Tips and Tricks to Ease your Weaving of Narrow Wares
K.I.S.S.
One thing I always stress to new weavers is to start simple. The first narrow ware I wove was an inkle woven belt that wasn't in the least bit period. It did, however, teach me about the basics of weaving narrow wares. If you're just starting out, work on the basics of weaving such as keeping your selvedges even, before you move on to harder techniques. It's all right to start by doing very simple items first. When you get that technique down pat, and then move on.
Looms
While this may seem somewhat self evident, what kind of loom you use will make a lot of difference. Back strap looms, while effective, can cause back pain. You also have to look at the issue of portability. Life in the SCA involves constant movement. Your loom has to reflect this. You also need to have a loom that doesn't require help to use it. If someone else has to help tension your warp, it's not very practical. There are many places to get looms depending on your tastes, location, and finances.
Stitch gage/sewing gage
One of the things that is normally examined on narrow wares to determine level of competency is the selvedges. Unless it's deliberately part of the design, the width of a narrow ware should be the same from start to finish. This results in straight, even selvedges that is looked for. One of the easiest ways of keeping your selvedges even is to use what is known as a stitch gage. Stitch gages are small, plastic or metal rulers used to measure stitches per inch or hem measurements, see Fig. 1. You can pick up stitch gages at any sewing supply store, fabric retailer, or most craft stores. After every pass of the shuttle, measure the weaving to make sure the width is the same.
Embroidery pattern maker
When you progress on to more complicated patterns it will help if you have a printed pattern of your weaving. While there are multiple programs, such as PC Stitch for Windows� or Pattern Maker� available for computers that can be purchased, there is also the use of graph paper and pencil. If you choose to use computerized programs you will find the benefits are being able to print patterns repeatedly, being able to alter patterns with little effort, and the clean, neatness of a printed sheet of paper.
Pattern holder
Along with a printed pattern I have found using a pattern holder helps a lot. It provides a hard surface so the pattern doesn't get wrinkled or ruined. Several craft stores have painted metal sheets that use magnets to hold the pattern down. You can also use the upright page holders for typing. With the metal kind you can use a long magnetic strip to mark which row you're working on by covering the row below or above, whichever is easier for you. Page holders will sometimes come with a clear plastic bar that can be used to mark which line you're on. Some people use a marker to darken the lines they've done, which is fine if you're only going to use that motif once. If the motif is going to be repeated throughout the whole project, it's better to not mark up your pattern.
Highlighting cardboard cards
If you use cardboard cards for tablet weaving then you can mark the edges of the cards to keep the pattern straight. You can mark the cards in groups of five or tens to keep count of the number of cards. Also, if you have a pattern that can be divided into sections throughout the entirety of the project then you can mark the different sections instead of counting them every time. There are several places you can get cardboard cards, but my personal favorite is earthguild.com.
Another advantage to cardboard cards
With most cardboard cards, there is a hole in the center of the cards. Whenever you need to loosen tension on your warp you can insert a dowel through the hole and place rubber bands on either side to keep the pack close together so they can't rotate. If your pack is secured together, it's hard for the warp threads to be messed up.
Starter strip
One way to make your weaving look better is by weaving what I call a starter strip. When you start a brand new piece of weaving the warp threads are normally spread out resulting in a wide band. As your weaving progresses the width of the band starts to narrow. A starter strip will allow you to weave until the width of the weaving becomes evened out so the unevenness isn't a part of your finished product. You start weaving just like you would normally. When you have woven enough rows for the width to narrow down and even up then end that piece of weaving. Leave yourself a small gap and restart the weaving from the beginning. This is the same concept as the technique for weaving several smaller pieces in one longer warp set.
Warping made easier
When it comes time to set up the warp for your loom, the more skeins of thread you have the easier it will be. It will be much faster to measure out four or more threads at one time then one by one. Sounds like basic logic, but I had to figure it out for myself too.
Swivels
Regardless of how your warp is set up, unless you're weaving the same number of turns forwards as backwards, you'll have a build up of twisted thread in front of your weaving. In period the warp would be set up on two upright posts, this however is a way to deal with warp twisting on a modern, portable loom. One method to get rid of the twisting is to tie fishing swivels to the end of your warp. Using swivels will allow the twist to undo itself when the tension is off the warp and you push the twist forward by pushing the pack of tablets toward the end.
Fishing weights
There may be times where the tension on one or more tablets is less than the other tablets. This may be because they weren't tied as tight as the rest, the threads slipped between a gap in your loom, or because the threads were snagged on something. If you don't want to retie those threads, then the alternative is to make those threads into warp-weighted threads. If you use an S hook to attach a fishing weight to the slack threads, then it will increase the tensions where it needs to be without changing the rest of the tension. I advise using an S hook because most fishing weights are lead which can stain any color of thread other than black and because if you ever want to move the weight, then you don't have to untie it. Just make sure the weight is hanging somewhere where the entire weight is free of obstructions.
Tablet Weaving Books
A good book for beginners is Card Weaving by Candace Crocket. This book is a great starter book as it has very simple directions and some beginning patterns that start from very simple to more difficult without getting into real difficult patterns. A more advanced book for weavers is Eccliastical Pomp and Aristocratic Circumstance by Nancy Spies. While the main focus of the book is brocaded bands, this is a very SCA oriented book with information more toward weavers in the SCA. A very in-depth book for more advanced weavers is Tablet Weaving by Peter Collingwood. Peter does tend to go into more detail than most SCA weavers need, but it has excellent information on historical weaving.
The best advice I can give is except when you're redoing a specific period technique, always investigate ways to make your narrow wares easier to do. Never accept what is the "norm" if it doesn't work for you.