And another. This one is taken from the Lautanauhat Facebook page, obviously a continuing source of inspiration for me. I saw the photo, which, in translation, was described as "ancient Karelian ribbon the old way". This is a bit ambiguous, since the purpose of the post was to show the author's progress as a weaver, often re-interpreting the structure of an archaeologic band in a more complex way as well as currently weaving the same patterns with finer materials, more tightly woven. So, is this a genuine Karelian pattern? Another riff on the Ladoga fragments? Who cares? It was fun, quick, etc., a nice band to knock off after being able to re-assemble my weaving corner.
I re-charted the band based on the Facebook photo. It's as simple as it looks. There are 10 tablets total (6 pattern tablets and 2 edge tablets per side), 4 holes per tablet. The edge tablets are aqua for the outermost (1 and 10) and white for the inner (2 and 9), with alternating tablet orientation. The pattern tablets start with AB in aqua and CD in white, staggering them across the 6 pattern tablets to make diagonal lines, all with the same tablet orientation. Then it's a nice simple 17F 17B rotation sequence, with the edges always turning forward.
Am I done with zigzags? I'm not sure yet...
I'm not sure what band I'll do next. I'm dithering as usual. Double face? Two hole? 3/1 twill? Another fast-and-easy band? (I told someone I might make them a band that would be suitable to make into an instrument strap.) If I make the instrument strap, then ideally it should look good on both sides.
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I also taught a couple of classes on making simple cords this month and will teach another one next month. I did a class on twisted cords (two different methods) and another on the two-loop fingerlooped braid (with a quick demo of the basic 3-loop braid). Next month I'll do one on fingercrochet (aka two-strand chain sinnet). I should probably do a class someday on making cordage using the reverse twist/warp method since it's yet another classic/simple technique.
So I guess that's 4 cord-making techniques so far. I still want to teach a class on pigtail braids, particularly the 5-strand pigtail. Then I can tell myself I've done the "Five Easy Pieces" series. Each one uses a different technique -- twisted cord, finger-loop braid, fill-the-gap disk braid, finger-crochet,, and free-end pigtail braid.
For the finger-looping class, I used the instructions from Ingrid Crickmore on her loopbraider.com website. She initially wrote the instructions and created the videos for a class she taught on the Braids and Bands mailing list, giving permission to pass them along if she was credited, which of course I did. (And of course I didn't charge anything; this was a completely free thing.)
For the twisted cord class, I wrote my own instructions. However, I found a video and a non-video instruction site for each of the methods I taught or mentioned (simple twisting of one strand or bundle of strands, folded back on itself; twisting or two or more strands separately, then tying them together; the inch-at-a-time twist and fold/wrap method). I also linked a couple of fun things -- a technical article on finding ancient cordage on a worked piece of stone that dates to Neanderthal times, a short video on building Inca-style bridges in Peru, and a website showing photos of archaeologic/historic twisted cords used on clothing as ties, drawstrings, and for decorative purposes.
Today just for funsies I decided to crank out a 4-loop fingerloop braid that builds on the principles of the 2-loop one. That's another fun and quick braid.
I need to warp up a borrowed inkle loom to weave a long band. The loom needs to go back to its owner soon. It does 5 yards of warp, whereas my own inkle loom tops out at 3 yards of warp. It will be plain inkle-weaving (i.e. a warp-faced band/tape), no pick-up or anything fancy.
Twined baskets and bags in the Columbia Plateau style are also consuming my time and brainspace. Happy sigh. Plus knitting and spinning and sewing and all the usual non-narrow-wares stuff.
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