My books about band weaving.



My book has been published by Schiffer publishing.  Click HERE to see the book on Amazon.



'Narrow bands woven in colourful patterns are a centuries-old part of Baltic craft tradition. The double slotted heddle makes patterned band weaving quicker to learn and easier to do, and this is the first book that offers beginners instructions for using it. The craft doesn't involve bulky equipment―all you need can be stored in a shoe box! Learn how to weave these beautiful bands step by step, from the simple 5 pattern threads to the more complex 7 and 9 patterns. Colour photographs illustrate the instructions for learning to weave. More than 140 patterns are included, along with principles for planning your own unique designs for contemporary uses such as straps, belts, bracelets, and even handfasting bands. The breathtaking range of colourful bands woven in Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Norway are explored and offer additional inspiration.'  These patterns can be woven on an inkle loom and there are instructions in the book and a YouTube video.

Where to buy.

Available on Amazon.

Gazelle Book Services are the distributors and it can be bought direct from them.  They ship worldwide. They also supply trade ordershttps://www.gazellebookservices.co.uk/

The Braid Society sell my book on their web page.  Why not join the Braid Society at the same time!
https://thebraidsociety.wildapricot.org/Books-for-sale

You can order this book from https://www.abebooks.co.uk/ in the UK.

It is also available at the Handweavers Studio in London. https://www.handweavers.co.uk/  If you order the book from Handweavers Studio , you will receive a bookmark that I wove.

In Sweden, it can be ordered from Stoorstalkahttps://stoorstalka.com/

In the USA, Vavstuga have a great store   https://www.vavstuga.com/
They posted a YouTube review of my book which can be seen here:

Weaving Patterned Bands - Vävstuga book preview   https://youtu.be/IwXYaFNEcqw 

YouTube videos

There are two YouTube videos to accompany this book.

Weaving Bands with 5 pattern threads with Susan J Foulkes




Weaving a Patterned Band on a Floor Inkle Loom

https://youtu.be/k9Jhd80mBsQ




This is my lastest book published with Blurb. a



Weaving Message: Numbers and alphabet with 9 pattern threads. 

https://www.blurb.co.uk/b/9675200-weaving-messages
This book gives the patterns for letters and an alphabet for use with 9 pattern threads. It is designed for weavers who have already tried pick up band weaving on the double slotted heddle, the standard heddle or an inkle loom and who do not need the basic instructions.  There are 36 pages in full colour.





The Braid Society web page.                https://thebraidsociety.wildapricot.org/

The Braid Society sells a number of publications on aspects of band-weaving and braid making.  The books all authored by members of the Braid Society are listed below.  They are available for purchase by members and non-members alike and can be dispatched anywhere in the world.  Prices are in British Pounds Sterling (GBP).  




 



Blurb books is discontinuing the ebook format sometime this year.  However, my books will still be available in other formats.

https://www.blurb.co.uk/b/11486284-the-art-of-simple-band-weaving


My work has also appeared in a book by Anne Field.

Anne Field, (2008) Collapse Weave: creating three-dimensional cloth, Christchurch, New Zealand: Willsonscott Publishers, ISBN: 978-1-877427-17-6

My sample and scarf appear on pages 38, 39 and 99





  






33 comments:

  1. I went to Blurb to purchase your books, but only Weaving Sami bands was available in that format. Can you help?

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    Replies
    1. HI. I do not know why the books are not listed. I have contacted Blurb about the issue. On the Blurb page choose all and the search term weaving and all the versions are shown.
      Here is the quick link to the ebook versions
      for Sami Band Weaving http://store.blurb.com/ebooks/357169-sami-band-weaving
      Weaving Sami bands is http://store.blurb.co.uk/ebooks/475377-weaving-sami-bands
      The Art of Simple Band Weaving is http://store.blurb.co.uk/ebooks/451082-the-art-of-simple-band-weaving
      I hope this helps.

      Susan J Foulkes

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  2. I have bought a copy of the Sami Band Weaving book (iPad) and have found it very useful. Is there any way that I can get PDF or similar version of the patterns as it is not very easy to work from an iPad as a basic pattern source? Niel

    Many thanks, Niel

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    Replies
    1. Hi Neil I do not use the PDF format at the moment. You could always take a screen shot on the IPad and print it out.

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  3. Can you tell me what format the ebook is in please? It says for ipad, but that could be any number of formats. Do you know if it has DRM? I'm looking for something I can view on a Windows or Linux computer.

    Thanks,
    Linda

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    Replies
    1. I am away from home so I will reply in full when I get back.
      Susan

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    2. Hi Linda
      I have looked through Blurb and I cannot see details about eboook formats. As far as I am aware, the IPad format in Blurb can only be viewed on an IPad. I have tried to convert it to a different format but it scrambles the text and diagrams.
      Sorry

      Delete
  4. Hi Susan
    I'd like to know if the ebooks from Blurb will be available for downloading only once, or if they will be accessible later?

    Thank you

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  5. Hi. I am not sure. Why not ask Blurb? They are very efficient at answering questions. I know that you get a code so that you can download the book. You can download it direct to IBooks.

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  6. Hello Susan
    I was given The Art of Simple Band Weaving for Christmas. I am completely new to weaving. I would like to start off with a rigid heddle but am totally confused as to how the size of a heddle relates to the number of warp ends.
    You have a photo at the back of the book of a heddle that has 26 slots and 27 holes (not counting the the short row) and yet your green belt on page 75 has 85 warp ends. How do I work out what heddle I need to purchase to make the bands in this book. Although you describe a variety of equipment I can't see anywhere that it mentions what is essential to undertake weaving the bands described.
    Marianne

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    Replies
    1. Hi Marianne
      You need to know the total number of holes and slots in a heddle. The heart heddle at the back of the book has 53 slots and holes. There are 27 holes and 26 slots so you can weave a band of up to 53 warp ends. The heddle on page 80 has 28 holes and 27 slots. The red plastic heddle on page 81 has 32 holes and 31 slots so a band with up to 63 warp ends can be woven.
      You need to decide what equipment you would like to try. An inkle loom can take many warp ends and is capable of weaving a sturdy band with thick threads as well as fine threads. A rigid heddle can be used with a back strap and you will need to decide the type of band you wish to weave. A wooden heddle can take thicker threads as well as finer threads. A plastic heddle can take thicker wool but it depends upon the size of the holes. Handweavers Studio in London used to sell a plain wooden heddle. I am contacting them to see if they still stock it as I need a set for a workshop.It has 26 holes and 25 slots so can weave a band of up to 51 warp ends. I am using it on my YouTube video Five ways of weaving narrow bands which shows the set up for weaving using different types of looms and a backstrap. Here is the link https://youtu.be/ZzhuDomPtxE
      On my blog in the threading a rigid heddle section there is a picture of a large wooden heddle. This has 35 holes and 34 slots so can take a warp of up to 69 ends. This heddle is relatively heavy and I only use it for sturdier bands.
      i hope this helps.

      Susan J Foulkes December 2017

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    2. Thanks for your speedy reply. It obviously needs a lot of thinking about. It had not occurred to me that the weight of a heddle as well as the number of slots and holes needed to be taken into account. I will study your video. I have looked briefly at your blog on threading the heddle but have absolutely no idea what you mean by a singles cross or how or why it is used. The image shows yarns being separated but how do you decide which yarns need separating from which?
      As far as yarn is concerned is 4ply cotton suitable for first attempts?
      Happy New Year
      Marianne

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  7. Hi Marianne

    I have just uploaded a new section on my blog which gives a number of YouTube videos about making a warp which I hope will explain the singles cross. Any craft has its own vocabulary. A diagram of a singles cross in on page 79 of the book. Once you have made the warp the singles cross is secured by wrapping ties around the four groups of yarn. Two pieces of wood or two rulers are placed into the singles cross. The cross has the warp ends in order for threading the heddle.
    A four ply cotton would be fine for a first sample band.
    Happy New Year
    Susan

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  8. Hi I made a pattern on inkle loom plain weave pattern generator so it says each box is one thread so I would not be doing a figure 8 I am really confused no video on warping a simple warp it seems to me to just run it the length I need cut the yarn and the feed the heddle

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  9. Dear Susan. Do you do talks and demos to weaving and spinning guilds? Please contact me at srahmarks@aol.com. we are based in Ringwood Dorset. Thanks

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  10. Hi Sorry for taking so long to reply. At the moment I am not doing any talks or workshops due to the coronavirus.

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  11. Do you know that now it is possible to convert your E-books to more formats?
    I really like to use my android pad !
    https://support.blurb.com/hc/en-us/articles/207804796-Upgrade-Your-Ebook-File-to-Support-Kindle-Android-and-iPad-ePub3-
    Regards
    //Mia

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  12. Mackenzie Fairchild22 September 2020 at 19:29

    Hi Susan! I have bought two of your books (Sam Band Weaving and Woven Bands from Sweden) and am super excited about them! I plan on weaving exclusively on an Inkle loom and am having a difficult time understanding which threads I need to heddle/leash on the loom for the various patterns...would you mind helping me to understand? Thanks in advance!

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  13. HI. I am sure that you will love weaving patterned bands on your inkle loom. have you watched my YouTube video about weaving patterned bands on a floor inkle.
    https://youtu.be/k9Jhd80mBsQ
    When you have a pattern, the centre pattern thread must be threaded through a heddle on your inkle loom. So you need to work out the pattern beforehand so that you can thread the inkle loom correctly. As you know you start threading on the left side of the chart and work across to the right side of the chart. You need to work out whether the first thread on the left is heddled or unheddled to make the centre pattern thread a heddled thread.
    I hope this helps.
    happy weaving

    Susan

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  14. Hello Susan
    I saw your talk on Zoom for the Cambridge Guild on Sami braids which was very interesting and wonder if you would do one for the Mid Essex Guild weavers, spinners and dyers.
    Many thanks
    Chris Applebee chairman

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  15. The thing I'm struggling with most using a rigid heddle like the native sami way, is threading and forming the warp in the first place. I end up in a great tangle and it takes me hours and hours :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I made a couple of YouTube videos some years ago. The first one is winding a warp https://youtu.be/SgTiDoLu8dg
      The second one shows how to thread a rigid heddle. https://youtu.be/EfjRnn08OIU I hope you find it useful.
      Also there is a Finnish weaver who has excellent YouTube videos on how to warp etc Try this one. https://youtu.be/TU6vqNxPXtU
      best wishes Susan

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  16. Hello
    I have been watching your Youtube videos, and would love to try a double holed heddle. However the ones I can find online are different to yours, and I wondered where you had bought yours from please?
    Dee

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  17. Hi my video on the doubled holed heddle https://youtu.be/38XeymYKi0Y The heddle I am using was bought in Sweden and can be bought online.

    Vav Kompaniet https://www.vavkompaniet.se/en/

    Ihope this helps
    best wishes Susan

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  18. I'm reading your book at the moment and finding it very interesting, especially the photos of historic bands in different countries.

    Are you aware of any traditional Ukrainian patterns? We have number of refugees locally, and I'd like to weave something from their tradition.

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  19. What a thoughtful idea. It is so important that the culture and heritage of Ukraine is preserved and celebrated. Try this site https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WovenSlavicBelts Elena's etsy site has many examples of Ukrainian patterns. I have bought one of her lovely belts and also her book about Slavic patterns. best wishes to you and your Ukrainian neighbours. Susan J Foulkes

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  20. Thanks! That's very helpful. I may well buy a copy of her book.

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  21. I just bought the Slavic pattern book you mentioned, but was very disappointed: 
    No woven examples. 
    No indication as to which country they come from. 
    No attempt to make a new version of the diagrams with poor contrast. 
    No cultural context of any kind. 
    No credit to the original sources either.

    I appreciate the fact that your book always gives credit to where the information/photograph came from and talks about the context the bands existed in and for what purposes they were made.  For me, the first chapter is the best part of the book!

    And, in spite of the seller reassuring me there was no overlap with the Inkle Weavers pattern directory, there were in fact several overlaps (I might still have bought it, but she still misled me)

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  22. I am sorry that you were disappointed with the PDF booklet. I have tried to find specific Ukrainian illustrations on the web but have not found any useful links. A very useful site was a museum in Ukraine but their site is no longer available. Susan J Foulkes

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  23. I'm struggling to find Ukrainian illustrations as well. I suspect I won't have anything you haven't already found, but I'll link to a couple just in case.

    Some appear to be a combination of weaving and embroidery.

    https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/842525042761621053/

    There's one here https://umcalberta.org/collections/ - where I think one could work out the full pattern.
    And some in their textiles section that look to be woven. The Yavoriv outfit has some good ones.
    The Hutsul sashes on this page look woven - http://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2011/02/hutsul-costume-part-1.html

    This one shows a sleeve embroidery pattern - but from reading elsewhere, it looks like inkle and embroidery shared many of the same patterns. http://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2011/02/hutsul-costume-part-1.html

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    Replies
    1. Hi Judith Thank you for the references. They are very useful. Susan

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  24. Thanks for this. I really like what you've posted here and wish you the best of luck with this blog and thanks for sharing.

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    ReplyDelete
  25. Susan, I have been challenged to teach my study group about Pebble Weave. This came about from the article you wrote for Handwoven Magazine, Jan/Feb 2022. I have been trying to learn more about this weaving technique. We want to incorporate it into dish towels, or placemats. The threading draft and weaving instructions show two different treadling techniques. Are block twill and Pebble weave done together, or can one just treadle (weave) the Pebble Weave on 4 shafts? Have not found much on Pebble Weave other than your wonderful descriptions of doing Pebble Weave on an inkle loom. We wish to do this technique on floor looms. The only other thing I have found so far about Pebble Weave is through furniture maker fabrics.. Herman Miller has quite a bit about the various fabric choices, but nothing about the weaving of those fabrics. I have contacted them, as well, but have heard nothing back from them! Very much looking forward to your answer! Thank you.

    ReplyDelete

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