The book, moraband by barbro wallin presents 100 patterns for these bands. I normally weave on a rigid heddle loom so i have a few questions about backstrap weavinghow is soft. Backstrap synonyms, backstrap pronunciation, backstrap translation, english dictionary definition of backstrap. No special techniques are required to lift or drop individual threads during the weaving process. The pdf quality of the files has been reduced for faster download. One common threading uses three background threads between each pattern thread. Above i have warped a 30 inch warp using a yard stick and pencils lashed on for warping stakes. A leather strap attached near the top of a hame and then running along the back of the horse and joining with some of the strapping that. Since then, mothers have taught daughters to weave, sharing with them the beauty and meaning of their rich cultural traditions. Kathleen mossman vitale endangered threads documentaries. By moving her body, the weaver can control the amount of tension in the warp yarns throughout the weaving process. The loom itself is quite simple, basically a collection of different sized and shaped sticks.
Apr, 2016 a backstrap weaving workshop in antigua, guatemala. The challenge is designed to be worked using mary meigs atwaters law of diagonals for overshot weaving. Amidi is determined to preserve this art form, an icon of their culture. Myth has it that our grandmother the moon, the goddess ixchel, taught the first woman how to weave at the beginning of time. Two pairs of jade pieces belonged to rods that fitted together to form a clamp. Backstrap weaving is about using sticks to form a loom, which is attached to and tensioned by the weaver, on which anything from simple narrow bands to wide pieces of fabric with complex pickup patterns can be woven. Backstrap weaving a little armchair travel courtesy of jose jaime araujo traditional woven belt patterns from south america. The backstrap loom is used on a daily basis, in many parts of guatemala by mayan women, to weave fabric for their clothing and other needed household textiles. Faq 10 what yarns are suitable for backstrap weaving. If you would like to learn more about backstrap weaving, we recommend that you visit laverne waddingtons website, backstrap weaving, where you will find many excellent resources, including instructions for use.
Aug 09, 2017 backstrap weaving when we started telling people we were going to ecuador, the most common question was why ecuador. Backstrap loom of jacaltenango, guatemala this site gives a good explanation of how to weave on a backstrap loom. Clear stepbystep explanations of weaving and setting up a traditional loom are followed by highly technical documentations of twentyone highland textiles. Weaving textiles on a backstrap loom is ancient practice in mesoamerica and all over the world. Click on these linked titles to see separate pages for my sets of pattern charts. Even today, every maya textile design is in homage to the goddess of medicine, childbirth, and weaving. If youve always been fascinated by the art of backstrap weaving, here is a loom so you can try it yourself. An entirely nonmechanized instrument, it is constructed with wood, bone, and strings, and is easily portable from home to field, wrapped inside the traditional lliqlla or manta carrying shawl that every woman wears. The other end of the loom wraps around the weavers waist and the weaver adjusts the tension by leaning back on the loom. Backstrap weaving is an ancient textile art, predating history. Weaving is a precise craft, involving each individual thread being aligned into perfect placement. For her, the most difficult part of her craft is culling from ethnic memory the visualization and execution of design.
Band weaving backstrap sewing instructions 2012 vavstuga llc sew bands to selvedges of your beautiful handwoven back piece bands should be 3. The simplicity, functionality, and versatility of a backstrap loom belies the trickiest part. Backstrap weaving bands these belts are actually woven on a vertical loom. Backstrap weaving is an ancient art form that has been used around the world for generations and is still used in many regions today. Aug 21, 2017 backstrap dialogues is almost 3x longer than the bag on a box zine and after making a bunch of proofs i decided i wasnt ready to photocopy, fold and bind that many pages myself. Abundance, fertility and wealth are highlighted in the rich depiction of flora and fauna, mountains and rivers and other multiple and repetitive ornamentations such as curvilinear, x and diamond forms. Jul 30, 20 with a backstrap loom you can weave something as small as a headband or something about a meter wide and two meters long. Yes, here is the puzzling collection of sticks and string. Backstrap definition of backstrap by the free dictionary. Backstrap dialogues is almost 3x longer than the bag on a box zine and after making a bunch of proofs i decided i wasnt ready to photocopy. Yet watching an accomplished backstrap weaver can be as baffling as enlightening. Traditional craftsmanship 256 257 in celebration of life philippine culture, as expressed in textiles, is celebratory in disposition and outlook. With a backstrap loom you can weave something as small as a headband or something about a meter wide and two meters long. Several of the little markets artisan partners in guatemala use this technique to weave the beautiful textiles used to make some of our most popular products, including overnight bags, luggage tags, and pillows.
Jan 10, 2008 the mayan women in the rural area of guatemala still weave the same way their mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers have done for hundreds of years. The continuation of this type of weaving is one way women have resisted the culture imposed on them by their conquerors. Home collections and research ethnology maya textiles weaving technology backstrap looms the backstrap loom, an example of which is shown to the right, is deceptively simple. Remember in backstrap weaving you are part of the loom and there are some basic moves and techniques with which you need to become familiar. Guatemalan backstrap weaving is the latest of this genre. The sperlichs book details travel experiences and encounters with weavers. This strap is how the backstrap loom received its name.
As you might imagine, this can be difficult and timeconsuming. It is also highly portableyou just need someplace to anchor it. Our fair trade artisans all use the backstrap loom even though some use a foot pedal loom also. This is a one on one weaving class with miss guillerma, guatemalan indigenous master backstrap weaver. Mayan backstrap weaving is an ancient craft, enduring and evolving for 2000 years. Mar 02, 2011 a backstrap loom is a really simple loom actually just hand carved sticks but a method of weaving that is used around the world and has been for centuries.
Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. Preparing the thread, setting up the loom, designing a textile, and executing the. Amounts shown in italicized text are for items listed in currency other than canadian dollars and are approximate conversions to canadian dollars based upon bloombergs conversion rates. This tiny cottage on the small island of mederia, portugal is filled with. Backstrap weavingthe backstrap loomall those sticks. In 1404 it was used to mean a machine to enable weaving thread into cloth. Buy handcarved backstrap weaving looms education and more. How lucky am i my first backstrap weaving workshop was taught by the delightful laverne waddington. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. When we started telling people we were going to ecuador, the most common question was why ecuador. The word loom is derived from the old english geloma, formed from geperfective prefix and loma, a root of unknown origin. Guatemalan backstrap weaving hispanic american historical.
Full draft is included for the computer with a downloadable. This tool is limited to a plainweave, meaning that threads on the loom alternate passing through the heddles. Specifications and drawings for building the ergonomic. The spanish version is also available here on the internet archive. The 2 colors, light brown and dark brown, were very close in value, and in the less than ideal light i. The backstrap i is fastened to the other warp bar and passes around of the back of the weaver, who usually kneels on the ground to weave. The back strap loom is a simple loom that has its roots in ancient civilizations. For the most part, it consists of sticks, rope, and a strap that is worn around the weavers waist. Mexican motif mug rugs in double weave simple warp float patterns llama motifs in double weave.
Often women unite two separate pieces to produce a larger textile. An ergonomic bench for indigenous weavers sage journals. The ergonomic weaving bench for backstrap weavers enables women artisans to protect their health while producing more textiles of better quality. It is known that humans were weaving cloth in the stone age in the earliest agricultural villages. The mayan women in the rural area of guatemala still weave the same way their mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers have done for hundreds of years. Backstrap weaving in mesoamerica has prehispanic origins and is the oldest, most common and highly reguarded art. Setting up the loom for weaving with multiheddles poses a limita tion which either requires a higher manual manipulation of the warp yarns as done by the. In the andes, traditional quechua backstrap weaving uses the backstrap loom, the oldest form of loom in the world.
Using the directions from the weavealong im using cotton crochet thread. The weaving primer is the handbook for everyone the beginner and the experienced weaver who wants to pursue an interest in weaving. Mar 30, 2015 backstrap weaving for me was like driving in england. The role played by important innovations such as kays flying shuttle and. Weaving narrow patterned bands with three background threads between each pattern thread. Increasing and relaxing tension on the warp with your body, which allows you to efficiently open the sheds. Inkle loom pattern generator the carolingian realm. Media in category backstrap looms the following 119 files are in this category, out of 119 total. These specifications and drawings contain important information about how to safely and properly build, sell, use, and care for ergonomic weaving benches.
Our guatemalan backstrap weaving class takes place on every second sunday of each month from 1 pm to 4. It is considered, along with a simple frame loom, to be one of the original looms with which humans made cloth. This tool will help you generate a pattern for a warpfacing weave, such as that produced by an inkle loom or a backstrap loom. I started weaving along with the backstrap beginners group on warp stripe pieces and variations of the basic warp stripe.
Laverne also demonstrates how to weave on a backstrap loom in the video operating a backstrap loom, available for purchase from taproot videos. This archival publication may not reflect current scientific knowledge or recommendations. Backstrap weaving is an ancient art practiced for centuries in many parts of the world. By 1838, it had gained the meaning of a machine for interlacing thread. Backstrap looms are often fastened to a tree or post. The second part of this exciting announcement is that this is the first time that i am releasing a new publication as a pdf as well as a printed. A backstrap loom is a really simple loom actually just hand carved sticks but a method of weaving that is used around the world and has been for centuries.
John kay invents the flying shuttle, enabling weaving of a wider range of fabrics. Bands from the dalarna in central sweden use a variety of weave structure. When making the warp chain for a backstrap loom, it is imperative that you make a double cross in the chain, i. Peru, guatemala, china, japan, bolivia, and mexico are a few of the countries where weavers use a type of backstrap loom. Fortunately, this complex process is made far easier by the weaving loom and the advancements made with this important tool over the course of fashions history. I thought backstrap weaving was an inlay technique, when it is a pickup technique. There were a lot of reasons, our affection for latin culture, our interest in andean culture, for d it was the food and for me it was the rich textile history of this part of the world.
Lets just say, i touched the curb more than a few times while in the uk no damages or injuries. Hello and welcome to weavolutions backstrap weaving group. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Highland toraja people weave with cotton on a backstrap loom using a continuous warp, cross sticks or coi1 rod, and a two part cloth beam.
My experience with balanced weaves so far is limited to one finnweave band and a small twill piece and i had so much fun with. How to make your own backstrap loom kimberly hamill weaving. The backstrap loom has been a channel of artistic expression and a source of income for mayan women through centuries of deprivation. Current information available from the university of minnesota extension. Backstrap weaving looms and accessories education and more.
I give instructions first for setting up and weaving on a narrow warpas an introduction to backstrap weaving techniquesbefore moving on to the wider warp required for making the backstrap itself. Actually, i would love to have done the binding, but once you have someones machine print and fold hundreds of sheets, it turns out to be a huge hassle not to let. Weaving narrow patterned bands with three background. A backstrap weaving workshop in antigua, guatemala. A complete guide to inkle, backstrap, and frame looms chiltons creative crafts series nina holland on.
In the last two decades it has been difficult for women to maintain their. With a face exuding serenity, her hands are thick and dyestained from a lifetime of harvesting pandanus and the drawing out of dreamlike designs in her mats. A local tarahumara indian weaving on a small backstrap loom at the train station. As a result, they increase their ability to provide for their families, and also preserve their weaving culture.
In the highlands of guatemala today many maya women practice backstrap loom weaving, an art which has been a distinctive part of their culture since before the arrival of the spaniards. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Dec 31, 2014 it is also my understanding that in coban, guatemala the fabric produced on the back strap loom is much finer, more like gauze then the densely woven warp faced fabrics you see in the post. As with any type of weaving, of course, the hardest part is the warping of the loom. The above diagram gives you an idea of how the loom is setup. Free download of two issues of the weavers journal with articles by adele cahlander on crossed warp bands and tubular bands. Weaving narrow patterned bands with three background threads. According to maya legend, the goddess ixchel invented backstrap weaving and is credited with creating the cosmos on her loom. A loom is a device used to weave cloth and tapestry. Backstrap weaving is an ancient form of weaving still in practice today in many regions of the world.
Pdf file for those that do not use weaving software. Weaving is considered a way of communicating with the gods. For now my area of expertise is warpfaced weaves although i do intend experimenting with balanced weaves. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Buy a real backstrap weaving loom in our online store most generally they use a backstrap loom lienso and weave cloth that is typically 12 24 wide. The technique can be found in the wonderful book siira by mirja wark.