#weaving tools

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Weaving Tool.

Place of origin: Peru

Date: A.D. 200-1520

Medium: Bone

[leo-fie]

How to make tablets for tablet weaving

You'll need: Playing cards, scissors, punch, pencil, permanent marker in 2 different colours.

Why playing cards specifically? Because they are made to be handled. Their edges don't fray, even the cheapest ones. These were like 2€ for 32, the rest was stuff I already had lying around, making it a very cheap project. Also they make it very easy to divide a pattern into groups of 4.

Step 1: Square your cards by laying another one on top perpendicularly and mark with a pencil (pen used for visibiliy).

Step 2: Cut and round the edges (it's fine, these people are royalty). I cut a little inside the line here because the pen drew a smidge to the side.

Step 3: Punch holes in the corners. First try on a spare piece of paper to figure out how far you have to hold it in to get the hole where you need it to be. It doesn't have to be 100% accurate, but close enough. I built myself a little jig to hold the card out of the cut off bit. When the thingy touches the punch I know the hole is gonna be where I want it.

Step 4: Mark two opposite corners with permanent marker on both sides. This is technically not necessary, but very useful. Also mark the same corners on all the cards for aesthetic.

Congratulations, you have tablets now! How many do you need? 32 is enough for most patterns you'll find on pinterest, but there are patterns with over 90. So make a couple more!

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Weaving Tools.

Culture: Peruvian 

Date: A.D. 200-1520 (?)

Medium: Bone

[rishbah]

Rug Making Tools Guide: From Loom to Finished Carpet

Rug making is a timeless textile craft that combines creativity, skill, and the right equipment. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artisan, selecting the proper rug-making tools can significantly improve the quality and durability of your finished carpet.

Every rug starts with a solid foundation. Frame looms and rigid heddle looms provide the structure needed to maintain consistent tension during weaving. These tools are ideal for creating everything from decorative wall hangings to large handmade rugs.

For adding texture and design, punch needles and traditional rug hooks are among the most popular options. Punch needles allow crafters to create looped patterns quickly, while rug hooks offer greater precision for detailed work. Both methods are widely used in modern textile arts and DIY rug projects.

When speed and scale are important, a tufting gun can be a valuable addition. This tool enables makers to produce larger rugs efficiently while maintaining a professional appearance. To achieve the best results, tufting guns should be used with a sturdy frame and properly stretched backing fabric.

Finishing tools are equally important. Curved rug scissors help trim and shape the pile, while latex adhesive secures the backing and reduces shedding. Binding materials and blocking techniques further enhance durability and give rugs a polished, professional finish.

Whether you prefer weaving, hooking, punching, or tufting, investing in quality tools is the first step toward creating beautiful handmade rugs.

Learn more about rug-making equipment and techniques at: https://www.luxurifyhome.com/blogs/news/rug-making-tools-from-loom-to-finished-carpet

[ncaper-blog]

WORKSHOP - Creating Weaving Tools

First of all, this workshop was provided as a part of our other classes for the Navajo Cultural Arts Program. This workshop was held at Dine College and focused on the development of Navajo weaving tools. I chose this workshop because it provided so much more information into an emphasis I am currently in, which is weaving. It also provided a hands-on project for students to complete within the time frame. Our guest instructor goes by the name of Mark Descheny from Church Rock, New Mexico. Mark Descheny comes from a big family of weavers. He himself is not a weaver but he chooses to be connected to these practices in an entirely different way. He makes his living and surrounds his lifestyle around his creation of Navajo weaving tools.

This by far was the best workshop I attended in my life because of how little knowledge I had about weaving tools, their representations, and their stories. I gained a lot of knowledge and fortunately got the chance to design and make my personal weaving tools that I will cherish forever. Students all got an opportunity to make a weaving comb and a batten for a perfect start. One student however chose to go a different route and decided to tackle the task in making a spindle which requires a little more focus and work.

So, in more detail, the workshop started off with a brief introduction about Mr. Descheny’s background in weaving. He focused more in depth about the differences in weaving tools in today’s society and during our ancestor’s era. In response to this discussion, it was the most interesting part of the workshop so far because of how much knowledge we inherited more about how our ancestors weaved long ago. The discussion went into the comparison of looms, wool, tools, and every aspect of weaving. What amazes me today, is how we have everything easy with weaving. We have advanced knowledge into making rugs today. We have looms. We have modernized tools. Everything today has been revolutionized over the years and all this information does not compare at all to the older generation of weaving. For one example, I learned how our ancestors had no looms, and they would just find a tree branch to tie their looms up to weave. They wove in portable fashion as they herded their sheep to graze. They had access to a heavy object to anchor their loom to the ground. Then, with their rope, tie their loom to a tree branch to tighten the warps enough to weave. When the sheep were moving, they simply just untie, roll up the loom, and move on again. That is just amazing to me. It was simple but effective. This type of information is what I strive for and I was very deep into the discussions more than making weaving tools.

After all the discussions, we then went into our projects. I got to make 2 small weaving combs, both finishing tools for the last part of a rug you’re completing. I also got the chance to make a small batten, which is also as a finishing tool. Within this project, we also got comparison stories about how weaving tools are made today and back then. Completely different again considering the older era didn’t have advanced tools. Before, our ancestors used their environment, our Mother Earth to create these tools. They used the rocks, the trees, the rain, and basically whatever was connected to nature. It makes it that more special to be able to create using natural materials in your environment. In my experience, it was actually very easy using the tools provided for us. I made my weaving comb in less than an hour and I made my batten in 10 minutes. To see how easy it was only made me wonder how difficult it was for our ancestors. But, it makes me feel happy because that’s the lifestyle we honor the most today.

Overall, this was a very great workshop. I loved every component, down to the discussions and the projects. It was a very fortunate learning experience for myself because of how much information was packed in this workshop. I gained a lot and I am very thankful for Mark Descheny to travel a great distance to visit us. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, Cultural preservation is a high priority today and Mr. Descheny is on the right path to keeping tradition alive.

Pictured above: Weaving comb and batten made by Quanah O. Yazzie.

[susimarieherzog]

weaver at work