color values are so similar, the strikingly different colors
still blend together into a background for the dominant white pattern.
It is hard to imagine this with a fire red, brilliant royal blue, and
deep emerald green, but it is so. Perhaps you can experiment with this
yourself. I think the effect is really amazing, which is probably
why it was a common technique.
Are there many card weavers where you live? I have found a number of
Inkle weavers, but no card weavers near me. So, to try to interest them
I've woven a puzzle belt that in sections can not be distinquished from
an Inkle weave, and in other sections could not possibly have been done
using Inkle weaving (just how hard would it be to take the center 12
warp threads, split them in two groups, and move them six threads closer
to the boarder, crossing the threads over each other?) I hope it will
cause some spirited discussion and interest in the versatility of card
weaving and the interesting things that can only be done with card
weaving and no other techniques.
>*Peter Collingwood, "The Techniques of Card Weaving", out of print.
Ah, yes. I've tried to get my hands on a copy with no success yet.
I have the books by Mary Atwater and by Candace Crockett, and have
borrowed the library's copy of Eileen Bird's book, which I feel gives
the best description of the structure but is woefully short on
history and patterns. I also have a book by Russ Goff, self published
by Robin and Russ Handweavers, which is a collection of patterns.
But I'd still like to get a hold of Collingwood's book.
Would you be interested in exchanging patterns?
Rosaline
Shire of Rokkehealdon, MK
(Mary)
>Henry Troup - H.Troup at BNR.CA (Canada)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: motto at cbnewsf.cb.att.com (mary.rita.otto)
Subject: Re: Weaving
Organization: AT&T
Date: Sun, 22 Aug 1993 06:44:17 GMT
In article <2571mcINNodb at iguana.cis.ohio-state.edu> palmer at cis.ohio-state.edu (sharon ann palmer) writes:
>In article <1993Aug20.173359.18685 at bcars6a8.bnr.ca> Henry.Troup at BNR.CA writes:
>
>>Have you done any of the two-and-two threading? You thread all the cards with two adjacent holes in one colour and the other two in a different colour. By manipulating the cards you can get all kinds of things from plain to stripes to diagonal stripes. It's in Collingwood, and looks really spiffy.
>
>I made a sash threaded each card alike, with a shade in each hole:
>White, blue, navy, black. It has wonderful bargello-like patterns.
>I use crochet cotton for sashes and cords, it comes in many colors
>and is smooth and strong.
>
>Ranvaig sapalmer at magnusug.acs.ohio-state.edu
Greetings, Ranvaig!
Your blue white and black belt sounds very nice. I was experimenting
with a four color threading pattern of green, red, blue and black.
With single card rotations, to vary the pattern, everything from diagonals
to houndstooth is possible. And quite fun. If you flip the cards, then
you get the reverse order on half the belt as well, adding to the variety.
I've done a number of braids in crochet cotton, but the ones done with
heavier yarns tend to be more "popular". ?
Rosaline
(Mary)
From: palmer at cis.ohio-state.edu (sharon ann palmer)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Weaving
Date: 22 Aug 1993 11:10:17 -0400
Organization: The Ohio State University Dept. of Computer and Info. Science
Greetings to Rosaline and the other card weavers on the net.
We are just back from Pennsic, where I saw some *wonderful* card
weaving! I had the baby along and didnt make it to any classses.
But I met Thora Sharptooth briefly, who was wearing a belt by
Mistress Rowena d'Erwalt (sp?) in Snartemo technique, where
each card is threaded alike with four colors, for instance
red, blue, green, yellow. and each card is turned separately
to make interlocking geometric patterns. Gorgeous!!
_Tablet Weaving_ by Egon Hansen, dist by Books for Craftsmen
1304 Scott Street, Petaluma CA 94954 USA, has reproductions
and patterns for this and other Viking bands. It is
$50 for a slim paperback volume, with _lots_ of typos.
But very useful.
If you are card weaving on an inkle loom with all cards threaded
alike, you can save lots of time warping, by this method.
Put the cards in a pack and thread all of them at once, one ball
for each color. Tie the ends to the beam, leave one card behind,
and warp the four threads on the pegs, back to the breast beam,
leave another card behind and continue. When all cards are warped,
tie the beggining to the end for a continuous warp, like in inkle
weaving. When I started this seemed the obvious way to do it,
but it doesnt seem to be generally done.
> I've done a number of braids in crochet cotton, but the ones done with
heavier yarns tend to be more "popular". ?
Crochet cotton is the heaviest I have used, the finest was sewing
thread.
I want to do some weaving again. While I was pregnant, my
arthritis was too bad, and I have just been too busy since
then. But Pennsic is over and I can stop sewing garb for
a while. :-)
Ranvaig
From: motto at cbnewsf.cb.att.com (mary.rita.otto)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Weaving
Date: 25 Aug 93 18:09:50 GMT
Organization: AT&T
Greetings, Ranvaig!
How interesting! What four colors were in Thora Sharptooth's belt?
I have never heard the technique of individual card rotation referred
to a Snartemo before. I'd actually never heard a particular name
assigned to the technique.
Neither had I heard of the book by Egon Hansen. Thank you for the lead.
I agree heartily with your statements about continuous warping. I use
it whenever possible because of the increase in speed it provides in
warping.
I have been doing my card weaving on an Inkle loom since January, when
my husband and some loving friends gave me the loom for my birthday.
While it is not quite as simple and versatile as card weaving off the
loom, it has the advantage of being easily interruptible. In my
household, there is precious little time for weaving, after tending
to my children, and the housework, and, of course, the day job that
pays the bills and gives me net access. Being able to leave the weaving
set up so that I can weave for a few minutes whenever I get a chance
makes the difference between getting something done in what appears to
be no-time versus being ever frustrated that there are no blocks of time
to get set up and weave.
Another thing I always do is warp the loom for the maximum length.
This allows me to make about a 9 foot length of weaving if I make it one
piece. But more commonly I now make it into several pieces. First I
will make a wearable belt or band. Then I will make a sample piece with
the same pattern as the band, about 9-12 inches long, to show the pattern
and colors. It makes it easier to part with a band if I have a piece to
keep for myself. Then I can use the remaining length to experiment with
different weavings of the warp. For example, after making a very striking
belt with a 12 forward, 12 reverse weave pattern, I wove it with a 4 forward
and 4 reverse pattern for an entirely different effect. Another woven with
the 4 forward, 4 reverse I wove entirely in one direction with a single
reverse -- the effect changed particolored diamonds into triangles and
was strikingly different than the original pattern. I find the experimenting
to be the most satisfying part of the weaving.
I am fortunate that there are excellent sources of materials in my shire
and in the neighboring shire. While I find the available colors of
crochet cotton to be very limited, there is a weaving workshop in the
area which carries a full array of colors in carpet warp. Embroidery
threads such as pearl cotton and stranded cotton floss are also both
cheap and abundant. But most exciting were some recent closeouts of
"odd lots" of yarns in fine wools, rich, heavy cottons, and some amazing
silky rayon chained cord. My bins are overflowing! While the single
4-oz balls of cotton yarn in a dozen colors would seem a lost cause to
a knitter, for card weaving it is raw material for at least two dozen heavy
belts. Belts that can hold up swords. Belts that are up to
5 inches wide and can be worn as sashes. Belts that are bold bands of color
across a garment. (ah.... getting a little carried away -- forgive me)
There's just this artistic vision I get when I see a bin full of yarn,
the colors crying out to be paired and twisted together into a thing
of beauty and grace. Kinda makes it all worthwhile, somehome.
Rosaline
Shire of Rokkehealdan, MK
(Mary)
From: scoth at cyberspace.com (Scot Harkins)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Weaving
Date: 25 Aug 1993 09:23:31 -0700
Organization: (CYBERSPACE) Public Internet 206.286.1600
Since you mention weaving, my lady, HL Alastrina McKeary, has a knotty
problem in the card weaving area. She is going to produce about fifteen
yards of trim displaying a badge, somewhat symetrical, reversible in such
a way that one side will display vertically and the other horizontally.
To do this, we are fabricating *eight* sided cards (52 of them) for the
purpose. We are only in the conceptual stage right now; pricing supplies
and graphing the pattern. We are being careful to document progress for
future entry in competitions/tourneys. All of this by Christ's Mass or
Twelfth Night. If anyone is interested or has input, let me know or
reply.
HL Scot MacFin
Western RH, AnTir
From: jab2 at stl.stc.co.uk (Jennifer Ann Bray)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: tablet woven borders
Date: 26 Aug 93 12:19:40
Organization: STC Technology Ltd., London Road, Harlow, UK.
I don't know if anyone else has tried this, but tablet weaving was
once used as a starting border for loom weaving. the warp of the main
cloth is the weft of the tablet weaving. you produce a piece of tablet
weaving with the weft pulled out on one side around a couple of short
posts (the posts are hammered into the ground or fixed to one side of
a frame you are tablet weaving on) Marta Hoffman gives an excellent
description in her book on the warp weighted loom.
I tried this as a starting border for a warp weighted loom and it
worked fine, but I find the loom excrutiatingly slow to work on.
having just restored a 1930s frame loom I tried using a tablet woven
header on that. I was told by an expert it couldn't be done, but I
didn't really have any problems. I just sewd the tablet weaving to the
rod I would have tied the end of the warp to. I suspect I threaded the
loom up back to front as I had to do a lot of winding to get the warp
even on the back beam, but I wove a couple of inches last night and it
worked.
the loom will weave up to 40" so I fancy trying a square viking cape
on it. The next stage is to figure out how to do tablet woven sides
aswell. I think if I stick to two threads per card I might be able to
fit them through the reed, but I won't get any really fancy patterns
that way unless I use brocading.
Has anyone else out there tried tablet weaving in association with
loom weaving? Has anyone got any suggestions?
I think from my reading that most bands that were integral with the
cloth and not sewn on were pretty plain, (though the Thorsbjerg
cloaks had very wide borders they don't seem to have been patterned)
does anyone know if this was the general rule, or know of any
exceptions to it?
From: PRIEST at vaxsar.vassar.EDU (CAROLYN PRIEST-DORMAN)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Weaving
Date: 27 Aug 1993 19:30:33 -0400
Unto the Fishyfolk of the Rialto, greeting from Thora Sharptooth!
Stephen of the Grove wrote:
>I've done much more with double-face (2+2) patterns than the
>threaded in paterns. The pictures of period tablet weaving I've
>seen have all been done with that method... None that I've found
>used the threaded in patterns. Have any of you found documentation
>for threaded in patterns?
Several extant medieval pieces have border treatments that are small
threaded-in patterns. The Coptic arrowhead motif discussed by Collingwood is
one; related simple threaded-in patterns were common to early period Coptic
weaves. Also, checkered selvedges are found on some tenth-century Anglo-Saxon
pieces (some of the relics of St. Cuthbert).
A famous threaded-in pattern is the Saxon diamond piece. It's the remnants of
a "late pagan" Anglo-Saxon belt in three colors. The original write-up of it
is by Grace Crowfoot; Collingwood also discusses it and Gale Owen-Crocker's
DRESS IN ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND has a very good photo of the piece on page 100.
While it displays the continuous forward turning and simple design of a
threaded-in pattern, the interesting thing about this weave is the turning
sequence: you turn only the odd tablets and throw a weft, then turn only the
even tablets and throw another weft, and like that.
A Finnish woman's belt from the Eura graves (circa 1000 CE) has a small
semi-meander design that I think is threaded-in. However, I haven't yet been
able to duplicate it; perhaps the book I found it in reproduces it oddly, or
perhaps I misinterpreted the design when trying to weave it.
Later in period (1294, to be precise), there's a threaded-in tubular silk
ribbon used as a seal tag on a Scottish royal charter. The pattern is worked
on eight tablets: two side-by-side squares (one blue, the other pink) with
green centers on a white background. The effect is sort of psychedelic, as the
tubular weave makes the squares spiral around the cord.
Many types of tablet weaving are period, however. There's diagonal
double-turn, double-face double-turn, various twills, brocading, and shadow
patt