Bookmarks

During the workshop I was asked about bookmarks.  Here are some suggestions and some new band patterns.

The simplest bookmarks are short lengths of woven band with a plait at one end and a fringe at the other. The length of the bookmark can be altered to suit the type of book it will be used for.  I use a fine cotton 16/2 Swedish cotton for preference but other fine yarns could be used.

I have made bookmarks made using darning yarn which comes inside the balls of Jawoll sock yarn by Lang. I use the sock yarn for weaving belts and bands as it is strong and comes in a wonderful variety of colours. As you can see, I have used quite a lot of sock yarn!  These little spools are great as they match the sock yarn but are much finer and very strong.

Bookmark One

Here is the bookmark made with the darning yarn from Yawoll sock yarn.

It is a Swedish pattern and I think it is most unusual because of the colours.

There are 37 pattern threads.  The weft is red. The width is 15 mm,  just over 0.5 inches

Warp

Red     2    2    2     1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    2    2    2
Pink       2    2     1    1    1                      1    1    1    2    2   
Blue                                      1    1    1

Swedish band in pink red and blue

Close up of the pattern

Bookmark 2

Here is another unusual Swedish band.


There are 59 warp ends in white, yellow, blue and pink. It is woven in 16/2 cotton.
Width: 14 mm - just over 0.5 inches

Warp

White    4            4          2             2              4             4
Blue          4    4     2           2     2              2      4     4
Yellow         2                         3                             2
Pink                           4                          4

Swedish multi coloured band

Here is a close up of the bookmark.

One end has a plait. Take a look at the bottom and top. When the plait is made, the band curls in slightly. You can mitigate against this if the last couple of picks are woven with the weft tightly pulled so that the band becomes narrower. Of course the band is the same pattern on the top and underneath but I think that the non-curled part looks neater.

reverse side of band

Top of band

The other end is whipped with a small tassel of warp ends.

reverse side of band

Top of band

You can see that the same  happens here. So, remember to weave a couple of picks with a tightly pulled weft so that the band becomes narrower.
There is a further consideration. Try to whip the ends and plait so that the curl of the band is on the same side.

Of course you can vary the design by using a plait at both ends. The bookmark needs to be long enough so that the plaits are seen at both the top and bottom of the book

Bookmark Three

This is a Finnish band. I used a plait at both ends for the bookmark.

There are 29 pattern threads.  The weft is white. The width is 13mm   approx 0.5 inches.  

Two plaits for this bookmark

Warp

White    1    1    1    1   1     1             1    1    1    1     1     1
Blue         1    1    1    1    1    1       1    1    1    1     1     1
Red                                             5

Here is the drawdown.

There are lots more patterns in my book The Art of Simple Band Weaving. available from Blurb

Also   In Celebration of Plain Weave.  by Annie MacHale
http://aspinnerweaver.blogspot.com/

This beautiful book has lots of colourful bands for you to try.

Do check out Annie's blog.  She has two excellent posts about pick up band weaving.

Workshop Week Two: Recording Patterns

In the first week of the workshop, I gave you a small exercise to do.  Here are three bands with the complete analysis.  

Band 1: Sami band 

I am using a commercial band lock 

Close up of band

Total number of warp ends is 59

Warp:  4 ply sock yarn  yellow, red, white and blue

Weft:  4 ply sock yellow

The width is approximately .

Warp Chart

                                                                                                                      

Note that the warp chart only gives half the warp. The M indicates the centre. 

Threading and Drawdown

You can see from the drawdown that one white stripe on the left has 5 warp ends but  all of the other white stripes have four warp ends.  This may be an error in the original pattern or this may be a way of ensuring that the warp ends at the edges of the band  are threaded through a hole.  Threads through a hole are less likely to abrade.  

Band 2.   Japan: another Sanada-Himo band

Warp Chart

Total number of warp ends is 44.

The weft is white cottolin. 

Width approximately  12 mm. 

Threading Chart

Band 3.    Estonia

Total number of warp ends is 16

Warp:  4 ply sock yarn dk yellow, pale yellow and brown

Weft:  4 ply sock yarn brown

The width is approximately .

Drawdown and Threading Chart

Designing using a weave chart.

I made this heddle from coffee stirrers. 

This is a pattern for a band from Sweden in black, white and red. 

I use the PCW weave programme to check my threading and store the patterns.  I always weave a band to ensure that the pattern is correct. 

                            Warp chart

Red          2              1       9       1             2
Black            2                                     2
White                 1        1       1       1

There are 23 warp ends in total.

Loom Weaving Pattern Editor.

However there are other ways of planning a pattern and recording your design.  Here is the same pattern entered onto a very easy to use programme. 

Band Weaving Pattern Editor  

http://www.raktres.net/seizenn/loom_weaving_editor.html 

Warp chart

Red          2              1       9       1        2
Black            2                                2
White                 1        1       1

Threading charts

Here are the two charts from the Loom Weaving Pattern Editor.

Loom Weaving pattern Editor: the threading 

Loom Weaving Pattern Editor: the band

The two rows on these charts represent the threading . One row is heddled/ long slot/shaft 1.

The second row is unheddled/hole/shaft 2.
You can use these charts for the inkle loom, a two shaft loom or a standard heddle.

PCW Weave Program drawdown.

PCW weave program

This is the top of the drawdown using the PCW weave program. Again it shows the order for threading the warp ends on a rigid heddle or an inkle loom.



I hope that you have enjoyed these band patterns and I do hope you will try the Loom Weaving pattern editor.



Susan J Foulkes May 2020

Workshop Week One: Band weaving with a rigid heddle

I am running an online workshop for the Braid Society on Braids & Bands group   https://groups.io/g/braidsandbands  This blog is part of the workshop for week one.
The Woolery in the USA, has published a post about the workshop  https://woolery.com/blog/   If you live in the USA, their online shop is open for equipment etc.




I love band weaving.  The back strap is such a practical way to weave and very portable. I also love weaving equipment, from the simple to the more highly decorated. I have quite a collection and very often have more than one is use.

My one regret is that I have not found a Sami heddle made from reindeer antler.  On my recent rip to Jokkmokk, I saw a lovely heddle in an exhibition in the Sami Douji Centre but it was bought as soon as the exhibition opened.  The person waited in the queue to get in, and immediately purchased it. Here is a picture of the heddle and the person who made it.  It was a work of art and takes a skill learned over a considerable period and many months to make.

Heddle and maker

Owning something is not really the point.  Owning something that has been made with considerable skill and that I can use, adds another dimension to weaving.  I love my large loom and find myself stroking the wood sometimes. It is the feel of the object.  Handmade heddles are such a joy to use. I feel that I am in touch with the maker as well as in touch with the skills that I need to weave. In Scandinavian countries a decorated rigid heddle was often given as a betrothal gift and there are some beautiful examples in museums.


Here are some of my standard rigid heddles.

Estonian Heddle and shuttle

Here are some of my standard heddles currently in use.  I bought a set of beautiful heddles in Boras, Sweden many years ago and they are simply lovely to hold. They still sell some of the designs.

The two heddles on the right are from vavkompaniet.

https://www.vavkompaniet.se/tools-for-textile-craft/heddles/

My first workshop online was a number of years ago. At the time, rigid heddles were not easy to find.  I tried making my own and shared the process.  Nowadays,heddles are widely available and  with the advent of 3D printing and an interest in making weaving tools, you do not have to acquire new skills to start weaving.

Here are the series of pictures I posted.  I am not a wood worker, so carpenters look away now! These heddles were not works of art but I enjoyed the process of working out how to make something within the severe limits of my skill.

Making a rigid heddle

1.  You will need: wooden coffee stirrers,   glue, fine sand paper, wire wool, a drill. And a length of wood, approx 24 mm in depth.  This should be flat one side but may be shaped on the other.

Choose coffee stirrers  that are straight and not warped.  Sand them to ensure that they are completely smooth. Mark the centre and drill a small hole in each stick.

2.  Sand them again and finish with wire wool.  Make sure that the sides of the sticks are smooth.  You will need more stirrers than you eventually use for the heddle.  Some will splinter or split.  In others,  you may find that your drilled hole is not central.

3.  Cut four 24 sticks the length of one coffee stirrer.  These will form the top and bottom of the heddle. Take two coffee stirrers and glue them to two of the wide sticks on the long edge.  Leave until the glue is dry.

Now spread glue on the wide sticks and place one coffee stirrer at each end. 

4.  Start to place the rest of the narrow sticks into place.  Adjust the gap between each stick.  Make the gaps as even as possible. 

5.  Glue the other two wide sticks.  Stick them on top of the narrow sticks. Place a weight on the completed heddle and leave the glue to dry.

6.  You will need to sand the top and bottom of the heddle. 

The heddle is now complete.   Usually, heddles have a handle on the bottom edge.  This helps to balance the heddle when weaving.  You can attach a small weight to the middle of the heddle on the bottom edge which should stop it twisting.

I made a number of heddles and gave them away, but I kept this one for myself. It is still in use.

Another home made standard heddle

I also tried to make my own band lock.

Making a Band Lock

You will need:
20 x 24mm wood no longer than 140mm
2 cup hooks
A thin strip of wood narrower than the first
A belt


I made a number of versions. This one uses a square section length of wood.

Another system is using a cotton reel and a ‘clip it’ with a cord to go around your waist.

Using a band lock

Band locks are not new. They have been found in Etruscan graves.  They were made of bronze.  Two identical strips with a hook on each end hold the warp ends in place.  The  back strap was tied around this band lock to clamp the warp ends tightly.  I tried to find a blacksmith to make me a copy but I was unsuccessful. 

This is from an illustration in an article by Margarita Gleba.  However, there is no indication that they used the band lock in this way.  They may have woven in the opposite direction.  If the tablets are near to the band lock, you can weave over the tablets and beat away from you.  This means that any overtwist in the warp ends can be easily undone by the weaver as the unwoven warp ends are wrapped around and through the band lock. 

This band lock uses a slightly rounded length of wood. 

When you tension the warp, the band locks into place.

Week One of the workshop for the Braid Society, gives examples of woven bands from northern Europe, South America and Japan. Remember you can use an inkle loom or a two shaft table or floor loom. You do not have to use a standard heddle.

A Striped Band 

Here is a band inspired by a patterned band from Peru.

This is another beautiful Swedish heddle.

Close up of band.

Warp Chart

Blue                     6                                               6
Dk green                  2
Medium green              2
Emerald  green                 2
Yellow                                  1
White                                       1
Light pink                                      2
Medium pink                                    2
Bright pink                                           2
Burgundy                                                 1

There are 27 warp ends in total.  I used 4 ply sock yarn and the band width is 15mm. I love the way that the colours glow against the dark blue edges.

Here is the drawdown with the nine colours.

Nine colour Peruvian band

I hope you enjoy trying this band.  It is a great way to use up small quantities of yarn.

I have been making some book marks with an adapted  pattern but this time using 16/2 cotton.

Using a different yarn will alter the width of the band. i will be showing you the bookmarks and the revised pattern on another blog.


Of course other equipment can be used. I am weaving a red and white band for a belt on my floor inkle loom.

I am using double knit cotton two colours  with a red weft.

Warp Chart

red        11        1     1      2    1     1     2     1      1      12
white            1      2     1     1     2    1      1     2      1




Here is the draw down.  There are 45 warp ends in total.  The width of the band on the loom is 3 cms  1.25 inches.

Here is another way of displaying the band pattern.  We will be looking at this in a later blog.

Next week there will more patterns for you to try

Weaving equipment can be bought online from Stoorstalka who ship world-wide. They are also publishing the booklets for the online weaving workshop. I want to encourage as many people as possible to get weaving!   Here is the link  https://shop.stoorstalka.com/en/products/workshop/

All the bands in the workshop can be woven using a standard rigid heddle with a band weaving shuttle.

Susan J Foulkes  May 1st 2020