Category: TEXTILES

Plant Dyes and Your Health

Did you know that textiles dyed with plant dyes can be good for you? As a part of my personal search for a healthier lifestyle, I am on an ongoing quest to learn more about natural plant dyes, their uses and how to achieve the range of colours that plant dyes can produce. In this … Continue reading “Plant Dyes and Your Health”

Aclla

Among the ancient Inca, the Aclla Cuna or Virgins of the Sun were selected from girls aged 8-10 who had special beauty. They spent their lives in temple convents and prepared food, corn beer and tended the sacred fire. They also spun very fine thread and wove garments for the emperor to be used in … Continue reading “Aclla”

Spinning Weaving Goddesses

Spinning and Weaving Mythology The textile arts of weaving and spinning have always been of great importance to many cultures. Weavers and spinners have been revered as goddesses in mythology.

Vadmal

Vadmal (Wadmal) is a woven wool cloth that has been felted. Felting the fabric after weaving, thickens the cloth and makes it wind and water resistant as well as warm. Vadmal is generally woven in a tabby or a twill weave on warp weighted or floor looms. In order to felt the fabric, there are … Continue reading “Vadmal”

HTTPS Secure Server Migration

In this age of cyber hacking and concerns about security, I have decided to move all of this website to a secure server – Https not http. Although no personal financial information is collected at this site and I provide information only, you can’t be too careful. This has been done now. You will see … Continue reading “HTTPS Secure Server Migration”

Greek Flokati Rugs

A few years ago on a wonderful holiday to Corfu, Greece I purchased a beautiful sample of a Greek Flokati rug. It had been woven by my friend, Agathi the weaver, in Kassiopi, Corfu. She very kindly explained to me how these wonderful rugs are woven. The shaggy weft wool pile was made of handspun … Continue reading “Greek Flokati Rugs”

Sami Grene Blanket with a Bandwoven Edge Finish

Grene rugs and blankets were a traditional style of blanket woven by the Saami on warp weighted looms. They were made of hand spun wool. The top edge of the blanket had a braid that was woven using a Saami weaving reed. The weft threads of the braid were the ends of the lengths of … Continue reading “Sami Grene Blanket with a Bandwoven Edge Finish”

Paper Yarn Placemats

This pattern is woven in tabby but use different types of yarns giving an interesting effect. The placemats and table runner are woven using 22/2 cottolin for warp. This is woven in a thick/thin rep weave, using paper yarn and hemp single ply tow yarn as the weft. You can substitute the hemp with a … Continue reading “Paper Yarn Placemats”