Here is the most common form of a antique tape loom you will see for sale. A simple country piece, this was gripped between the knees and used to weave tapes. You might ask, what are tapes and why would you bother? Think back, way back to the early Colonial days. The Colonists did not have zippers and Velcro to hold their clothes together. And buttons had to be store bought with cash money, in short supply for most farmers. They used tapes, narrow strips of fabric to tie their clothes together, their shirts, pants, skirts etc. They also used tape to edge petticoats, and quilts and sometimes vests etc. Tape was usually woven at home by the ladies of the family. Tape looms were often portable, such as the one above so you could work were there was light, and you could carry them with you and visit with a friend while you worked. Tapes were usually made of linen or wool. Here is a link to a darling video of a colonial lady weaving on her tape loom, http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/activities/media.jsp?itemid=7848&img=0 Here's another simple country model we had last year. Notice that one end is broken off, this is very very common to see. The wood is thin, and after time gets brittle. Notice also that this one has a brace across it. Again, it is very common to see these pieces broken and repaired. They were used hard and look how thin the slots are. Again, looks like another simple country piece. But look below. This one was covered with compass work, hearts, dates and initials. Someone loved this piece. Here is a beauty, again a simple country piece, but this one has a great lollipop end, and a red wash. Made of chestnut, which is unusual. They were often pine, sometimes maple. Most are found in NE, and sometimes in PA. I've never seen one from somewhere south, but I'm sure they're out there. Notice if you can it has a brace at the bottom to hold the slits together. Here we get into the realm of fantasy. There are some truly amazing works of art out there. This one has some old repairs, a figural form and a heart to boot. A lover's gift? A small form, scratch carved, and dated. Swedish, I think. Connecticut, c 1740, beautiful. Pocket size, dated 1781, Scandinavian. They made standing models too. Probably a little easier to use. I wish I could show you the one I had at Nashville, standing with a big heart shaped cutout. Sadly, no pictures. Sold too fast. I wonder why? If you don't care for country, there are a few fancier models. Look at this one! They also made table models as well, called box looms. These simple country forms are around. Another box loom, this one in old paint. For some reason you almost never see tape looms in paint. Look at the love birds! Here's a box loom on legs with treadles. Nice! And if you want one to use, maybe a new one would be best. Craftsmen are still making them. I wonder how she wove that pattern? I could not find a picture of the African ones that are now found on the antiques market. They're out there, they're very simple country pieces, with good color, but they are quite crudely made like the guy used a jack knife. They're old, but they're not American, so if you want one, don't pay too much. How much is too much you ask. Simple country American ones sell for $300 up to maybe $800. Standing ones start at about $1,000. and go up. And add a date, a heart etc. and expect to pay more. For one of the truly unique finds I've shown, well you could buy a car instead. There was a beauty a few years ago covered in gorgeous chip carving and old blue paint, and I think it was about $30,000. So there you go, everything you wanted to know about collection antique tape looms. Questions? You know where I am, so ask.
On request from Meg I continued looking in the museum catalogue. And I found two more "interesting" descriptions: Weaving reed Material: Wood, Textile Technique: Knotted Function: Dividing the warp The [weaving] reed sits near the cloth beams [yes, plural - my note] in a weaving loom, directly in front of the shafts. It's function is to divide the threads. The rectangular reeds consist of a wooden frame, into which thin blades of wood (in one instance metal) are mounted with a textile band. Weaving shuttle Material: wood Technique: carpentered [my dictionary says "carpenter" is a verb, so it must be correct...?] Function: weaving Shuttle. A cloth consists of two thread systems, warp and weft. The warp is tensioned during weaving and is crossed at right angles by the weft. With the help of the shuttle, the weft is inserted from side to side between the warp ends. The weft can go over and under the warp ends. With a treadle loom the lifting and lowering of the warp ends is done by the treadles. The shuttle is [quill-shaped?], with a hole in which a dowel is fixed. The weft is fastened around the dowel. One [of the shuttles] is patterned in two places. In all fairness: at Murberget, they have elected to transcribe the text in the old paper catalogue. These two artefacts have no pictures, but in many instances they show the handwritten paper entry, often from the 1920-1940ies. Here is one example. (I have often marvelled at what the museum generalists came up with a hundred years ago... but that is another story.) So, Murberget uses the original texts/descriptions - most other museums do not. I remember looking in the Nordiska museets paper catalogue, and... let me say I can understand why they do not transcribe indiscriminately. However, what is interesting about yesterday's post is that it is written after 1991. As I recall, there were several books about spinning and spinning wheels out by then, even written by Swedish authors... And even generalists should be able to read? Now, to cheer us all up, a picture: The picture comes from here. Be sure to click the pic to biggify!
apartmentdiet: one of the gazillion rugs i love on loom. a girl can dream can’t she?
Here is the most common form of a antique tape loom you will see for sale. A simple country piece, this was gripped between the knees and used to weave tapes. You might ask, what are tapes and why would you bother? Think back, way back to the early Colonial days. The Colonists did not have zippers and Velcro to hold their clothes together. And buttons had to be store bought with cash money, in short supply for most farmers. They used tapes, narrow strips of fabric to tie their clothes together, their shirts, pants, skirts etc. They also used tape to edge petticoats, and quilts and sometimes vests etc. Tape was usually woven at home by the ladies of the family. Tape looms were often portable, such as the one above so you could work were there was light, and you could carry them with you and visit with a friend while you worked. Tapes were usually made of linen or wool. Here is a link to a darling video of a colonial lady weaving on her tape loom, http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/activities/media.jsp?itemid=7848&img=0 Here's another simple country model we had last year. Notice that one end is broken off, this is very very common to see. The wood is thin, and after time gets brittle. Notice also that this one has a brace across it. Again, it is very common to see these pieces broken and repaired. They were used hard and look how thin the slots are. Again, looks like another simple country piece. But look below. This one was covered with compass work, hearts, dates and initials. Someone loved this piece. Here is a beauty, again a simple country piece, but this one has a great lollipop end, and a red wash. Made of chestnut, which is unusual. They were often pine, sometimes maple. Most are found in NE, and sometimes in PA. I've never seen one from somewhere south, but I'm sure they're out there. Notice if you can it has a brace at the bottom to hold the slits together. Here we get into the realm of fantasy. There are some truly amazing works of art out there. This one has some old repairs, a figural form and a heart to boot. A lover's gift? A small form, scratch carved, and dated. Swedish, I think. Connecticut, c 1740, beautiful. Pocket size, dated 1781, Scandinavian. They made standing models too. Probably a little easier to use. I wish I could show you the one I had at Nashville, standing with a big heart shaped cutout. Sadly, no pictures. Sold too fast. I wonder why? If you don't care for country, there are a few fancier models. Look at this one! They also made table models as well, called box looms. These simple country forms are around. Another box loom, this one in old paint. For some reason you almost never see tape looms in paint. Look at the love birds! Here's a box loom on legs with treadles. Nice! And if you want one to use, maybe a new one would be best. Craftsmen are still making them. I wonder how she wove that pattern? I could not find a picture of the African ones that are now found on the antiques market. They're out there, they're very simple country pieces, with good color, but they are quite crudely made like the guy used a jack knife. They're old, but they're not American, so if you want one, don't pay too much. How much is too much you ask. Simple country American ones sell for $300 up to maybe $800. Standing ones start at about $1,000. and go up. And add a date, a heart etc. and expect to pay more. For one of the truly unique finds I've shown, well you could buy a car instead. There was a beauty a few years ago covered in gorgeous chip carving and old blue paint, and I think it was about $30,000. So there you go, everything you wanted to know about collection antique tape looms. Questions? You know where I am, so ask.
Okay, now a bit about yarn and stuff. The Royal Ontario Museum has a small, but quality textile department. I only spent a little time there. Just took pics of things that interested me and moved o…
I have been making traditional, individual, hand-carved looms. My newest design is very small, carved out of one piece of wood. ...
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Photographed at the 2015 CLA Show by Jan Riser.
A Visit to a Scandinavian Antiques Dealer with Scandinavian Looms and Bands. Finally, I got to take a trip to River Falls, Wisconsin this summer to see Suzanne's collection of old Band Looms. Suzanne has a lovely shop out in the middle of corn fields. I had met her a few years ago at Norfest, a Norweigan festival in Decorah, Iowa at the Vesterheim Museum. She always seems to find those treasured antique looms that are hard to find. She had several at her shop. You can contact her to inquire about purchasing an old loom and also see what she has available. Her 2" x 3 1/2" business card is encluded in many of the photos for you to see how small the looms are. Looms were individually carved usually by a husband or son, and some were better at carving than others. This does make them all warm and personal. I have carved many myself. You need a thin piece of wood and a chip knife. A friend of mine made a nice one using a utility knife and a sheet of poplar from Home Depot. Mark the lines on both sides, flip back and forth while carving deeper to make each slot and drill small holes last. There are new folks carving or using laser cut looms available on line. Or give Suzanne a call and purchase an old one. They are quite durable. You will see below how some have been repaired in the old ways of saving and repairing. I found she has several older bands. They seem to be woven of very fine linen background threads with wool pattern threads and very tightly woven. This is the band that I purchased and a threading chart. Please visit my other blogs using the search bar above for more bands, free download blank charts and info or my web site www.eastknollpottery.com or my pinterest page for more looms and bands. https://www.pinterest.com/potterymom1/weaving-band-looms/ https://www.pinterest.com/potterymom1/weaving-bands-tapes/ Want to carve your own? Contact me at my web site to set up a class or be put on our list for upcoming classes. New to band/tape weaving or do you inkle weave? Check out my book for beginners on Amazon or my web site: Tape Loom Weaving... simplified. And have fun!
Brand: Momeni Collection: persian garden Surface: Wool Promotion: Clearance Promotion: Free Shipping Style: Traditional Thickness: 1/3 inch (approximate) Construction: Machine Made Ships new from Momeni A Rug Pad is recommended Inspired by the rarest Persian Antique pieces, Persian Garden is a unique collection of power-loomed rugs that evoke a sense of the past in modern-day colors and interpretations. Made of 100% New Zealand wool, these rugs feature an abrash effect and hand-serged edges for a quality finish. We love all 20 rugs in the Momeni Persian Garden Rug collection. Momeni did an excellent job of putting together a grouping of beautiful and stylish rugs that are inviting and comfortable using today's fashionable color palettes. The 100% New Zealand Wool Pile material and 1/3 inch thickness give charm and comfort to any hard surface floor. Considering free shipping and a 30-day return policy, the Momeni Persian Garden Rug collection is irresistible. A note about rugs; Most rug images shown are 5x8 in size. Patterns may vary by size and designs are usually more elaborate in larger sizes. Colors in product images can vary depending on monitor settings. We suggest ordering a returnable swatch or small size if color or texture is a critical factor in your decision. Sizes are approximate and may vary by up to 4 inches.
Roger and I are invited back to the Folk School at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Iowa again this coming February. Last February, we offered a special Valentines Day couples weaving class. An unusual event, we had 8 couples attend and more on our waiting list. One member of the couple carved an old style Norwegian band loom by hand with Roger. The other member of the couple learned how to weave bands on one of my frame looms with me. A two day class. At the end of Valentines weekend, the carver presented the weaver with this special loom and the new weaver took it home to make the special bands. Not familiar with band weaving? Bands of cloth were woven on simple small looms to create ties, ribbons and decorations. Bright colors and elaborate patterns are easily woven on a loom that is small and portable. Today, not only is it a fun craft to learn, but woven bands have a variety of uses. And the looms themselves are a wonderful work of folk art to hang on your wall when not in use. Why a couples Valentines Day class event? There is an old tradition in Norway. A young man who had his eye on a young woman would carve an elaborate loom with hearts, flowers and birds. Many times he would add her name and the date. He would leave this loom on her doorstep. If she accepted the loom, she would be accepting him. If she did not, he would have to carve a new loom for his next young woman. Mangle Board They also carved a special board called a Mangle Board as a betrothal gift. A mangle board is a board to press linen cloth. There is a saying that also applies to the band looms... "Beware of the man with too many mangle boards"... for he has had too many refusals. We all worked together in a large Vesterheim classroom. The two days of work on carving looms was well worth the time spent. The 7 men and one woman (yes we women can carve too), carved elaborate looms putting a little bit of themselves into each one. The 7 women and 1 man (he was a great weaver already), learned the basics of weaving on this simple loom and quickly went on to weaving the more elaborate patterns. And it was great fun! The Vesterheim is a friendly place, we all interacted with each other and shared the experience together. So we are going back! I look forward to sharing this wonderful time with great people, a lovely museum filled with wonderful folk art and tools from local Norwegians and spend two days in a quiet little town in the farming country of Iowa. Check out their web site and loom up the classes they offer, and sign up early for the Couples Class. We are sure to have a great time! -Reggie http://vesterheim.org Can't get time to travel to Iowa in the middle of winter? There is still time to order my how-to book for Holiday gift-giving or for yourself on my web site or Amazon.com. Tape Loom Weaving... simplified, will tell you how to make a simple loom and how to set up and weave your own bands. www.eastknollpottery.com And yes, I am a potter too!
In the 18th Century, this type of loom was used to weave narrow bands of cloth - called "tapes." Tapes were used for straps, trim, ties, etc.
The Jacquard Loom, an attachment that utilized punch cards to weave complex designs, was a forerunner of computer programming.
Saw the inspiration for this loom in the Mercer Museum in Doylestown PA. My husband drew on an old envelope an then made his own additons
Floor Loom Weaving and knitting socks is what this blog is all about.
16th century Tape (Box) Loom. ‘Le Travail de la Laine’ tapestry.
Visit the museums other miss like those specializing in dolls, furniture, paris hisotry, perfume, fashions and magic.
Here is the most common form of a antique tape loom you will see for sale. A simple country piece, this was gripped between the knees and used to weave tapes. You might ask, what are tapes and why would you bother? Think back, way back to the early Colonial days. The Colonists did not have zippers and Velcro to hold their clothes together. And buttons had to be store bought with cash money, in short supply for most farmers. They used tapes, narrow strips of fabric to tie their clothes together, their shirts, pants, skirts etc. They also used tape to edge petticoats, and quilts and sometimes vests etc. Tape was usually woven at home by the ladies of the family. Tape looms were often portable, such as the one above so you could work were there was light, and you could carry them with you and visit with a friend while you worked. Tapes were usually made of linen or wool. Here is a link to a darling video of a colonial lady weaving on her tape loom, http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/activities/media.jsp?itemid=7848&img=0 Here's another simple country model we had last year. Notice that one end is broken off, this is very very common to see. The wood is thin, and after time gets brittle. Notice also that this one has a brace across it. Again, it is very common to see these pieces broken and repaired. They were used hard and look how thin the slots are. Again, looks like another simple country piece. But look below. This one was covered with compass work, hearts, dates and initials. Someone loved this piece. Here is a beauty, again a simple country piece, but this one has a great lollipop end, and a red wash. Made of chestnut, which is unusual. They were often pine, sometimes maple. Most are found in NE, and sometimes in PA. I've never seen one from somewhere south, but I'm sure they're out there. Notice if you can it has a brace at the bottom to hold the slits together. Here we get into the realm of fantasy. There are some truly amazing works of art out there. This one has some old repairs, a figural form and a heart to boot. A lover's gift? A small form, scratch carved, and dated. Swedish, I think. Connecticut, c 1740, beautiful. Pocket size, dated 1781, Scandinavian. They made standing models too. Probably a little easier to use. I wish I could show you the one I had at Nashville, standing with a big heart shaped cutout. Sadly, no pictures. Sold too fast. I wonder why? If you don't care for country, there are a few fancier models. Look at this one! They also made table models as well, called box looms. These simple country forms are around. Another box loom, this one in old paint. For some reason you almost never see tape looms in paint. Look at the love birds! Here's a box loom on legs with treadles. Nice! And if you want one to use, maybe a new one would be best. Craftsmen are still making them. I wonder how she wove that pattern? I could not find a picture of the African ones that are now found on the antiques market. They're out there, they're very simple country pieces, with good color, but they are quite crudely made like the guy used a jack knife. They're old, but they're not American, so if you want one, don't pay too much. How much is too much you ask. Simple country American ones sell for $300 up to maybe $800. Standing ones start at about $1,000. and go up. And add a date, a heart etc. and expect to pay more. For one of the truly unique finds I've shown, well you could buy a car instead. There was a beauty a few years ago covered in gorgeous chip carving and old blue paint, and I think it was about $30,000. So there you go, everything you wanted to know about collection antique tape looms. Questions? You know where I am, so ask.
There were looms in Ancient Greece. At the archaeological site, Akrotiri, we visited in the Island of Santorini we read there were hundreds of loom weights were found . At a museum we saw some we…
Jen Jones Antique Welsh Quilts and Blankets. Blog article here: bird-in-the-house.blogspot.com/
Recently while on a trip to NYC to see the Vermeers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I had an idea. Really more than I admired the artwork on the wonderful painting, I loved the glimpses into old timey interiors. As an antique dealer I am always struggling to understand how these objects were used by their original owners back in the day. And also how to use them set up in a house. What went with what? What did they use that for? Where did they keep it? You get the idea. But right in front of me on these gorgeous paintings was just what I was looking for. Evidence of use. Look at this corner of one of Vermeer's contemporaries. Love the twig broom, the 2 stools, the staved keeler, a linen scrap and a redware jug handy to fill the keeler. Look at the clay pipe in the man's hand. And the barrel he is sitting on. I sell these things all the time. And here is how they were used. (Love the pants too!). Again, a great interior. Look at the oriental rug on the table, and the nice Cromwell chair. And in this close up we see a stoneware jug with pewter lid, a delft charger, a knife, some fabric and a wineglass. Add some fruit and you have a lovely table setting. Here's a corner of a bedroom, with again another early chair. The table is draped in fabric, and set up with a standing mirror, a candlestick, some jewelry coming out of a box. Again, things you see at almost any antiques show. Here's a corner of a Vermeer. Oriental rug over a table, open jewelry box with pearls dangling out, brass charger and pitcher, early chair in the back. So easy, so real looking. A riotous party, look at the great early jug. This time linen covers the rug on the table. Here is a kitchen detail. Love the hanging garlic, the veggies, the staved keeler, the fabric, the basket of eggs, and a hanging brass scale I think. I don't think the housewife liked the fish the young man bought. This lady looks like she's on the phone! But I think she's fixing her hair, looking at the mirror next to the window. I believe mirrors were often hung near windows to catch the light, not in the middle of the wall. But look above the window, her shutters would let down from the ceiling. What a great idea! Like the boxed bed in the background? Well, there are my decorating ideas from the Old Masters. Good luck with them. I will follow up with a few of my favorite things from the museum. The best bellarmine jug ever! If it goes missing you can just look in my house. A pocket sundial for Cy. A roemmer engraved with a map of Germany. At 10" tall they must have liked to drink. Wonder how this delicate glass survived so long? An American room from the Hudson Valley area of NY. Again, carpet on the table. And I love the big fat cushions on the chairs. The skimpy ones we put on our chairs today I think are just wrong. Who would do that when that was all you had to sit on? If you could afford a cushion, why not a fat one? Again, early stoneware on the mantel with some wine glasses. The delft monteith on the table was used for washing wine glasses, they could each sit in one of the scallops. And a delft wine jug I think it was.
Do you love to weave? Here is a draft for an overshot scarf made from 10/2 Xie (rayon from bamboo) and a laceweight yarn. You can use 8/2 Tencel or maybe even a self-striping laceweight. You'll need a 4-harness loom, a 12-dent reed, 2 shuttles and the willingness to have a little fun! Overshot is a classic weaving style brought to this country by the early European settlers. You'll find the classic blue and white overshot coverlets in museums, antique stores and old homes. Today, overshot is being re-imagined in all kinds of ways. It's still a beautiful, fun style to weave. __________________________ Scarf dimensions:7" x 70" Materials: 1100 yards 10/2 Xie (rayon from bamboo); 470 yards 8/2 Tencel or a laceweight yarn Equipment Needed: 8” or wider 4-harness loom; 12 dent reed; two shuttles Sett: 24ends per inch (epi) __________________________ This listing is for the draft only, not the finished scarf. __________________________ Terms of use: Not for resale. Do not sell or redistribute this draft without my written permission. All rights are reserved. This draft is issued for the buyer's personal use only.
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Do you remember this image from my previous bog about inkle looms from January 2017 . Whilst on holiday in Finland in September we visited Turku, the old capital of Finland. Turku castle was restored after the war and is a must see sight for anyone visiting the town. Turku Castle, Finland The dining tableau. In one room, the displays were captivating. The centre of the room had a tableau of mannequins in period costume. The information was extensive. Displays around the room had various artefacts relating to costume. One had this picture as a backdrop. I did not expect to see an enlarged picture of the inkle loom. It is from Le Livre de bonnes moeurs de Jacques Legrand which dates to the 15th century. The probable date is 1490. The close up gives the detail of how the weaving is threaded around the posts. Unfortunately as the weaving has not started, the process is unclear. Inkle looms now come in various shapes and sizes. There is a wonderful variety available, particularly in the USA. In this upright model the weaver has a good view of the woven band. Double sided looms are also popular. The pegs will not bend in use and the whole loom is very stable. This one is illustrated in the Estonian band weaving book. Again with a removable side, the pegs will stay level and will not warp. This crescent shape is so elegant. You can even make one out of a cardboard box! Another home made loom. This loom was made by Margaret Parker and her husband out of waste water pipes. They made it following the instructions in the link to an Interweave Press booklet on band weaving, but it was difficult to understand how to get the two sheds. The geometry of the loom, the path taken by the warp and the position of the heddle and shed sticks seemed to make this impossible. They made some modifications: . - made the heddles at least twice as long which means there is nowhere on the loom which can be used as a former for making them. - tied the shed rod firmly once we had got it in place. - use hand manipulation to get the two sheds Although it seems bow shaped it works well. As it is not as rigid as a wooden inkle loom it can become a bit skew whiff (or wonky!) with use but it is easy to straighten it all out again from time to time and make it all the angles sit at 90 degrees. This does not seem to affect the tension across the width of the weaving. Inkle looms are expensive, so this cheap alternative is ideal for someone who would like to try this craft. York and District Guild of Weavers Spinners and Dyers have planned an informal workshop for people interested to make their own from this plan. Floor inkle looms I have a floor inkle loom given to me by a friend. It is not in the best of conditions but it works. The earliest floor inkle I have found is from Scotland. It is dated 1688. My floor inkle loom has a sliding peg in the centre collumn so that the tension can be altered. A Scottish floor inkle loom dated 1688 Floor inkles also come in a variety of shapes. Some give the opportunity to make very long band indeed. This is being used for tablet weaving but is also designed for inkle weaving. This lovely floor Cendrel inkle by Leclerc looms is an updated and very practical design What I particularly like is the fact that it can be used as a warping frame as well. http://www.leclerclooms.com/ind_eng.htm The Cendrel floor inkle loom and warping frame These two versions are very attractive and allow for a very long warp. They look very stable and there is plenty of room for the weaver's legs. Here are two Swedish band looms which give the weaver the choice to weave as an inkle loom with heddles or with two shafts to make the sheds. This is my Swedish band loom with my own handy brackets for warping. Finally, I found a picture of this tape loom. It is not an inkle loom but has two rigid heddles operated by foot treadles. It is a fascinating version of a tape loom from the Landis Valley Farm Museum, a museum that documents Pennsylvania German culture and history. This museum looks wonderful and I would love to visit it. I was particularly interested in this unusual design because of the picture in the frontispiece of a book from 1524. This is a page from the Ein new Modelbuch by Johann Schönsperger the Younger (German, active 1510–30) and dates to 1524. You can see the large loom on the bottom left of the engraving which shows a woman weaving a narrow band using a rigid heddle. Examine the original image here: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/354660 She appears to have two pedals to use but there is no connection between the pedals and the rigid heddle. Tablet weaving Of course there are also some very creative designs for tablet weaving. A table tablet loom with a very long warp. An elegant design for a short warp. This looks very stable and ornate with the horses head carving. A magnificent tablet loom which looks as though it should have been used by the Vikings. This is a very interesting variation. This design allows for the warp ends to be untwisted when weaving with tablets. The warp can be as long as will pack onto the warp beam at the front. A big thank you all the Museums, Universities and Galleries who are taking the time to digitise their collections and to Pinterest for providing a way for people with similar interests to share their finds. Happy New Year to everyone. Enjoy your weaving. Susan J Foulkes January 2018
In this post, I'll go over how to use a Leclerc Artisat floor loom, and give some tips for buying a second-hand floor loom, setting it up, and starting to weave. Ever since I got my Schacht Flip Loom , I've been keeping an eye out for something bigger. I like my rigid heddle loom, but I wa
I have been admiring stick weaves for a while now and I finally decided to try it out. This is also really great for those who want to get into weaving, but don't own a loom just yet. It's a perfect free loom to play around on. I really like the rough texture of the
Viking Loom @ L'Anse aux Meadows NHS The Viking Loom. Before Costco. Before Wal-mart. Before the Hudson's Bay Company. Before Marco Polo brought silk from China. In a time, we cannot remember. At the time of Vikings, high seas adventure and world exploration; we had a people who had to take care of themselves. All needs - water, food, fire, shelter and clothing. Cloth was not bought at the store. Stores did not exist as we know them. Cloth was made at home on a loom - of natural fibres: cotton, flax, linen or wool. Each home had a loom or at the very least, one for each village. The Vikings Loom is pure simplicity. Effective. Portable. Repairable. User friendly. In fact, if you understand how it works, it can be built from scratch in the wilds, using very basic tools - saw, drill, chisel and a mallet. Supplies needed are also basic, 2x small logs, 2x planks, 2x "Y" branches, 2x dowels, a stick, a shuttle and some weights. Viking Loom @ L'Anse aux Meadows Upon review of the photographs we took while at the L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site - World Heritage Site in Newfoundland (2012), I notice my sketch of the Viking Loom has all the correct pieces, just the placement of the "Y" sticks on my sketch are too low on the frame. Please note, if you are going to build one of these looms that the holes you drill for the "Y" sticks must be higher up. My bad. The parts of the Viking Loom. 1) The Frame Logs - you need 2. About 3" in diameter and 6' to 7' long. 2) The Cross Braces - you need 2. (#2 is the upper, #4 is the lower.) The space between the inside of the frame logs needs to be at least 38", so you can weave 36" wide fabric. These can be planks or again 3" diameter logs. Traditionally, they would be drilled and pegged with wood dowels. Screws or lag bolts would work, too. 3) The Upper Anchor Bar. About 37" long if you build it to fit inside the frame. If you copy the one in the photograph it will want to be longer than the frame is wide. To build one inside the frame, auger/drill 1 1/2" holes through the upper part of the frame logs. These holes want to keep the anchor bar level. The anchor bar will want to be a 3" - 4" log, straight, and 37" long. In each end of the anchor bar use your chisel to make 1" square holes about 1 1/2" deep to insert dowels so the anchor bar can be rotated. These dowels will need to be long enough to extend through the frame logs via the 1 1/2" holes you bored. If you are able, a crank handle can be fastened to one of the dowel-ends to make rolling the fabric easier. 4) Cross Brace Lower. Same as the upper cross brace. Mount the lower cross brace below the placement of the "Y" sticks. 5) Weaving Bar. This dowel or stick is about an inch or so in diameter, as straight as possible and longer than the frame is wide. Either strings, wires or holes are attached or bored through this dowel so that every other Viking Loom @ L'Anse aux Meadows In Action strand of wool/flax/cotton/linen passes through. By lifting and lowering this bar; when the shuttle #10 is passed through, the weaving occurs. 6) The "Y" Sticks. These simple sticks allow the Weaving bar to be held in the up position until the shuttle is passed through the threads. You may want to bore multiple 1" holes +/- 1" deep into the frame logs, to allow variable mounting locations of the "Y" sticks. As you see in the photographs, the "Y" sticks are branches cut to size. 7) Weights. The weights hold tension on the strands of wool/flax/cotton/linen. As you may notice in the photographs, extra length of fibres are wrapped around the weights so the loom does not have to re-threaded as often. 8) Crank Handle. A simple crank handle will make rolling the fabric easier. Not required, but will make it easier. 9) The Beater Stick. This stick is used to keep the fibres tight after the shuttle has passed through. 10) The Shuttle. Forgot to draw the shuttle but is easy to see in the pictures. It is resting in the upper left corner of the frame. The shuttle is wrapped with the same fibre as is being weaved. The shuttle passes through the multiple strands and then the weaving bar is raised or lowered and then the beater stick is is inserted and pounds the strand up to keep the fabric tight. Continue. As space runs out to pass the shuttle through, use the crank to roll-up the fabric. Continue until you run-out of fibres to weave or the roll of fabric is to large to roll. For those members of the Weaving Guild, please forgive me if I have used the incorrect terms to describe the Loom or the weaving process. I am keeping this as simple as possible, since a whole bunch of non-weavers may need to build a simple loom in their home for the future. Imagine, if you will, having your kids putting in a few hours each evening on your very own Viking Weaving Loom, instead of surfing the 'net or playing X-Box!!! What would our world be like to have such things occur?? Until next time.....learn an old skill, you may need it in the future!! Mountainman.
Da ich ja jetzt den neuen Bortenwebrahmen habe, kann ich endlich auch draußen in der Sonne weben und muss mich nicht mehr irgendwo anbinden ;) Ich habe mich mal an einem Muster aus Finnland versucht, das mir sehr gut gefällt, hier in Wolle gewebt. Now that I have my new tablet weaving loom, I'm more mobile and can weave outside, enjoying the sun. I tried a pattern from Finland in wool. It turned out very nice :) Schließlich hatte ich dann ca. 4,20m Borte :) In the end I had about 4,20m. Also schnell das nächste Projekt aufgeschärt. Ich liebe ja die tollen broschierten Borten aus Birka. Ich habe mir auch vor einiger Zeit dafür sehr dünnes Wollgarn und Metallicfaden besorgt. Then I went on with another project. I love the brocaded bands from the viking age settlement at Birka, Sweden. Some time ago I bought some very thin wool yarn and metallic thread to make those bands. Geijer, Agnes. Die Textilfunde aus den Gräbern, Vol. III of Birka: Untersuchungen und Studien. Uppsala: Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akadamien (1938). Pp. 83, fig. 20. Ich habe mich für das Muster vom Band B20 entschieden, in blauer Wolle und Goldfaden. I decided to weave the B20 pattern in blue wool and golden thread. Hier kann man gut sehen, wie dünn die Wolle ist. Da geht das Weben zwar relativ langsam voran, es sieht aber einfach gut aus. Here you can see, how thin the yarn actually is. This makes the weaving process quite slow, but the pattern turns out very nice.
