You may remember that I recently returned from a visit to The Philippines. It may not surprise you that I am always on the lookout for interesting textiles, and especially handwoven fabrics. I don’t mean to do that; it just happens… Well, when I met sweet Beth at the Sunday market, I felt like I hit the jackpot! Beth and I had a common language – Handweaving!(She speaks fine English, too, of course; but you know what I mean.)
I tried to gather a few pictures of textiles that you would enjoy seeing.
If you don’t have time to look at all the textile pictures today, at least scroll down and see my little granddaughter carrying her big umbrella on the way to the market. Umbrellas are always in season in Metropolitan Manila. For the rain in the rainy season (our visit), and for shielding your skin from the sun all the rest of the time. (You can always come back later and finish looking at the rest of the pictures. Smile.)
I am wearing a cotton tie-dye scarf I found in a Makati store. We learned interesting World War II history on our day trip to Corregidor Island.Interesting painted metal gate in Makati. I instantly saw it as a potential tapestry design.Found a fellow handweaver at the Sunday market. Beth has ten looms in her workshop in Vigan, where she and other weavers produce beautiful cloth, mostly from cotton thread. 40/1 cotton is Beth’s most used fiber.
Beth identified this weave pattern as the most unique to The Philippines. I am sorry I failed to write down the Tagalog name for this and the weaves in the following pictures when Beth told me what they were.Beth is a third-generation weaver. She has woven this pattern for many years, but just learned four years ago that it is called “Overshot” in English.HandWoven Wonders by Beth’s Loomweaving. Stunning turquoise cotton table runner is two yards long.Ayala Museum has fascinating displays depicting various aspects of Philippine culture and history, including a display of 1800’s handwoven and embroidered clothing (picture-taking not allowed). I found these ikat woven coin purses in the museum gift shop. The woven plaid zipper pouch is from another market vendor.Mannequin in airport shop is dressed in a pleated handwoven skirt. The sash above the skirt is adorned with a shaped “rose,” formed from a handwoven wide band. (Click photo to enlarge)Wide handwoven band is gathered and stitched to form a “ribbon rose” that embellishes the sash.Neatly folded piles of colorful handwoven items at a shop in the Manila airport. You didn’t expect me to come home empty-handed, did you?Vibrant multi-colored cloth with intricate design. Perfect for a Christmas table runner.Notice the long thread floats and knots on the reverse side of the red cloth.Cheerful colorful stripes!Detail of the warp-faced weave of the colorful striped cloth.
There are some things more important than weaving and blogging. Family, for instance. We had a special family member capture all our attention this week. The last picture shows what I’m talking about. If the captions seem brief this time… that’s why. Enjoy!
Linen warp is beamed.Heddles are threaded with 16/1 linen ends.Ends are sleyed through the reed.Warp is tied on to front tie-on bar, with leveling cord in place.Measuring picks per inch to get the correct weft density.Adding beads to the weaving.Green weft, followed by magenta weft.Eye level view.Linen fabric on the loom.Elias Luke made his entrance this week. He is our second grandchild, and our first grandson. We are delighted!
Warp bouts, under tension, being beamed. Choke ties, which keep the threads from shifting, are removed as they move close to the breast beam.
Pair of lease sticks across width of warp keep warp ends in the same order they were wound on the warping reel. (Click picture to enlarge)
Each warp end is threaded through the eye of a heddle.
After the heddles are threaded, each warp end is pulled through a dent in the reed. This warp has one end per dent. There are 22.5 dents per inch in this reed.
With the reed placed in the beater, one-inch sections of warp ends are smoothed out and tied onto the front tie-on bar.
Like getting into a secret playhouse, I sit under the warp at the back of the loom to attach the lamms and tie up the treadles. This view is looking up from my secret hideout.
After everything is tied up, the shaft holders removed, and the locking pin taken out, this makes me rejoice — A Perfect Shed!
Let the weaving begin! Come back soon to see the Swedish lace curtains being woven.
Most of the intricacy is achieved through detailed arrangement of warp threads, using a turned rosepath draft. The design comes alive like magic as it’s woven with a rosepath treadling pattern.
Weaving draft with complex threading pattern is hanging in view for constant reference while threading.
Cords from the back of the loom to the front keep the shafts stable, made necessary by the very narrow weaving width.
First little bit is rough at the edges, but being my second attempt at starting, I’m simply thrilled it’s working! (First attempt had to be un-woven, un-tied, re-sleyed, and re-tied. Whew!)
First yard woven. Six to go.
Slat separates the pattern threads (which weave in at a lesser rate of take-up than the plain weave threads) at the warp beam, and is drawn down with elastic cords. View is from the back of the loom.
Weaving is progressing rhythmically. The taut band makes a nice deep musical pitch when “plucked” on its way to the cloth beam. (I find it hard to resist making music.)
Woven band follows its path to wind around the cloth beam, layer upon layer.
