I have become frustrated with the lack of projects I have for the small amounts of wool I have time to spin. I have seen for sale two books on off-loom weaving. Does anyone have a recommendation for one, or another source for projects? I have a friend who will teach me to weave, but she has big floor looms and I don't have space for one. I was just at another friends home and noticed several small woven pieces that were so attractive. Thanks, Jill

-- Jill Schreiber (schreiber@alaska.com), September 27, 2000

Answers

I'd need to know which 2 books you're looking at. Most off-loom books seem to focus on artsy-fartsy demented spider making webs in a tree branch sort of thing. It really isn't possible to weave without a loom, but you can get very small and very portable.

Look into card weaving, Objewa "weaving", inkle looms, rigid heddle looms, frame looms, and even pieces of cardboard. I've never researched after loosing all my bookmarks, but I know that there are a number of card weaving sites on the internet. Try searching for fiber weaving, wool weaving, card weaving, etc.

Ask your friend how the pieces who admired were woven. Without knowing what the pieces were and their sizes, I can't guess how they were done. But weaving isn't hard, frustrating sometimes, but accessible to most everyone on some level. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), September 27, 2000.

I'm a weaver and I'd advise you to take the weaving lessons from your friend! Then get in touch with a weaver's guild in your area or shop that sells second-hand table looms. Sometimes you can find them at auctions. They're really quite small and portable, but capable of doing much that a large floor loom is. You don't have to get a big floor loom to weave beautiful things. I have both and use the floor loom for production work and the table loom for classwork and smaller projects, and sometimes to have two things going at a time. If your friend has a large floor loom that she can teach you on, learn on that and it will be very easy to adapt what you've learned to a smaller loom. Don't pass up the chance to learn this craft, it's really something worthwhile. And, yes you can use small amounts of yarn to make useful and very pretty things. Sorry I can't advise you on off-loom weaving, as I don't know much about it and have never done it. Hope you pursue the loom weaving, I'm happy I did. Good Luck!

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), September 27, 2000.

Do try cardweaving. Candace Crocket has an excellent book out that has lots of ideas and should be available through your library. EarthGuild in North Carolina sells the cards and has a good set of basic instructions to help you get started. I think the instructions are free with the order of the cards but I'm not sure. I've taught cardweaving and still have some packets containing a set of 10 cards and photocopied directions that I will sell at cost plus shipping. If you are interested, email me.

Another place to find used looms are state surplus property auctions. I have a friend who bought a 4-harness floor loom for $200 that sells new for $1400 when a college was dropping weaving from its art courses. I found a 4-harness table loom at auction for $90 and a new one goes for $450-500. And 2 weeks ago, a friend of mine and I went to an estate auction advertising 2 rug looms. One was incomplete but the other was an elegant but old handhewn loom with 2 temples, extra handmade reeds other goodies for $15. Yes that's FIFTEEN dollars. Keep your eyes open and good luck.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), September 27, 2000.

Here's a site to get you started.

http://home.netinc.ca/~rstowe/weave.html

Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), September 27, 2000.

And some more

http://w3.thegroup.net/~janis/ (tablet weaving)

http://nav.webring.yahoo.com/hub?ring=fibermom&list

http://www.keyway.net/crafts/Weaving.htm

Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), September 27, 2000.

There is a method of weaving, I believe called backstrap weaving done by the Mayan Indians in central america. I visited my son in Guatemala several years ago and watched the Mayan women weave. One end of the warp is tied to a tree ( or doorknob inside) and the other end was around the waist if the weaver. I just saw a kit for this at the Shaker Village Museum in Pittsfield , Massachussets so they are available here .The only other equipment used was a wooden shuttle and a comb . Sorry I can't tell you more.

-- Kate Henderson (sheeplady@catskill.net), September 27, 2000.

Thanks so much! I have a lot to look at with the websites from Gerbil, thank you! I talked with my friend tonight and as soon as the snow flies (Gee, looks white out there now!) we'll get together to work on plying, dyeing and weaving. I'm excited. The books I have access to are 'Off the Loom' by Shirley Marein and 'Weaving Without a Loom' by Veronica Burningham. I am going to the guild next week and see if they have anything in their library. I am already a member. Neat bunch of people, but it's so far away. Jill

-- Jill Schreiber (schreiber@alaska.com), September 28, 2000.

Marilyn, What is card weaving and how much are the cards? I have always wanted to learn weaving.

-- Cheryl Cox (bramblecottage @ hotmail.com), September 30, 2000.

My other mother is Osage and does finger weaving .Much like the above mentioned in guatamala.Her frame is very simple and basicly the colors are tied at the top. The frame it self is a tryangle set on it's side made from avaiable wood . i can try to get details if you are intrested.

-- Becky (Joel681@webtv.net), October 04, 2000.