This from the Handweavers Guild of America publication, Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot, Fall 2008, a review of my book:
Fingerweaving Untangled, by Carol James. Self-published, 140, 4u3 Notre Dame, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2H 0C1, Canada. 2008. Soft cover. 64 pages. $19.95 Described as “an illustrated beginner’s guide including detailed patterns and common mistakes,” this book is the perfect introduction to the ancient art of fingerweaving. Also known as ceinture fléchée or free end braiding, fingerweving has been used by American Indians, First Nations Peoples, and French-Canadians to make sashes, straps and belts. In fingerweaving, the warp and weft are continuous: one becomes the other to produce a warp-faced fabric. This many-stranded braiding technique takes us beyond the summer camp lanyard experience. James guides the reader from a beginner’s friendship bracelet through more complex patterns, and finally to the traditional designs of diamond, flame, arrowhead, Acadian, and Assomption. The book includes clear drawings with numbered step-by-step instructions. James includes a line drawing of her plan for a comfortable fingerweaving set-up, and she explains issues to help the weaver produce an evenly tensioned band. Just-in-time terminology accompanies clear photographs of the process and the product. Hints for troubleshooting and solutions to potential problems prevent the weaver from going astray, and finishing instructions are included. A collection of patterns includes step-by-step instruction and photographs, along with pattern descriptions, rules to follow, and pitfalls to avoid. The book ends with a selection of pattern graphs and a glossary. This book will appeal to anyone interested in historical textiles and braiding, along with fiber enthusiasts interested in simple, meditative techniques. Weavers interested in “back to basics” will find this book delightful. Reviewed by Elaine Bradley Atlanta Georgia Shuttle Spondle & Dyepot: Fall 2008
0 Comments
Published inBraid Society Newsletter June 2008
Carol is a weaver. teacher and researcher of the Sash, which is woven by the technique of Fingerweaving or Free End Braiding. The equipment needed is minimal, just a few sticks, some masking tape, and a fixing point- oh! and some nimble fingers. Any smooth yarn can be used, but given the work required in a sizeable project, it is worth procuring a good quality worsted wool which will not pill or felt. Carol takes us gently from a Beginner’s Project through stripes, diamonds and arrows to the Assomption and Arcadian patterns, thus providing a repertoire for more complex designs. The instructions are clear and the diagrams superb so even this rookie fingerweaver could follow them with no problems. Carol’s method of making and maintaining the shed did not take long to learn and, with practice, I am sure that a good rhythm can be achieved. Book review from the Fur Trade Quarterly, Fall 2008 You may recall the excellent Quarterly article by Carol James in which she carefully explained the difference between fingerwoven and machine woven French Canadian sashes. This is a superb how-to book with all color illustrations that can help anyone become a fingerweaver. Not only are the best patterns (arrowhead, Assomption, Acadian, flame, diamond, etc.) included, and the techniques to create them shown; she tells how to add beads to the sash and how to appropriately twist the end fringes. James illustrates the most common errors of fingerweaving and tells the reader how to correct them. There is plenty of information about how to get started, including where to buy suitable yarn, and there are lots of beautiful pictures of old, original sashes. There is so much to recommend this book, either for the collector, the weaver, or the reenactor. It’s a bust buy. – JAH Susan Styrchak’s review for the Guild of Canadian Weavers Fingerweaving Untangled: an Illustrated Beginner’s Guide Including Detailed Patterns and Common Mistakes by Carol James. 64 pages paper $19.95 available from McNally Robinson: www.mcnallyrobinson.com ISBN 978-0-9784695-0-4 This book is, as it says, an excellent book for a beginner. At first, like most beginners, I got “hung up” on the pages describing the common mistakes, but as I examined the sequence of projects, it all made sense. A simple eight strand friendship bracelet is the first project. And with that, Carol leads you to the beginner’s method of manipulating the threads, and then illustrates the “advanced” method. The essentials of set up, measurement of warp, materials to use and variations of pattern are all dealt with in a straightforward manner, and traditional patterns, like the sawtooth, lightning or arrowhead to name a few, are illustrated with simple examples to practice on . The colour order for these various patterns are given first in written instructions and later in graph form. On every page there are many diagrams and photos to help you see what the item should, or shouldn’t! look like. Photos of some of Carol’s own sashes provide inspiration and photos of historical sashes from museum collections provide edification. These illustrate some errors but do not negate the fact that these weavings are nevertheless an impressive achievement. If you ever abandoned a piece of finger weaving because it wasn’t turning out, or wanted to try it because, after all, “what could be simpler?” this book will help you keep on track. Carol’s apearance as CBC’s Unsung Hero of the Week has finally been posted in the ‘About the Artist’ section.
Also, under ‘Sprang Weaving’, there are three new patterened sprang sash and under ‘Finger Weaving’, a new beaded sash. Finally, I’ve compiled a ‘Links’ section. With this update, there are officially no longer any blank pages on the site. I guess that means that we’re no long ‘under construction’ Hooray! -B! I attended the North American Voyageur Council Fall Gathering last weekend, Nov 6-9, at Ft William, in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Had a lovely time. Gave a fingerweaving workshop. Once again, folks who long ago decided they can’t fingerweave, just plain didn’t have me for a teacher. Some of the sessions were held in Grand Portage, in northern Minnesota. I had the opportunity to see my sashes on the mannequins. I also had the opportunity to examine 3 very old sashes, made in the style of ceinture fleche in the 1800’s. I’ll add their statistics to my collection.
Another class at the Musée de St Boniface teaching the technique of ceinture fleche. Six very apt students in my fingerweaving workshop. One of them had an idea I just have to share with the rest of the world. Literature my husband procured from the fingerweavers in Quebec, when I started out, insisted that the proper way to keep an even tension is to tie the warp at both ends. The upper portion is tied to a hook in the wall, the lower end to the chair, or to a hook on the floor. One of my students this time around came up with another very clever alternative. She brought along a piece of elastic, which she ties to her thigh, above the knee. She tucks her weaving in to the elastic, and adjusts her tension there. My students find they can adjust the tension by raising or lowering the leg.
Another beginning fingerweaving workshop started up on October 5, at the Musée de St Boniface Museum. Six keen adults are working their way through the patterns with me on Sunday afternoons learning about ceinture fleche. October 8 found me on an AmTrak train, heading towards Chicago. I stopped in to visit my cousin, niece, and nephew, en route to Mississinewa 1812. Located near Marion, Indianna, the event was lovely, as usual. I had my camera with me, but never thought to take any photos. If any of you out there have a pertinant photo of me, send it on in, and I’ll post it here. Mississinewa is a lovely opportunity to network. So nice to keep in touch with youall. Back in Winnipeg, I’ve finished up a commissioned work. Friday, October 24, I spent filming bits and pieces that will go into a DVD version of my book. We’ll see what the first draft looks like, and I’ll let you know how soon the finished product will be available.
My next project is a series of loom-woven neckscarfs. Hopefully there’s a market here at our winter festival, Le Festival du Voyageur. My most recent excitement comes from SUCCESS in a ‘sprang’ experiment. I have been intrigued by images in Peter Collingwood’s book The Techniques of Sprang. Diamond and zigzag patterns in sashes pictured there are pretty straight forward. I’ve developed a method for mapping out the patterns on graph paper, then translating the graphs to written patterns, such as 6 singles, 1 double, 4 singles, etc. The challenge to myself was to work out the pattern for the two-headed eagle from the 1700 Dutch piece at the back of the book. I am Thrilled to report that my experiment was a success! The material is a medium silk cord from Treenway’s. I dyed it with a ‘plum’ Landscapes dye. I will bring this piece along with me to Mississinewa 1812 in Marion, Indiana, this October. Stop by and have a look. Now I didn’t start out with this piece. I’ve been working on this mapping and pattern-writing technique for sprang, creating ‘neck scarfs’. Folks might want to know, the sprang always wants to curl at first (the red and yellow one at the top of the picture). I find that if I wash it, and pat it flat, and leave it to dry, then it ‘forgets’ the need to curl. Guess it’s been a while since I’ve blogged, and there are a few other things to report. I attended the Manitoba Living History Society’s Fall Gathering, September 5 to 7. I had prepared some indigo dye and took advantage of the space and time to dye some two dozen skeins, mostly white, but some were yellow. As predicted, they came out a variety of blues and greens. A magic transformation as they emerge from the pot, changing from yellow to green to bright blue, it was lovely to see. and then it immediately starts turning blue By the end of the weekend I had a lovely set of blues On Sept 12, a new park was dedicated to the honor of a locally prominent Métis, Elzéar Goulet. What an honor to see my sashes all around. Of the 6 sashes visible in this photo, I had a hand in the creation of 4 of them. As well, I’ve been busy on my loom. A desperate call from a friend, the need for a sash for another inductee into an esteemed position, requiring another sash: Working on a woven silk ‘officer’s sash’.
I’ll be in Marion, Indiana, Oct 10 to 12 for Mississinewa 1812. November 7 to 9, I’ll be in Thunder Bay, Ontario, for the NAVC Fall Gathering. Meanwhile, there will be another ‘Beginning Fingerweaving’ class at the Musée de St Boniface Museum, starting Sunday afternoons. Contact the Musée for further information. [email protected] Met with the folks from the BBC the morning of Sept 3. They are currently producing a six part series presented by Ray Mears about Canada, its history, indigenous cultures and people. Ray Mears is a Bushcraft specialist and Woodsman and the programmes will reflect this expertise as well as Ray learning new skills from other experts. The six programmes are about the Boreal Forest, The Fur Trade, Samuel Hearne, David Thompson, Dr John Rae and the people who live West of the Rockies who have made Cedar wood a huge part of their culture and history. The programmes will be an hour long and will have a mixture of Ray demonstrating traditional living skills, living from the land and meeting various First Nations people and exploring the history of Canada. This morning Ray Mears interviewed me on site in the Atrium of the St Boniface General Hospital concerning my work, creating Assomption sashes, the technique called fingerweaving or ceinture fleche. The resulting program will be aired in the Fall of 2009. That afternoon, I went with my daughter to visit the sheep farm, the Seine River Shepherds. A visit with the shepherdess, Solange, is always a treat. Back to Winnipeg, for the concert Terre Ouverte, a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the community of St Boniface. As a member of the Maison des Artistes, I helped in the collection of donations for the new sculpture gardens. Today, Sept 4, the 2nd edition of my book was delivered to my house. I’m down to fewer than 150 copies of the first edition (1260 copies printed). The second edition no longer has the ‘staple together’ or ‘saddle stitch’ binding. Rather it has the kind of edge that displays the title when the book is on the shelf, they call it ‘perfect binding’.
This weekend I’ll hang out with Manitoba Living History Society, as they hold their annual Fall Gathering in Whittier Park. We’ll be celebrating with the Scottish folk of Winnipeg, participating in the St Andrew’s Society Selkirk Settler Parade. As well, I’ve prepared some indigo, and hope to dye 2 lbs of yarn, from pale blue to dark navy. While in Edmonton last week, I had the honor of examining 5 sashes that were fingerwoven in the 1800’s. Very interestingly, 3 of the 5 were strikingly similar. All of the 3 had stories consistent with having been manufactured between 1860 and 1900, all had the same bright colored thread, and a very similar pattern. Striking to me is the looseness of the weave. I’ve been collecting data on sashes. I calculate the number of threads across the width of the sash. Often this means counting the number of threads per ‘lightning’, and multiplying it by the total number of lightnings across the width. I add in the number of threads in the central arrow and voila, total threads. This number, divided by the average width of the sash gives me ‘warp threads per inch’. I find that 20 to 30 threads per inch is common among modern sashes woven with knitting yarn. Tightly woven sashes in museums tend to have 50 to 57 threads per inch. The tightest I’ve examined had 66 threads per inch. I’ve woven a small band with some wool given me by a weaver friend that ended up at 80 threads per inch … something I’m not too keen to repeat. Even more telling is ‘weft threads per inch’. I calculate the number of rows to complete each pattern, and multiply by the number of repeats. (For example if it takes 9 rows to complete an arrow, and there are 60 arrows in the sash, then there are 9 x 60 or 540 rows in the sash. Number of rows divided by length gives me ‘weft threads per inch’. Tightly woven sashes have upwards of 12 wefts per inch. The 3 sashes I speak of in Edmonton had 4 to 6 wefts per inch. I have seen similarly loose sashes in other collections. I find little information in the litterature concerning the origin of these. Has anybody out there noticed this. Anyone have a theory about the origin of these? I find it darn difficult to weave that loosely. Two of the 5 were exquisite, fine thread, tightly woven, excellent condition. One was the sash from the Southesk Collection, recently acquired by the folks of the Royal Alberta Museum. The other was a silk sash, also collected and taken to England by a gentleman, then returned to Canada.
Drove to Edmonton last week to give fingerweaving workshops for the folks of Fort Edmonton as well as St. Albert. Such eager and apt students! It was a pleasure to see people learn so quickly. We started out with the ‘make a friendship bracelet’ project. They quickly proceeded to other patterns, more threads: The next step was mastering the ‘advanced technique’. This is done working on the ‘diagonal stripe’ pattern. The room provided by Ft Edmonton had the perfect setup, a lovely coatrack along one wall. Before noon, the folks from St Albert had mastered the technique, and produced the beginnings of a diagonal stripe leg tie. The next day we worked on patterns, changing weft within a row for vertical stripe and sawtooth, working from center to outer edge for the chevron. Again, such a pleasure to work with keen students.
|
Categories
All
Archives
May 2023
Categories
All
|