Equipment requirements. All sessions : You will need:

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1 Online Workshop October - November 2017 The Braid Society Dates: First session 15th October Second session 22nd October Third session 8th November Fourth Session Braid Society Members only Equipment Requirements This workshop is run by the Braid Society. If you are not a member, do join us. The first three sessions are for people who enjoy weaving narrow bands and want to explore patterned bands weaving from different countries. By the end of the workshop you will have a deeper understanding of how patterns work. All the patterns will be for bands with 13 pattern threads. Choose which aspects of the workshop in which you are most interested. You do not have to do everything. Do check the files section in Braids and Bands for the notes from previous workshops if you do not have them. The fourth session is for members only. This session will look at more complex bands. All sessions : You will need: Equipment requirements. Either a standard heddle, a double slotted Sunna heddle with 13 pattern slots or an inkle loom Shuttle for picks ups. A pointed shuttle such as a netting shuttle or Swedish band shuttle or the Gehpa curved shuttle are suitable. Yarn - I suggest a cotton yarn of about 6/2 thickness. If you are a beginner, do not use too fine a yarn. The pattern threads can either be the same as the background thread and used double, or a thicker wool. The pattern threads and the background threads should be in contrasting colours. The weft yarn is the same colour as the background threads. If you are weaving with a backstrap and rigid heddle, you will also need a belt, band lock or equivalent such as a clip-it, and a G-clamp. Susan J Foulkes September

2 Netting shuttles The curved Gehpa shuttle Standard heddles come in various sizes. Make sure that you have one with enough holes and long slots. Standard heddles from the Handweavers Studio. The heddle with the handle is too small for patterned band weaving. Two carved wooden heddles from Vav Kompaniet and a plastic one from Stoorstalka. A carved heddle from Gunnar Karro - a luxury item! Susan J Foulkes September

3 If you have not woven many bands, the first session will revise the basics for weaving. Remember these YouTube videos which may be helpful: Using the double slotted Sunna heddle.,with 13 pattern slots. Using the Sunna heddle to weave patterned bands. Threading the Sunna heddle Using a standard heddle Winding a warp for narrow band weaving Threading the rigid heddle for narrow band weaving Weaving narrow warp faced patterned bands. Inkle loom weaving Inkle Introduction Warping an inkle loom Weaving on the Schacht inkle loom Learning to weave on the inkle loom Two very useful PDF files from Ashford looms They are free to download. Learning to weave on the inklette loom Blog Do check out my blog. On the page you will find a section about Weaving Bands. This section has pages of different topics to do with weaving bands from uses of woven bands to setting up to weave. I will also be writing about my trip around the Baltic and the Weave Fair 2017 in Sweden. Do join the Braid Society. Joining is easy on the web site: Full individual subscription is Group/family membership Long haul membership available to people who live in the Americas, Africa, or Australasia. The newsletter and Strands, the yearly magazine are excellent. Susan J Foulkes September

4 Sweden Equipment Stockists Standard and double slotted Sunna heddles and curved Gehpa shuttle: Stoorstalka are based in Jokkmokk in Sweden and ship world wide Standard heddles This shop in Boras in Sweden is owned by seven handweavers. There are more than 30 artisans and craft people who sell their crafts at Vävkompaniet. They have a lovely selection of carved wooden heddles. Most have a second row of holes. They also sell the useful band lock for weaving with a backstrap. USA Stoorstalka have a dedicated North American web site for sales. They sell the double slotted Sunna heddle for 13 pattern threads and the Gehpa curved shuttle. The Woolery Norway Spinnvilt T he Woolery also stock Stoorstalka products. Spinnvilt is a place for weavers to visit when in Oslo. They stock the Stoorstalka range of equipment. Stoorstalka have a dedicated Norwegian site for sales. UK Handweavers Studio UK They sell Stoorstalka double slotted heddles and the Gehpa chuttle. It is an excellent shop for equipment such as inkle looms and portable rigid heddle looms. They sell ribbon reeds in plastic and wood and band shuttles. Their yarn selection is wonderful and can be bought in small quantities. They stock the 3x 2/16 cotton used by Anne Dixon in her book which is great for more delicate patterned bands. It is available in a wide range of colours and in 25 gm and 100 gr amounts. They also have a Facebook page at Estonia Gunnar Karro. Gunnar is a wonderful worker of wood. He has a outlet on Etsy,for handmade weaving supplies. He makes a beautiful curved shuttle. Yarn: Look at the Yarn comparison PDF in the files section on the Braids and Bands site. This was compiled as a result of members giving tips as to the various yarns that are useful for band weaving. I suggest a reasonably thick cotton. I use the American mercerised 6/2 cotton from William Hall and Company. I use two strands for the pattern yarns. A 5/2 cotton would also be fine. When thinking about yarn, the master yarn chart from Interweave Press. Is very useful. You can download it here. Susan J Foulkes September

5 The aim of this workshop is to introduce some of the lovely patterns and variations from around the Baltic. I want to show you how patterns are constructed and how they can be varied. Each week there will be a pattern from each area to try. I will give you the actual colours and materials of the originals. You can weave them in whatever materials and colour you prefer. I have chosen some band patterns to illustrate how different countries use similar patterns. Although there are a wide variety of patterns, some motifs occur in all countries. For example, the simple O and X pattern is easy to learn and is a good starting point for beginners and appears everywhere. Weavers also like to display their talents. By using a combination of motifs, long patterns can be created. This will be examined in week 4. Books There are a number of recent books on band weaving from Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Norway and the Sámi people. Unfortunately, they soon go out of print but I have listed them in case you are interested in seeing the different band traditions. You might be able to find a copy. You do not have to buy any books. The workshop notes will have the band patterns written out clearly. Кaчаева, Μарина. Магия пояса. Славянский пояс в обряде и в жизни It means the Magic of the Belt: Slavic belts in rite and in everyday life by Marina Kachaeva. In Russian I bought it in the museum in St Petersburg. It is a wonderful book with many band patterns. You can also buy a PDF of Slavic Patterns for beginners From: Susan J Foulkes September

6 Traditional Finnish Decorative Bands by Theodor Schvindt in English Norwegian Pick-up Band Weaving by Heather Torgenrud in English Schiffer 2014 Patterned Sashes: The Common Cultural Layer by Anete Karlsone, Latvijas Nacionalais Kulturas Centrs, 2014 ISBN In Latvian and English Esti Kirivööd by Piia Rand in Estonian. Moraband by Barbro Wallin in Swedish. This book was published in 2017 in Norway but I have been unable to get a copy. Susan J Foulkes September

7 Each week of the workshop, I will present a band with its weaving chart from the countries we are visiting. I have woven the band in the materials of the original but you can choose your own yarn and colours. I have chosen simple patterns which can be varied by the use of materials, colours or joining motifs. It is fun to play with pattern. I will guide you through some simple ideas for making your own variations on these patterns for each week. This will help you to understand how patterns are created. At the AGM of the Braid Society in 2015, I gave a talk about Weaving bands around the Baltic. Here is the short piece I uploaded to my blog. If you want to see how these lovely bands were used in different countries, do check out my Pinterest site which has many boards of costume and woven bands The basic set of equipment. Sunna double slotted heddle, Gehpa shuttle, G-clamp and band lock or clip-it. A weaver, yarn and a backstrap are all that is needed. This is a weaving hobby in a shoe box. Everything that you need can be packed away into a small space. Susan J Foulkes September