Woven Woven Everywhere

[KLWeaver]

Hiya boys (and a lady or two) I recently purchased my first inkle loom and have begun weaving. Much to my delight, I'm actually pretty good at it. I wanted to share some of the things I've made and wanted to know what patterns and colors you all like and what would have been appropriate back then.

Thanks for looking!

This is very small part of what I have been working on lately. I even may have some good news to share with the forum regarding myself and Smoke and Fire. Stay tuned for that.

Whatcha think!?

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

That is some very impressive work you did! :hatsoff:

I am very interested in what the experts have to say on this one, as I have been pondering the same thing myself as I am getting into hornsmithing...

In the meantime, here is a topic I posted on HC dye that Tallswife and Clyde helped out a lot in:

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/299366/

 

[ZUG]

I'm not an "expert" on such things but I can tell quality when I see it :thumbsup: . Very nice :bow: .

 

[Black Hand]

It is my understanding that Inkle loom weaving is not HC/PC for the colonies.

 

[LRB]

That is my understanding also, but I am no weaver.

 

[KLWeaver]

Are you serious? Do you know of any good articles for that?

 

[KLWeaver]

Thank you so much for the kind words

 

[Claude Mathis]

I believe the inkle loom was developed around 1930 in Germany.

Google.

 

[Black Hand]

This information comes from a person who does weaving and is well-respected. I don't have a reference for you though.

It seems that Inkle weaving was used in Europe, but not here, though I can't give you the time-frame. Tablet weaving was also used. Kenton was known for using a loom to weave belts (sashes). Back looms were also used by natives (and likely Kenton).

I do use my Inkle loom to weave straps, but only to hold the warp strands, and do the standard over/under with the weft that one might normally see. Since the loom is compact and self-contained, I can come back to it as I have time.

 

[KLWeaver]

Yes, the MACHINE, the actual inkle loom was first made in Europe and brought to America is the 1930s.

Though, the actual act of inkle weaving dates back to early 15th century.

 

[Tallswife]

Inkle looms aren't HC. They didn't make their way to American until the 1930's from Europe, as said above.

Most looms in America, and in particular the Colonial era, were cantilever loom, which was developed in the 11th century Spain, and the box loom, from 16th C England.

Complex weaves, such as yours, would have been unusual. Plain weave, or twill, were far more popular. The Jacquard Machine was developed in the early 1800s. This revolutionary machine used a punch card mechanism to operate the loom and is credited as the basis of modern computer science. A textile woven on a loom with a Jacquard Machine can have very complicated patterns. Jacquard looms were not available to the average home weaver. These were the industrial machines of their time. Overshot was also a very popular method of weaving, particularly of bed coverlets between the late 1700's and early 1800's and could be produced at home with a simple 4 shaft type loom.

 

[Black Hand]

The straps look nice.

The reason why no one has declined may be a matter of education - they may not know Inkle weaving isn't HC/PC for our time-frames (F&I, AWI & Fur Trade)...

 

[KLWeaver]

Thanks.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

Does something being uncommon exclude it from being HC/PC?

How debatable is the actual commonality of inkle loomed textiles considering the massive amounts of imports from Countries where the inkle loom predated the colonies?

 

[omarick1948]

Sorry to agree with the others, but just because the unknowing buy something doesn't make it correct in all respect for the era they want to represent in history. And as far as clients. It refers that you sell these or have them for sale and that is a NO! NO! in this topic's section.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Does something being uncommon exclude it from being HC/PC?

How debatable is the actual commonality of inkle loomed textiles considering the massive amounts of imports from Countries where the inkle loom predated the colonies?

Where did it predate the Colonies?

 

[omarick1948]

That's easy to answer. If you can show some documentation of imports using the word "Inkle", then you have the answer!

 

[Black Hand]

Does something being uncommon exclude it from being HC/PC?

How debatable is the actual commonality of inkle loomed textiles considering the massive amounts of imports from Countries where the inkle loom predated the colonies?

I didn't say they were uncommon, rather inkle-woven items weren't available in the colonies.

Material culture PC/HC is a matter of Item, Place AND Time. Inkle-woven products may have been available elsewhere, but not necessarily in the colonies.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

Where did it predate the Colonies?

The strips that we can weave on the inkle loom, called "inkles", are period in style and function. Shakespeare mentions inkles three times in his works. The earliest is in "Love's Labours Lost" (Act III, Scene I) which was written about 1590. Costard says,

"Now will I look to his remuneration. Remuneration! O, that's the latin word for three farthings: three farthings -- remuneration -- 'What's the price of this inkle?' -- 'One penny.' -- 'No, I'll give you a remuneration:' why, it carries it. Remuneration! Why, it is a fairer name than French Crown. I will never buy and sell out of a word."

The second instance of the word "inkle" appearing in Shakespeare's works occurs in "Pericles, Prince of Tyre" (Act V) which was written about 1608. Gower says,

"Marina thus the brothel 'scapes, and chances into an honest house, our story says. She sings like one immortal, and she dances as goddess-like to her admired lays; deep clerks she dumbs; and with her needle composes nature's own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or berry, that even her art sisters the natural roses; her inkle, silk, twin the rubied cherry..."

The third occurrance of the word "inkles" in Shakespeare's works is in "The Winter's Tale" (Act IV, Scene IV) which was written about 1610 to 1611. The character referred to as "servant" says,

"He hath ribbons of an the colours i' the rainbow; points more than all the lawyers in Bohemia can learnedly handle, though they come to him by the gross: inkles, caddisses, cambrics, lawns: why, he sings 'em over as they were gods or goddesses; you would think a smock were a she-angel, he so chants to the sleeve-hand and the work about the square on't."

 

[Black Hand]

That is all well and good, but Shakespeare predates the Colonies by some time.

Just because an item was available somewhere in no way suggests it was available everywhere...