Mesquite Bean Llamas - Card Weaving

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 hanger Meg 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 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: orange and green belt

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.)

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

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

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