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[watervole]

My first attempt at tablet weaving.  It's a versatile technique in which you use cards (squared off old playing cards work fine) with a hole punched in each corner to take a warp thread.  The cards are stacked like a deck.  Turn the deck on it's edge, with another edges facing towards you. There's a shed (space for the shuttle) created between the wool coming from the different holes.  Top holes and bottom holes.

If you rotate the deck of cards, different coloured warp threads come to the top of  the weaving.  you can create a four element pattern that can be repeated easily either forwards or backwards.  I chose  a chevron which could also be built into crosses or diamonds.

The direction you thread the wool, either right to left or left to right, has quite an impact on how the pattern finally looks, but that's getting a bit complicated for a basic explanation.

Comments

[wibble-puppy.livejournal.com]

Ooh I remember my first discovery of tablet weaving - I found it so exciting and compulsive. I had to be forcibly restrained from weaving all night. What fun!

Your chevrons are very fine. How cool to make something which could be used and admired, your first time.

What made you take it up, and how are you learning?

[watervole.livejournal.com]

I have an American friend who told me all about it and then lent me a book when he came back to England two weeks ago.

He originally asked if we had any old playing cards (we play a lot of card games) and then explained what he wanted them for.

My next target is to do a hat band for Henry. That will be more difficult as he wants space invaders and the pattern is too wide for a four hole card, so I'm going to attempt it using one of the double-faced techniques and changing cards individually. I anticipate a lot of mistakes as I get used to the pattern...

[wibble-puppy.livejournal.com]

Crikey! Impressed that you are moving straight to double-faced weave. I'm sure you'll make a brilliant job of it :)

Which book are you using?