I discovered card (tablet) weaving on the web, made some cards from cardboard milk cartons, had an invaluable learning session from Eileen Thompson, and used the backstrap loom method to make a cotton yarn sash. Since then, I ordered a set of 25 wooden cards and a wonderful combination shuttle/beater from Charles Tubbs at Finniwig Studios. I also ordered 100 cardboard cards from Robin and Russ Handweavers. The backstrap method was too confining for me, so my son and husband made a "floor tablet weaving lloom" to fit me.

Sharon holding sash suspended from an elm hangerMeg Wilson gave me a copy of Card Weaving or Tablet Weaving by Russell E. Groff. It contains complete instructions for 53 patterns, one of which is the Royal Purple Diamonds Belt No. 23, my most ambitious weaving to date. I divided the 25 card pack into three packs for about four inches near the top so that I could thread an elm limb through it (photo to right).

Our son, Eric, came up with the idea to use fishing swivels to easily untwist the yarn as the twist builds up from turning the cards in only direction. The swivels were threaded onto a long nail, then the nail wired to a wrist rocket clamped to the table by two C-clamps (see photo below).

Siesta llama oversees Eric's first card weaving project.

Siesta instructs Eric on his first card weaving project.
Click on image for larger photo

Since then, I've woven a few more bands that are illustrated here.

What can you do with card woven bands?

Helpful cardweaving links with some comments:

Weavershand - excellent collection of tabletweaving sites

Tabletweaving Galleries - beautiful examples of cardwoven bands

Good Basic instructions:
http://www.celticgarb.org/crafts/tablet-weave.html
(includes good description of use of "S" and "Z" in patterns to denote card threading direction.)

Great Site:
http://www.theloomybin.com/cw/
Includes a web-based (or downloadable) "tool" for doing test patterns on your computer, so you don't waste thread! (When the tool window pops up, scroll down to the bottom of the new window. Click on the grey area beside the image to see the turn directions.)

Orange and green cardwoven belt.Good Basic/Intermediate site:
http://www.stringpage.com/tw/tw.html
Lots of info, how-to, and some patterns. Also info on Felting, Spinning, and Dyeing. Link to Linda Hendrickson's page.

http://www.lindahendrickson.com/
She is an expert and has a very useful site.

Candace Crockett's book on Card Weaving

Beautiful Examples:
http://home.t-online.de/home/kfm.laitenberger/tabtext.htm
Pages in English and German, beautiful, advanced, work, but very few patterns. His celtic knots are amazing.

http://www.steinmaus.de/Mittelalter/weben/aktuell/http://www.danetre-vikings.org.uk/kit.htm
tablet weaving about half way down the page

http://polaris.umuc.edu/~jthies/sca/weaving.html
Easy pattern for a beginner. Could shorten it.

© Sharon Bramblett 2005
Last Updated June 16, 2005