This project
required I exercise my horribly rusty tablet weaving skills. I mean rusty.
I only have very basic knowledge to begin with and the last thing I wove
was…. let's just say years ago.
I am in desperate
need of a silk headband - or filet - or circlet - or whichever word you
fancy. I keep seeing beautiful examples
of headbands (like here, here, and here) and I wanted to join the club. And besides, any fashionable lady would have
one, right ?
 |
| This lady is so fashionable, she even has a medieval glam fan. ;-) Grandes Heures de Jean de Berry, f48r. |
My plan was to
follow the pattern outlined in Textiles and Clothing: 1150-1450 for item number 142 (Crowfoot, Pritchard, and Staniland, pg. 132). This example was found with a piece of fake
hair attached. The band is about 1cm wide and made from 26 cards, the center 22 threaded with 2
threads and woven in a plain weave. The
2 cards on each end are threaded with 4 threads to form a border.
 |
| Textiles and Clothing: 1150-1450, pg 132. Silk filet with false hair attached. |
I normally would use
a filament silk, but since I didn't want to waste a lot of thread on my first
attempt, I chose to use Gütermann spun silk in black. It is much less expensive and since it is
more tightly spun, I figured it would hold up better against wear from rotating
the cards.
I measured around my
head and then added 18 inches for waste for the length of the warp. Since the only tools I have designed for
tablet weaving are the cards, I had to improvise for a warping board and loom. I used Linda Hendrickson's method shown here to wind a
continuous warp. And that was my first
error. I was so excited to be winding
away that I threaded all the cards with 4 threads. Oops.
I realized this after I had the warp complete and all tied up ready to
start weaving. Of course this was my
second warp, since the first was attacked by my "helpers."
 |
| The group of 4 cards in the foreground are for the border. |
At this point I made
the executive decision to continue with the cards threaded as they were and see
what happened. At least it would give me
practice.
The original pattern
had the center cards being rotated a 1/4 turn back and then 1/4 turn forward to
make the tabby weave. Since my cards had
4 holes, in order for all the threads to be caught in the weave, I had to turn
the cards 1/2 turn.
What I have now
is:
 |
| Above: Close-up of No. 142 from Textiles and Clothing. |
Despite
mis-threading the cards, my piece is similar to the original in appearance
and dimensions (about 1cm wide). I call that a win! I am about halfway done with
the weaving. This project is teaching me
a lot about keeping tension even.
And I am yearning for a loom of some sort. Maybe a medieval one like this:
 |
| Grandes Heures de Jean de Berry, f34r. |
After the weaving is
complete, I may cover the back in leather like Neulakko to
help keep sweat from damaging the silk.
I am still deciding what decoration to add to the band. I'm thinking small pewter bezants or maybe pearls. I also am debating
leaving it plain like the one here:
 |
| Portrait of Lysbeth van Duvenvoorde, anoniem, c. 1430. Rijksmuseum, No. SK-C-1454 |
Back to weaving for me! I can't wait to show you the finished product!
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