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. ************************************************************************ NOTICE - This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday. This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ 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 patterning, let alone the more complicated four-color "Snartemo" technique. And a far greater proportion of the finds are plain weave than anyone would have you believe. ;> For sources, e-mail me. Remember, my offer of weaving two yards of silk trim for the first person to definitively document "stinkin' diamonds" in period still stands.... ************************************************************************** Carolyn Priest-Dorman Thora Sharptooth Poughkeepsie, NY Frosted Hills ("where's that?") priest at vassar.edu East Kingdom Gules, three square weaver's tablets in bend Or ************************************************************************** From: jab2 at stl.stc.co.uk (Jennifer Ann Bray) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Weaving Date: 2 Sep 93 11:38:52 Organization: STC Technology Ltd., London Road, Harlow, UK. Thora Sharptooth wrote of a Finnish woman's belt from the Eura graves witha threaded in semi meander pattern. I believe she is referring to one described in "Ancient Finnish Costumes" by Pirkko-Liisa Lehtosalo- Hilander. It looked to me as if the pattern was that given below: % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . % % % . % % % . % % % . % % % . % % % . % % % . % % % % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % , % . % % % , % % % , % % % , % % % , % % % , % % % , % % % , % , , , % , , , % , , , % , , , % , , , % , , , % , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % represents first darkest colour , and . are the two lighter colours so the top line is done by a card threaded all with % the next line is threaded all . the next line is three corners with % and the fourth with . and so forth If you squint at the diagram above you might get the idea but its a lot clearer if you copy it onto squared paper and colour it in. Jennifer Vanaheim Vikings (not SCA but I was passing the Rialto & thought I'd stop for a chat) From: priest at vaxsar.vassar.edu (Carolyn Priest-Dorman) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Weaving Date: 10 Sep 93 07:40:31 +1000 Unto the Fishyfolk of the Rialto, particularly its Weavers, greeting from Thora Sharptooth! Ranvaig writes: >>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. >I dont remember the colors. At Red Dragon last year, Mistress Rowena >showed me a similiar belt (or maybe the same one) she had made. Each >repeat of ~ 3" took an entire day to weave. > >Perhaps Thora would describe it better. > >Snartemo refers to a specific piece described in Hansen. I believe >Mistress Rowena used the phrase, Snartemo Technique, but I could >have made it up myself. :-) Mistress Rowena does indeed use the phrase "Snartemo technique." I remember when she came running up to me at Pennsic XX and hollered "I figured out Snartemo!" ;> Snartemo is the name of the Norwegian location at which a variety of sixth-century tablet-woven pieces, among other things, were found. "Snartemo technique" refers to the technique by which the most intricate of the Snartemo pieces (as well as some other pieces) was woven: a four-color threading for each tablet (red, blue, yellow, and green for Snartemo V) and a weaving method relying (like "Egyptian diagonals" technique) on diagonal alignment of colors to make elaborate patterns. Most of the pieces in this technique are early period, but there's an extant twelfth-century Norwegian piece (a cloak edging) in what looks to be the same technique. (Those of you who have seen Collingwood's write-up on the technique, be warned: he got this one DEAD wrong. It's much less bizarre than he claims it is. Of course, Hansen's explanation isn't much easier to follow, at first glance!) The piece Mistress Rowena made for me was a gift. We discussed the coloring and patterning beforehand--it is actually woven in only three colors (my colors of gules and Or plus sable). Most of Rowena's Snartemo work has been in four colors, like the Snartemo V piece; however, last year she wove a belt for herself in her colors (azure, vert and argent) which looked so nice I thought I'd ask for something with the same general three-color effect. Mine has some of the patterns from the original Snartemo finds plus some original patterning Rowena devised that looks like little weaving tablets (the main charge in my arms). It's wool, about 1.5" wide with solid borders, a little over 2 yards long with long tubular-braided ends. (The only problem with this most gorgeous of belts is that many people think that it is a machine-produced length of trim, at least until it is explained to them!) Rowena has also woven several other pieces--trim for a Viking apron-dress, other belts, etc.--in this technique. But her 3/1 broken twill figured double-cloth pieces (the "field belts" that she wears so casually!) are equally stunning and exceptional. She is without question the most authentic and technically perfect tablet-weaver I have ever seen or heard tell of in the Known World. It's not for nothing that all my students and I call her the "Tablet-weaving Goddess." **************************************************************************** Carolyn Priest-Dorman Thora Sharptooth Poughkeepsie, NY Frosted Hills ("where's that?") priest at vassar.edu East Kingdom Gules, three square weaver's tablets in bend Or **************************************************************************** Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: motto at cbnewsf.cb.att.com (mary.rita.otto) Subject: Re: tablet weaving info needed. Organization: AT&T Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 03:13:20 GMT In article <mjc.749144066 at NL.CS.CMU.EDU> mjc+ at cs.cmu.edu (Monica Cellio) writes: >>I've just started tablet-weaving hems for my tunics, and need some info. >>What is the best way of ending the braid? If you cut a long band into several >>pieces (for sleeves), then how do you keep it from raveling? > >The same way as for other woven trims -- fold the ends under if the threads >are fine enough that the bulk won't be a problem, or sew the ends into the >seams of the tunic. (If you're really desperate I suppose you could apply >Fray-Check, available at your fabric/notions store, but I've never had much >success with that.) > >Ellisif Tightly woven tablet weaves are quite fray resistant. Sew them together with sewing thread with the end to the outside to make a short, decorative fringe. Make long strands between the pieces -- 6 inches of yarn ends at each end to be joined, for example, and braid them together, finishing each braid with an overhand knot for a luxurious fringe effect. Be truly obsessive and alternately weave them into each other along the pattern lines to make it appear seamless. Enclose the ends in a french seam finish on the garment itself. Those are my ideas, anyway. Rosaline (Mary) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: mjc+ at cs.cmu.edu (Monica Cellio) Subject: Re: tablet weaving info needed. Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1993 15:34:26 GMT >I've just started tablet-weaving hems for my tunics, and need some info. >What is the best way of ending the braid? If you cut a long band into several >pieces (for sleeves), then how do you keep it from raveling? The same way as for other woven trims -- fold the ends under if the threads are fine enough that the bulk won't be a problem, or sew the ends into the seams of the tunic. (If you're really desperate I suppose you could apply Fray-Check, available at your fabric/notions store, but I've never had much success with that.) Ellisif From: jab2 at stl.stc.co.uk (Jennifer Ann Bray) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Eura tablet weaving pattern Date: 29 Sep 93 11:45:52 Organization: STC Technology Ltd., London Road, Harlow, UK. I posted this before, but someone asked to see it, so maybe it never got out properly here goes the second attempt... This is my attempt at a tablet weaving pattern from Eura. It is in 3 colours, I don't know exactly what they were or which went where. * represents one colour ' is another and / is the third on the original * was dark and the other two were light All tablets turn in the same direction given by the slope of the / and ' * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' * * * ' * * * ' * * * ' * * * ' * * * ' * * * ' * * * ' * * * ' * * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * ' * / * * * / * * * / * * * / * * * / * * * / * * * / * * * / * * * / * * * / / / * / / / * / / / * / / / * / / / * / / / * / / / * / / / * / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To use the pattern you would probably need to copy it onto a piece of graph paper using coloured pens. then thread up your tablets with the first four colours in each row. Red from plants in the madder family was used on the textiles, as was a dye identified as indigo (which presumably could have come from woad aswell) There was also an unidentified yellow or green. the reconstructors used heather birch leaves and nettle for the yellow or green colour in their version. The original band was "no more than 11mm wide" I made a copy with ' as a dark indigo blue, ' as a strong weld yellow and * as a bright madder orangey red. The result came out like a series of flames, well I thought it did anyway. I worked this pattern out from Ancient Finnish Costume by Pirkko-Liisa Lehtosalo-Hilander Their interpretation of the pattern is "from the very beginning of the band. where the pattern had not yet been formed" so other patterns based on the same threading are plausible. I would be grateful for any corrections, any information on what the original clours were, or any ideas on better ways of sending tablet weaving patterns through email. Jennifer Vanaheim Vikings (Not SCA, but I was passing the Rialto & stopped for a chat) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: kreyling at lds.loral.com (Ed Kreyling 6966) Subject: Re: Table Weaving (was Truth and Beauty (was: A&S Competitions) Organization: Loral Data Systems Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1993 02:52:30 GMT In article <aliskyeCE8D5w.BIq at netcom.com> aliskye at netcom.com (Laura F. Jenkins) writes: >Can someone recommend some good books on this topic? With publishers. > Peter Collingwood is the definitive author on tablet weaving. His "Techniques on Tablet Weaving" is generally considered the best. It may be out of print. It IS hard to find. (Watson-Guptill Publications, New york, 1982). Russell Groff's "Card Weaving" is a nice little how-to but has nothing about period weaves. There are alot of patterns provided, quite a few of which are basic geometrics. (Robin and Russ Handweavers, McMinnville, Ore.) Someone might be able to send you an address (I've lost my catalog). Interweave Press is the best publishing company for any weaving style as a rule Brigit ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ed Kreyling | Master Erik of Telemark O.L.,O.P. kreyling at world.lds.loral.com | Shire of Brineside Moor Sarasota,Fl. USA | Kingdom of Trimaris, SCA ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: kreyling at lds.loral.com (Ed Kreyling 6966) Subject: Re: Weaving question Organization: Loral Data Systems Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1993 01:50:54 GMT In article <749614821.AA03104 at blkcat.UUCP> Syr.Bennen.Mactire at p12.f1066.n374.z1.fidonet.org (Syr Bennen Mactire) writes: >Grania, >I am in the process of building one of those big Viking looms, you know >the kind that lean up against the wall. I have two pictures to work from >but need more to work out the details . >Any ideas on books or points of reference that I can turn to? > >Also, how fine a weave can be accomplished on just such a loom? >How much tension is involved? > >I figured you and Brigit might get me pointed in the right direction. > >Earl Benen From: SMTP%" at sol.csee.usf.edu:longo at eggo.csee.usf.edu" Subj: Re: Weaving question Date: Mon, 4 Oct 93 18:45:15 EDT From: Andrea Longo <longo at eggo.csee.usf.edu> Subject: Re: Weaving question Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Organization: University of South Florida, Department of Computer Science and Engineering Could you post this for me? I can't post anything again because they won't allow the news software to have enough disk space. It could be days before someone fixes it. **************************************************************** Warp weighted loom?? Yippie! Somehow I missed the original post, but no big problem. There is a book I have looked thru but do not own, "The Warp Weighted Loom" by Marta Hoffman. It is considered one of the best sources on warp-weighted weaving in English. From what I saw, however, the practical information on constructing and weaving is based on modern Scandinavian use. There is an article on constructing and weaving in Early Period (issues 2&3) that I used to build mine. Most of the information I have on actual weaving techniques come from extant fragments and experimentation. There are a few archaeological reports with enough detail to guess at weaving techniques. I had aa lot of problems finding photographs of loom weights and finally ended up making some Anglo-Roman ones from descriptions and some line drawings. I don't know how many of these things were used, because I didn't make near enough to put what I felt was enough tension on the warp. Experimentation answered a lot of questions but brought up many, many more. any fragments from the period appear to have the warp closer than the weft but I had terrible problems with my 35 epi piece -- sticky warp, bad sheds, just a nightmare. I think part of the problem is using larger yarn for the same sett (based on my modern concept of what fabric should look like.) Lots of sources give sett but few talk about what kind or size of yarn was used. I just finished a long discussion on warp weighted looms on rec.crafts.textiles with a woman who does dark-ages recreation named Jennifer <somethingorother>. I know of a handful of people who work with warp weighteds, but I am the only person I know here who does. There is another lady in this kingdom who has used a slightly more advanced loom, a variant of the vertical two-beam (similar to the Navajo rug loom.) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: kreyling at lds.loral.com (Ed Kreyling 6966) Subject: Re: Weaving question Organization: Loral Data Systems Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1993 02:16:44 GMT Syr.Bennen.Mactire at p12.f1066.n374.z1.fidonet.org (Syr Bennen Mactire) writes: >I am in the process of building one of those big Viking looms, you know >the kind that lean up against the wall. I have two pictures to work from >but need more to work out the details . >Any ideas on books or points of reference that I can turn to? > "The Viking World" by James Graham-Campbell (Ticknor & Fields, New Haven,1980) has a good diagram (p. 120) of a warp weighted loom. I think I have an exploded diagram in another book but can't lay my hands on it right now. (Oh, the trials of an SCA library). We'll send you a copy. "The Viking" published by Crescent Books, New York (ISBN 0-51744.553-0) has drawings of all of the weaving tools as well. >Also, how fine a weave can be accomplished on just such a loom? >How much tension is involved? I assure you the limit of how fine the weave is will be my skill, not the type of loom. Shouldn't be a problem to do 50 epi (threads per inch, Benen), which is what the Pennsic place mats were, once I get the hang of weaving UP. I have a photo of a scrap dug up at York that must be about 100 epi. The tension isn't a problem since you tie bundles of threads to the loom weights. The finer the thread, the more you tie to the weight. Of course, I will be much more knowledgable after I've had a chance to play, swear, and weave on it for a while. Brigit ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ed Kreyling | Master Erik of Telemark O.L.,O.P. kreyling at world.lds.loral.com | Shire of Brineside Moor Sarasota,Fl. USA | Kingdom of Trimaris, SCA ----------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jab2 at stl.stc.co.uk (Jennifer Ann Bray) Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles,rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Weaving a rain cloak Date: 2 Nov 93 10:05:44 Organization: STC Technology Ltd., London Road, Harlow, UK. I have a few woolen cloaks, some are dark age square types and some more modern tailored designs. I have found that a heavy fulled wool will keep the rain off almost indefinately. I have not found seams a problem, but I used run and fell type seams, (the sort you get on the outside legs of jeans) Maybe this is a particularly waterproof type of seam as it has many layers of cloth. I have a viking style tent (An A frame design with the poles made of wooden beams), this tent has a woolen cover and has stood up to a force seven gale, with accompanying rain. It was pitched inside Harlech castle, in a particularly dumb location: the rain and wind whipped off the sea, hit the front wall of the castle, came over it, and was funnelled into the area by the castle gate. Guess where we pitched the tent? that's right bang in the middle of the wind tunnel by the castle gate. The relevance of all this to cloaks is that the tent cover was heavy wool which was fulled (felted) on one side. Inside the tent was completely dry. The gale carried on overnight and got through some of the modern tents to soak their occupants. It looked as though the wool might have been acting as a wick, drawing the water to ground, you could touch the inside of the tent without water coming through. The woolen cloth the tent was made of had never been washed so it probably had some oil left from the cloths production, but it certainly wasn't dripping in oil. A friend of mine has a guernsey jumper which is oiled wool. The jumper doesn't smell or shed oil, but he claims it is waterproof. I don't know what the oil used is. One of my square capes has been washed often enough to lose any traces of oil the wool may have contained and is still up to an hour in the rain, (I haven't tried it for longer) so I suspect that heavy wool is so waterproof on its own that you don't need to add much oil (unlike cotton which needs to be almost dripping in oil or wax to be proofed) I would definately recommend twill weaves not plain tabby as twill gives you a denser weave. If you are contemplating a seperate hood I would suggest trying to weave that first so that you can make your first learning mistakes on a smaller piece and waste less time and yarn. The irish cloaks with locks of wool woven in are still worn by shepherds in other areas of Europe, Apparently you can stay out as long as the sheep do and stay dry. locks of wool are taken from the raw fleece and threaded into the warp along with the weft. On designs I have seen they are not threaded into every single row. there was a poster on this group who had woven a sample like this. Apparently it is incredibly slow and probably not good as a first project. Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: maclure at eos.arc.nasa.gov (IanMaclure) Subject: Re: fulling Organization: NASA Ames Research Center Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1993 01:06:18 GMT Fulling, if I remember correctly was the process by which woolen garments were dry cleaned prior to the chemical era. It involved Fuller's Earth ( Diatomaceous Earth ) and a great deal of heaving and thumping. Diatomaceous Earth by the way is composed of the skeletons of microscopic prehistoric beasties. If you are discussing making of cloth ( wool ) perhaps you mean "Milling" rather than "Fulling". Tweed is "milled" or used to be in days past. Milling basically involves thumping the cloth back and forth across a sturdy table for hours at a time. IBM ################ No Times Like The Maritimes, Eh! ###################### # IBM aka # ian_maclure at QMGATE.arc.nasa.gov (desk) # # Ian B MacLure # maclure at (remulac/eos).arc.nasa.gov (currently) # ########## Opinions expressed here are mine, mine, mine. ############### From: priest at vaxsar.vassar.edu (Carolyn Priest-Dorman) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Card Weaving Date: 29 Nov 93 08:06:32 +1000 Organization: Vikings R Us Unto the Fishyfolk of the Rialto, greeting from Thora Sharptooth! Konrad von Buren asks: >I've been doing card weaving for awhile and I was wondering what type >of trim would be appropiate for a thirteenth century sideless surcoat? >What type of material would have been used for the thread (ie. wool, silk, >linen)? Well, I'm not a specialist in thirteenth-century garments, so I can't tell you if tablet weaving is appropriate trim for a sideless surcoat in that period. However, there are several surviving pieces of decorative thirteenth-century tablet weaving. Plain weaves in silk (sometimes linen) brocaded in silk or spun gold (or silver) thread were used for ecclesiastical trimmings, hairnet edgings, and girdles; they were decorated in geometric or heraldic motifs. Then there's the Belt of Philip of Swabia (died 1208), which is silk and decorated in a variety of ways: brocading, soumaking, and shadow checks. (Shadow checks are idiot-simple to weave, and in a fine shiny thread make a plain but gorgeously subtle band.) >Does anyone know a good book on brocaded card weaving? To my knowledge, there is no book focusing on brocaded tablet weaving. It is covered in both Collingwood's THE TECHNIQUES OF TABLET WEAVING (still out of print, as far as I know) and in Egon Hansen's TABLET WEAVING (which is in print but costs $55 if you can find it); however, neither source is particularly simple to absorb. Other how-to books touch on it, but I've never found one of them that sheds more light on the subject than Collingwood or Hansen. If you can't figure it out from books, try looking for someone to show you; this technique is easiest to learn by being taught by someone who's good at it. As always, I am happy to discuss sources, etc., via private e-mail. ************************************************************************* Carolyn Priest-Dorman Thora Sharptooth Poughkeepsie, NY Frosted Hills ("where's that?") priest at vassar.edu East Kingdom Gules, three square weaver's tablets in bend Or ************************************************************************* From: sclark at epas.utoronto.ca (Susan Clark) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Card Weaving Date: 29 Nov 1993 16:50:31 -0500 Organization: EPAS Computing Facility, University of Toronto Greetings! Most of the examples of theirteenth century clothing I have seen do not show prominent trim. A few of the early fourteenth century examples I have noted in sources do have a sort of plain band trim along the neckline and armholes. If you wanteted to trim a thirteenth century sleeveless (not sideless--that's a mostly 14th century style, except in Spain) surcote, I'd suggest a small, geometric-patterned card weaving (not too wide) of silk along the neckhole. Thirteen century clothing seems to have relied on patterend cloth, rather than lots of trim, to give the ooh-ah factor. (Or really expensive cloth, or interesting weaves..etc.) Cheers! Nicolaa/Susan Canton of Eoforwic sclark at epas.utoronto.ca From: habura at vccnw06.its.rpi.edu (Andrea Marie Habura) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Card Weaving Date: 30 Nov 1993 14:25:03 GMT Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY On trim: There are several fourteenth century funeral brasses that show bands of decorative trim on the garments. Favorite locations seem to be the edges of mantles and sideless surcoats. (Other styles of trim and decoration-- carpet patterns, "foliated" stuff--appear as well, but we're talking about bands here.) A large percentage are alternating figures within a thin border, like so: ============================================================================= * <> * <> * <> * <> * <> * <> * <> * <> * <> * <> * <> * <> * <> * <> * =========================================================================== The pattern I've drawn is based on a real one; a mid-14th c. brass has trim with a pattern of alternating diamonds and dots. (My memory says this is from the brass of Joanna de Woodward, but my notes are at home and I will not swear to it.) Other alternating patterns used quatrefoils or cinquefoils alternating with dots, or hollow trefoil-like things in opposite orientations. Since funeral brasses are not good sources for technique, I don't know whether these bands were embroidered or woven. There *are* surviving embroideries that use similar patterns, but that doesn't necessarily mean that embroidery was the only way they were done. Another note: a 13th c. chasuble at Melk shows the Virgin and St. John at the Crucifixion, both wearing loose tunic-like garments with bands at the neck and sleeve. The bands are--lessee--white or ivory background, gold boundary and quatrefoils. On a human-sized garment they would be about 1" wide. Alison MacDermot Needle Jock From: Sheri.Stanley at p911.f1066.n374.z1.fidonet.org (Sheri Stanley) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Fulling Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 18:50:01 -0500 MB> Fulling is done to woven wool cloth, and causes the fibers to felt MB> together, increasing the strength, thickness, and warmth of the cloth. Felting and fulling are not the same thing, though they can both be acheived through the same process. Felt is what you get if you full a piece of wool too long! :) Fulling "fluffs" the fibers, causing them to loosen and become softer, and more full. This often hides inconsistencies in weaving which would stand out in a an unfulled piece. MB> Felting is done to wool fibers, and some others (under special MB> circumtances), producing cloth in the process, which is not woven, and MB> is referred to as felt. Felt does not usually have a grain, as woven MB> goods do. Felt is generally not as strong as an equal thickness of MB> woven fabric, but you can do odd things to it, such as stretching it to MB> make hats, which you cannot do with woven fabric. Felting is done to unwoven fibers...fulling to woven pieces. Any animal fiber will full out nicely...and cotton also tends to "bloom" when fulled. Linen is a lost cause - it doesn't full at all - so any mistakes or inconsistencies stay exactly where you put them! Using a washing machine is a scary proposition! It's terribly easy to over-full an item in it - and once fulled, you can't "un-full" it! Grania From: jab2 at stl.stc.co.uk (Jennifer Ann Bray) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: 14th C textiles & clothing book Date: 11 Jan 94 15:30:14 Organization: STC Technology Ltd., London Road, Harlow, UK. I just got a book that might interest someone else out there: Medieval finds from excavations in London: 4 Textiles and Clothing c.1150 - c.1450 Elizabeth Crowfoot, Frances Pritchard and Kay Staniland Published HMSO 1992 copyright of the Board of Governors of the Museum of London ISBN 0 11 290445 9 Price 29.95 pounds sterling Most of the stuff is fourteenth century, though as the books title says the range is from c.1150-c.1450 The book begins with details of sources and where the textiles were found, then there is a short chapter on techniques used in textile production. This has some very dodgy looking drawings of looms, there seems to be no way to move the beaters on them, either They've missed something or medieval looms were wierder than I thought. Then the book goes into details on weaves and structures with chapters on wool, goathair, linen, silk and mixed cloths. The wool chapter even includes a couple of pages on knitting and one on felt. The chapter on silk is a masterpiece of deduction, by hunting around ancient silks the authors have reproduced patterns of whole pieces of cloth from tiny scraps and offcuts. A whole chapter is devoted to narrow wares including tablet woven braids, fingerloop braids, plaited braids, garters and hairnets. This was my favourite, as I'm a tablet weaving freak, there was a good description of a method of sewing braid onto edges by simultaneously weaving and sewing, using the weft of the braid as the sewing thread. I'm dying to find something to try this out on. There is also a chapter on sewing with lots of detail on stuff like how seams were sewn, how cloth buttons were made, how the buttonholes were stitched, how to edge necks you name it, it's there. Anyone like me who spends hours fiddling about with fiddle about with period details that hardly anyone appreciates will love this section. There is not so much on patterns of clothing as mostly the stuff found was very fragmentary, but there are pictures of hoods and hose that are complete enough to work out a pattern from. There is also a well preserved buttoned sleeve which might interest someone with a masochistic inclination to make buttonholes by the dozen! The illustrations are great with lots of colour plates and close ups, so you can see every detail of the textiles. The text puts everything into context and cites just about every other relevant find there is. This is definately not a beginners book, and it's quite expensive, but if you're looking for something to add to a 14th century English costume and you've run out of sources, this is the book for you. I don't even do 14th century stuff and I got it anyway, I can never resist a good book on textiles, maybe that's why I never have enough money left over to buy the bookshelves I need to put them all on! Jennifer Vanaheim Vikings From: Gregory Young <kyrke at MBnet.MB.CA> Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: CRAFT : Inkle Looms and Yarn... Date: Sat, 19 Nov 1994 18:41:14 -0600 Organization: The University of Manitoba I read your message concerning yarns for an inkle loom. I have done a lot of weaving, and some the materials that I use are: the cotton knitting yarns - these are made from cotton fibres and do not matt like the various wool and rayon/acrylic yarns; embroidery cotton, skeins, perle No 8 and perle No.5; crochet cotton (which I really like for weaving belts). There is also weaving yarn that is spun for people who use frame looms. It comes in various weights and is available at weaving and craft stores. Where I live (Winnipeg, Manitoba) there is a knitting and weaving store that caters to the 4 harness loom people, they also carry yarns for us inkle weavers. (I have even seen people use 'rat's tail' cord in weaving, also butcher twine). I like to use my imagination and experiment with as many different types of thread/yarn possible. Hope this is of some use. Enjoy! Mistress Hermina Matilda de Ainesleah of Meredene (just call me Ainesleah) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: CRAFT : Inkle Looms and Yarn... From: (ssgt miller m.s.) Date: 21 Nov 94 16:56:12 CST In message <3ahagh$sm3 at delphinium.cig.mot.com>, garvey at poohbear.cig.mot.com (Heather L. Garvey) writes: > I picked up an inkle loom at Pennsic and I've made a couple >lengths of trim on it. I want to start getting serious, but I'm having >a hard time find good material - smooth, not-too-thin 'yarn'. I use 10/2 or 5/2 mercerized cotton for inkle projects. Any local yarn store should be willing to order it for you. They also should be able to give you a contact number for your local weaving/spinning guild. Martin From: bridave at MCS.COM (Janice Skaggs) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Craft: Inkle Looms and Yarn.. Date: 20 Nov 1994 10:27:46 -0600 Organization: MCSNet Subscriber Account, Chicago's First Public-Access Internet! Buy a cheap can of spray net, it washes out and keeps the thread from "Mating" although you do get fuzz balls. See me at 12th night or call and I'll give you some sources in Chicago for yarns and stuff. I also sell looms and loom supplies to renies SCA people. Bridget (312) 262-8915 From: sapalmer at magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Sharon A Palmer) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: CRAFT : Inkle Looms and Yarn... Date: 15 Dec 1994 19:37:26 GMT Organization: The Ohio State University In article <97f_9412110453 at blkcat.fidonet.org>, Sheri Stanley <Sheri.Stanley at p1.f1.n107.z180.fidonet.org> quotes someone not identified: > >> I picked up an inkle loom at Pennsic and I've made a couple > >> lengths of trim on it. I want to start getting serious, but I'm having > >> a hard time find good material - smooth, not-too-thin 'yarn'. I usually use crochet cotton. It is strong and smooth, easily available in many colors and is a nice weight for trim. I use a metallic gold or silver in narrow stripes with it. The colors are usually too bright, so I put in some darker warps also. I put garb with this trim in the washer and dryer. There is a store here in Columbus Ohio that sells 'seconds' balls that got mashed or broke off at the factory at 20 cents an ounce. Ranvaig Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: lhorvath at badlands.NoDak.edu (Lorine S Horvath) Subject: tablet weaving patterns Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 22:11:21 GMT Organization: North Dakota Higher Education Computing Network The techniques of tablet weaving, by Peter Collingwood is a marvelous source. He lists archaeological finds, and discusses their patterns and how to achieve them, along with lots of other information. Fiona ni Cai From: vinwaluf2 at aol.com (VINWALUF2) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: tablet weaving patterns Date: 31 May 1995 21:32:42 -0400 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Another book you may want to find is "Tablet Weaving" by Egon Hansen. (I got my copy from Unicorn Textile Books). It's a bit of a bear to read, as it was evidently (poorly) translated from the original Finnish, but the bulk of the items he covers are from archaeological textiles. Hope this is of help. Gwennan ferch Gwydion O'Ddyved Barony of AnCrosaire Trimaris From: priest at vaxsar.vassar.edu Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: tablet weaving patterns Date: 1 Jun 95 07:22:24 +1000 Organization: Vassar College Greeting from Thora Sharptooth! Gwennan (vinwaluf2 at aol.com) wrote: > Another book you may want to find is "Tablet Weaving" by Egon Hansen. (I > got my copy from Unicorn Textile Books). It's a bit of a bear to read, as > it was evidently (poorly) translated from the original Finnish, but the > bulk of the items he covers are from archaeological textiles. Hansen's workshop worked on reproducing early period tablet weaves for use at the Danish open-air museum at Moesgard. (The original language was not Finnish, but Danish.) Some of the textiles covered in the book were archaeological, some were relics. Good photos of the reproductions are included. Photos of some of these reproductions are also included on the World of the Vikings CD-ROM, including two Anglo-Saxon pieces. Hansen's explanations take careful reading, and there are some printing errors in some of the patterns. Not a beginner's book! Does anybody remember who once told the Rialto about this book that it was written by "Danes from Mars"? I've quoted her often since then. ;> ************************************************************************** Carolyn Priest-Dorman Thora Sharptooth Poughkeepsie, NY Frosted Hills ("where's that?") priest at vassar.edu East Kingdom Gules, three square weaver's tablets in bend Or ************************************************************************** Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Scots Scholarship Needed From: una at bregeuf.stonemarche.org (Honour Horne-Jaruk) Date: Mon, 10 Jul 95 07:51:32 EDT China <Laurie_kovaleski at ncsu.edu> writes: > If this date is true, why was one of the punishments of the Jacobite > Revolution, by the King of England, was to outlaw wearing of tartans. > (Remember that the two main uprising were in the 1700's.) Respected Friend: Please note that the (incredibly nit-picky) wording of 18th cent. laws did not, in that case, include either the word "clan" or any legally equivalent phrase, and didn't even include "scottish" or any legally equivalent modifier. The law just outlawed "tartan". All tartan. Any tartan. Tartan was well known as THE Scots cloth long before any clan had been pounded into the Sobieski's rather-too-small molds. After Prince Charlie's unsuccsessful uprising, many "relics" from the battlefields were lovingly preserved. It is interesting to note that _not one_ of these relics matches _any_ Sobieski "Clan tartan". It is also- at least to a weaver- interesting to note that some of them weren't even twill weave. (To a weaver, that opens the possibility that parts of the fighting force may have come from places where the ancient upright loom was still in use. While it's possible to weave twill on an upright loom, it isn't anything resembling easy.) ...Ain't science wunnerful? Yours in service to the Society- (Friend) Honour Horne-Jaruk R.S.F. Alizaunde, Demoiselle de Bregeuf C.O.L. SCA Una Wicca (That Pict) From: deporodh at aol.com (Deporodh) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Scots Scholarship Needed Date: 14 Jul 1995 00:19:06 -0400 bjm10 at cornell.edu (Bryan Maloney) writes: > Clan tartans were invented after AD1800. MODERN clan tartans were invented after 1800 CE. Roman descriptions of many years before attempt to define the "checked" patterns you get when you weave the same pattern in warp and weft. Alizaunde, Demoiselle de Bregeuf, writes in response: > Three factors: > Weavers are creatures of habit. Plaids make this worse. Working with >a horizontal stripe or a plaid, it's easy to tell how much you've woven at >the end of the day; weavers like that. They also like having such an easy >way >to tell good work from bad... >Cloth can't be dyed with plants that don't exist. Each area of >Scotland is very much stuck with its native dyeplants, and thus with >colors >those dyeplants can produce. This means that each region has a set of >"Common" >colors which the experienced can peg evey time. >Setting up a loom is a very wasteful process, and used to be more so. >Nobody did it more often than was absolutely unavoidable. This means >that a man ordering plaid for a group is going to have the same plaid for >the >whole group, so that the loom only gets dressed once, and the waste is >minimized. >Result: Each weaver has plaids he weaves, each region has colors it >uses, each lord has his men dressed in the same plaid for long periods of >time. This fellow fiber-fan has reached my own conclusions and added a few fine insights of her own (from experience, I suspect), thus cutting down my need to point these things out. From my readings 20 years ago on the subject, Scottish weavers before the Acts of Proscription recorded their patterns on "sett sticks," which displayed the thread colors and counts in order (an easy way to record the quadrilaterally or bilaterally symmetrical patterns used). Since the very weaving of tartan was prohibited by those acts for more than a generation (enacted 1746, repealed 1782 or 83) and (like all other things in the acts) made a transportable or hanging offense (only two strikes and you're out!), such small items as little colored sticks were pretty thoroughly lost. If *I* wanted to try to investigate pre-'45 tartan patterns AND had a nice, juicy grant to support me, I'd spend a year or three talking to the oldest families in the remote NC and TN and WV Appalachian hill communities and just see whether any of g'g'g'g'g'-granny's old weaving junk came this-a-way with her and survived in some fiber-traditional family. Mistress Deporodh of Rannoch, O.L., called Dis Stigandi inactive From: wildgoose at gateway.ecn.com (Keith Cunningham) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Family tartan Date: 19 Jul 1995 17:44:06 -0700 Organization: West Coast Computer Products A long series of modern myth repetitions concerning Tartans has again surfaced. Some of them are true, some are just myths, and some are outright saxon lies. The saxons lies 1] that family tartans are a modern invention. 2] that sett sticks are lost 3] that you can't produce the same color from one year to the next or that you can't produce a dyestock with out the right materials grown locally. Gael truth 1] family and district tartans go back hundreds of years. The registration and publication is a modern affectation. 2] Sett sticks are lost. There is a musuem in the Striling area that has huge numbers of these sett sticks on display. 3] The was/is a thriving cross channel trade in dye stock. I have heard these and others till I am sick of them and would just like to drive a stick thru their heart before they rise from the dead again. Slante' Keith Cunningham From: donna at kwantlen.bc.CA (Donna Hrynkiw) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Tablet Weaving news!! Date: 25 Oct 1995 16:37:37 -0400 For all you tablet-weavers/card-weavers out there. Elizabeth Braidwood donna at kwantlen.bc.ca ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: 25 Oct 95 16:19:05 EDT From: LINDA J. HENDRICKSON <102617.362 at compuserve.com> Subject: Tablet Weaving Hi Donna, Here's a fact sheet on TWINE. You will need to contact Linda Malan for information on Marijke van Epen's workshops. I'm arranging Peter Collingwood's workshops, and there are no definite plans yet. TWINE Tablet Weavers International News Exchange Tablet weavers of any level of experience are encouraged to join TWINE, Tablet Weavers International News Exchange. Formed in July 1994, the group now has approximately 60 members from the US, Canada, The Netherlands, Denmark, England, France, Israel, and Australia. Pirkko Karvonen, a leading fiber craftsperson from Alberta, Canada, is coordinating a newsletter. It consists of material written by the members, and is distributed three times per year. Topics include letters, techniques, technical tips, historical articles, product news, and announcements of interest to tablet weavers. To join TWINE and receive the newsletter, send $ 9.00 if you live in the U.S. or Canada, or $12.00 if you live elsewhere, to: Pirkko Karvonen 373 - 22560 Wye Rd Sherwood Park, Alberta T8A 4T6 Canada Phone (403) 467-4254 TWINE CURRENT NEWS TWINE is sponsoring a workshop by the Dutch tablet weaver Marijke van Epen in July 1996, to be held in Seattle or Portland. Marijke has written books on Indonesian tablet weaving, and on the use of tablets to produce traditional designs from Peru and Bolivia. For information, contact: Linda Malan 830 Olympic Avenue Edmonds, WA 98020 USA Phone (206) 771-8072 TWINE is also planning a juried international tablet weaving exhibition, to be held at the First Unitarian Church in downtown Portland in July 1996, to coincide with Convergence 96. Additionally, Peter Collingwood, British author of The Techniques of Tablet Weaving, is now scheduling tablet weaving workshops to be held before and after Convergence 96 activities. For information on the exhibition and Peter's worksho