I am ready to get back to weaving Celtic designs again, after a couple of months of working on those two blankets. This time, in recognition of the resounding vote by the Scottish in last week's British election, I am weaving a Falkirk tartan - generally described as being the earliest known example of a …
Tag: ancient weaving designs
The Celts of Iron Age Europe
Sometimes discussion of the Celts can inspire romantic or fanciful notions which bear little relation to the archaeology of the European Iron Age. In fact, archaeologists and historians continue to debate the meaning of the word 'Celt' as it relates to these Iron Age cultures, since it doesn't seem to correlate well with either their ethnicity or socio-political …
Tablet Weaving
Tablet weaving (also known as card weaving) is an ingenious technique for taking long bundles of warp threads and passing them through perforated tablets, then manipulating these to make strong patterned bands. Historically this was done with either a back strap method or a structured loom. To weave with this technique, each card is normally …
Blankets in Tabby
I have warped up the loom now for two blankets in double weave, so when they're off the loom they will be twice the width of my reed. This project was inspired by a family holiday last summer to the Island of Mull in Scotland. I went into the Ardalanish Weavers mill and shop in …
Broken Diamond Twill
I am weaving broken diamond twill this time - iconic weave of the Anglo Saxon and Viking periods. The loom is warped up with Shetland wool again with a sett of 12 ends per inch, but this time with black warp threaded in a 2/2 broken point twill. The first sample is woven with the …
Ancient designs on the floor loom
I have warped up the loom in natural undyed white Shetland wool with a sett of 12 ends per inch, so it is a nice chunky proportion that weaves up quickly. Initially, I tied it up in a simple 2/2 twill, for the herringbone variations and the basket weave. The terms 'herringbone', 'point twill' and …
Celtic Weaving 