Tubular Woven Finishes - Backstrap Loom Techniques with Jacquetta Nisbet.

An overview of Andean textiles will give you an initial concept of the artistry and inventiveness to be found in the designing and weaving of embellishments for ponchos, carrying cloths, and bags. This course will show you how to make a continuous warp with heddles and a shed loop, rearrange the warp order and pick patterns. Starting with a plainweave band that teaches you the basic techniques of backstrap weaving you can progress through supplementary and complementary warp-patterning and warp substitution to the complex and beautiful crossed and diverted warp tubular weave — "the little band of many eyes". Then you can design for and weave onto the textiles of your choice — as edging for a garment, ceremonial necklace, or self-plying fringe — while adding detail and durability to items of daily use.

Prerequisites: None.

Materials needed: A warping board, inkle loom or clamped pegs suitable for making narrow warps. About an ounce each of at least contrasting colors of 3/2 perle cotton and the same of a smooth, hard twist worsted wool. Fine heddle cotton and strong string for ties. You will need a piece of wood for a template for the fringe, along with a couple of c-clamps or wall hooks. A detailed list is included in the cassette along with pattern graphs.

VHS VIDEO: 73 minutes.