Topic: Maintaining tension with large number of tablets
Gina Administrator
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Maintaining tension with large number of tablets Posted on: 05/01/05 at 10:37:49 GMT
Hello all, I'm currently working on a wide band based on a 15th c girdle in Germany. My version, although less wide than the original, uses 140 tablets with 2-ply 240 denier silk. The pattern is formed using warp manipulation.
I always have the tension on my weaving very tight - in fact other tablet weavers have commented on this before, however, that's how I seem to weave best. With this particular band, the pattern does not show clearly if the tension isn't tight, but controlling this, with so many tablets, is proving very time consuming.
So, my question for all of you other tablet weavers - have you ever worked with such a large number of tablets, and if so, how have you controlled the tension? Any tips?
At present I have the warp tied in three sections, which has helped somewhat.
Re: Maintaining tension with large number of table Posted on: 31/03/05 at 17:26:37 GMT
Well, I finished. In the end I've come to the conclusion that a band with so many tablets really needed to be woven on horizontal beams as opposed to the upright verticals. I believe that it would be easier to maintain a constant tension that way. Will keep everyone informed after my next experiment!
Re: Maintaining tension with large number of table Posted on: 13/04/05 at 18:07:18 GMT
What a lovely belt!!!!
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Gina Administrator
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Re: Maintaining tension with large number of table Posted on: 20/04/05 at 00:53:30 GMT
Thank you Jill! Its a 'representation' (a better word than reconstruction in this case), of an extant girdle in the Germanische Museum (sorry Helga for spelling this incorrectly!)
The orginal has fascinated me for about 5 years, but as I can't read German, I couldn't read everything that was written about it only some words. The more technical I couldn't find in a dictionary. Thankfully, Helga, a German member of this site, also loves the orginal, and helped me with translations of key words that I couldn't find. That has, I hope, helped me to figure out the technique used, and so this is the first attempt. I haven't seen the original, so can't say how close it is or isn't (it's about 3cm less wide than the original for a start!) but its the technique I'm most concerned with. I intend to write up a bit about that.
The silk has also been hand dyed, which was an experience in itself, trying to achieve nearly a black, but without using iron.
Hopefully Helga will post up a picture when the lovely silver (yes silver!) fittings she has had made for it have been fitted!
Re: Maintaining tension with large number of table Posted on: 25/01/07 at 05:25:57 GMT
Dear Gina Hi,Iam Shahla Amini from Iran.I saw your beautifull band and i saw your special loom for weaving it.you know as a card weaver and as a researcher in this matter ,i have seen a loom the same as your,s only in a tapestry (Les Perfections de La Vierge )from 16th century ,Rheims,France.our loom is horizontal (and ground loom in our nomad and tribs) . I think it would be much better if you fix your tablets (fully warped ) on a textile weaving loom so you can weave a band with as wide as the weaving loom. With best regard Shahla
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Gina Administrator
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Re: Maintaining tension with large number of table Posted on: 26/01/07 at 17:48:56 GMT
Dear Shahla,
It is a co-incidence, you adding to this thread, as I have just completed a similar band (only 88 tablets though, and a simpler design!) and this time I decided to try a loom with horizontal beams, with the warp threads weighted to maintain the tension. This worked so well; it took a long time to warp up, but it was worth it in the end. The tension remained consistent throughout.
i have seen a loom the same as your,s only in a tapestry (Les Perfections de La Vierge )from 16th century ,Rheims,France
Yes, there are many depictions in Europe of this type of tablet weaving loom - I know the tapestry you've mentioned, and there are depictions in various Books of Hours. That's why I opted for this type of loom, particularly for the times when I do costumed demonstrations.
our loom is horizontal (and ground loom in our nomad and tribs)
Peter Collingwood's 'Techniques of Tablet Weaving' shows pictures of this type of loom - and it really does seem to me to be better suited for certain techniques. Anything brocaded, for instance, I personally find easier to use a loom with horizontal beams as the work is flat - not always the case with the upright loom. Likewise, as I have discovered, the horizontal beams have been easier for me with a number of tablets. I've also found that it is easier when creating fringe. I don't know, perhaps its just the way I weave!
Problem is, I can't find any evidence for the use of a horizontal beams for tablet weaving in Europe.
It could be supposed that a band loom (which is also a horizontal beam set-up) could be used for tablet weaving, but I haven't seen any depictions of one used in this way.
fix your tablets (fully warped ) on a textile weaving loom
I'd love to - unfortunately, the rooms in my house are far too small for a nice big loom - one day perhaps!
Re: Maintaining tension with large number of tablets Posted on: 18/03/09 at 16:06:17 GMT
I did weave a simple wide belt (no intricated pattern, just stripes formed by the weft) without turning back - I always turned forward. I had to fix every strand separately and unwind regularely. It wasn't that difficult to keep the tension, but I worked with "tussah"-silk, that may have helped. I'll post pictures - I just need to find them. (I haven't got any fittings yet, I've got two artisans working on them, I look forward to see their prototypes)
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Gina Administrator
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Re: Maintaining tension with large number of tablets Posted on: 20/03/09 at 09:56:40 GMT
Please do, It's always lovely to see everyone's work
Re: Maintaining tension with large number of tablets Posted on: 24/07/10 at 08:51:06 GMT
Hello Gina! I wanted to ask you some questions for a while and since in this topic we are talking about using a large number of tablets I think it's appropriate to post them here.
I've learn to do tablet weaving some time ago but I have few practice so I'm almost new to it. I'm a portuguese reenactor so basically since I started doing Tablet Weaving I wished to make a reproduction of the belt of Isabel de Portugal (http://paineis.org/Persica_Sibylla.jpg). I saw on your site that you have made one (love your work). This is a wide belt so I was thinking, what would be the best kind of loom to work it? I'll be doing this one at home so it can be any type of loom. Until now I only worked on horizontal looms but I always have trouble with the tension of the threads (I also like to work with tension), do you think it would be easier to work on an inkle loom?
Ana R. www.alvissaras.50webs.com/index_eng.html
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Gina Administrator
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Re: Maintaining tension with large number of tablets Posted on: 26/07/10 at 10:21:07 GMT
Hi Ana Yes, I have found that it is easier to work something with a large number of tablets on horizontal beams, such as an inkle loom. I also find it easier when working long items.
When working on an inke-type loom, or anything where you are doing a continuous warp, you need to remember that you you'll probably have more twist build-up (particularly with a single colour weave), so it's worth planning out your design so that you can untwist this while weaving. (In other words so that the tablets go both forward and backward as you weave) as you can't just untie the warp and untwist it the way that you can on two uprights.
You'll see from above that I've also tried using a band loom which has two horizontal beams, with the excess warp threads being weighted over the far beam. This worked pretty well, and I know alot of modern tablet weavers who use this method successfully, but I did find the warping very time-consuming with lots of fine silk, and these days I do tend to use an inkle-style loom.
I guess it's really what works best for you! Do post up pics when you've finished - we'd love to see it!
Re: Maintaining tension with large number of tablets Posted on: 27/07/10 at 12:55:34 GMT
Thank you for the quick reply. As soon as I have something to show I'll post some pictures but it will take a while. Unfortunately I have so much things to do that I'm not sure when I'll have free time for tablet weaving again :S
Ana R. www.alvissaras.50webs.com/index_eng.html
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muntchka site member
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Re: Maintaining tension with large number of tablets Posted on: 25/08/10 at 10:34:48 GMT
It's me again. This time with something to show I've been on vacation so I took the opportunity to start a wide belt. Basically I went from using 20/25 tablets to 100, a big jump. I had a bit of a problem with the loom, which caused a tension problem, so I don't know if the finished belt will be straight, but this is my first time using so many tablets and considering this I'm happy with the result until now. Despite the problem with the loom, I found working on the inkle loom much more easier to work on and keep tension, even for the thin bands.
Re: Maintaining tension with large number of tablets Posted on: 26/08/10 at 09:07:21 GMT
Ana that is looking great! As you say, it is a big jump to use so many tablets, but it looks like you are doing a fine job. It looks like you are using wool? If so, you should be able to straighten it out when you've finished if it needs it, in the same way as you do with knitting. Thanks so much for sharing with us, Gina
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Maintaining tension with large number of tablets
