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Creating With Card Weaving: A Simple, Non-Loom Technique by Sally. Specht
Card or tablet weaving is a very ancient and widespread off-loom (no loom is required) weaving method of weaving narrow bands of fabric using flat cards with holes punched in them. Some archaeologists speculate that card weaving dates back to approximately 4,000 B.C. because certain patterns which lend themselves to card weaving appear often in ancient Egyptian carvings. However, this does not seem to be sufficient evidence to support knowledge of the technique. The oldest cards found in Egypt are a set of twenty-five 4-holed wooden ones believed to have come from the Coptic Period (400-600 A. D.). What is known is that card weaving has been known from Japan, China through Asia to North African and north through Europe as far as Iceland.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
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February 19, 2024
I borrowed a 1973 edition of Creating With Card Weaving, by Sally Specht and Sandra Rawlings, from the TWU library. It has 92 pages with numerous black and white photos. There are 8 pages of color photos in the middle of the book.
The book is broken up into 7 chapters, a bibliography, supply sources, and an index. Chapters are: card weaving: an introduction; tools and materials; drafting the pattern; setting up; starting to weave; special techniques (14 given); and what to make. Thirty pages are given over to examples and instructions for projects.
Chapter 3, on drafting patterns, gives a good explanation of how card weaving works by twisting the strands, and how only one strand shows on the surface at a time. Chapter 4 mentions how the slant of the twist of the threads, and how threading the cards from the front or the back affects that twist, and how the twist can compliment the pattern, or not.
The subtitle is A Simple, Non-Loom Technique, and the authors explain how to create a back-strap weaving set up involving tying the strands to a belt. The pictures depict a way of weaving I have not seen before where the point of weaving is between the cards and the stationary object the weaving is anchored to, rather than between the weaver and the cards. I have questions about the details of how that works, especially when the drawings show no firm point to pack the weaving against.
Overall I'd say this is a brief, surface treatment of card weaving that gives enough information for a person to start weaving basic designs of her own creation. Anyone interested in learning more would need to find other materials on the subject. It is dated, but moderately useful.
Surprisingly, of the 15 suppliers listed there is still 1 in business 50 years later, though only online. School Products Co. still sells weaving supplies.
Like other books of its time, the style of the examples and projects is very 1970s. There is no discussion of Z- or S- twist on individual threads, or how that impacts the look.
The book is broken up into 7 chapters, a bibliography, supply sources, and an index. Chapters are: card weaving: an introduction; tools and materials; drafting the pattern; setting up; starting to weave; special techniques (14 given); and what to make. Thirty pages are given over to examples and instructions for projects.
Chapter 3, on drafting patterns, gives a good explanation of how card weaving works by twisting the strands, and how only one strand shows on the surface at a time. Chapter 4 mentions how the slant of the twist of the threads, and how threading the cards from the front or the back affects that twist, and how the twist can compliment the pattern, or not.
The subtitle is A Simple, Non-Loom Technique, and the authors explain how to create a back-strap weaving set up involving tying the strands to a belt. The pictures depict a way of weaving I have not seen before where the point of weaving is between the cards and the stationary object the weaving is anchored to, rather than between the weaver and the cards. I have questions about the details of how that works, especially when the drawings show no firm point to pack the weaving against.
Overall I'd say this is a brief, surface treatment of card weaving that gives enough information for a person to start weaving basic designs of her own creation. Anyone interested in learning more would need to find other materials on the subject. It is dated, but moderately useful.
Surprisingly, of the 15 suppliers listed there is still 1 in business 50 years later, though only online. School Products Co. still sells weaving supplies.
Like other books of its time, the style of the examples and projects is very 1970s. There is no discussion of Z- or S- twist on individual threads, or how that impacts the look.
Displaying 1 of 1 review