Card weaving
SOFT TOOLS / Twining
As a technique, card weaving – also called tablet weaving – spans back to the Bronze Age. The oldest samples were found in Egypt and made from natural fibres. Evidence shows that this kind of weaving has been used throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East. As the necessary equipment can be easily made at home, it’s still a very approachable weaving technique. All you need is a set of cards with holes, through which a bundle of threads is drawn. It is a simple non-loom weaving technique. This results in strong woven bands that look laborious and complicated.
To create fabric with card weaving, vertical threads (warp) are interlaced with horizontal cross threads (weft). Different to frame loom weaving, the warp threads are not stretched and attached to a wooden loom, but they are secured around the weaver’s waist on one side and to any static object at the other side. The weaver creates the tension. Moreover, the warp yarns twine around each other. By turning the cards, the four warp threads, which pass through each card, twist together into one four-ply cord. So, the heddle and the harness from frame loom weaving are replaced by the cards, which hold and separate the warp threads. One could say that card weaving is a human-loom, created by the tension between the weaver and the static structure.
Since card or tablet weaving is a braiding technique that has not been mechanized, Soft Connection Lab decided to integrate it in its research. Besides card weaving has the potential to be executed with multiple hands. Doing so, we transform the traditional braiding technique into a contemporary application. Furthermore, it requires little and easy to create tools, as the hands function as important tools themselves.
Roots
It is not totally clear where and when this craft was invented. Evidence shows that this kind of weaving had widespread use throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Some assume that when there was a need for a strong flat strap as, for example, a rein or belt, several cords were placed next to each other and attached to each other in some way, for example with a needle and a thread. A logical next step might have been that you could make cords next to each other simultaneously and attach them to each other at the same time.
In early card weaving applications, the cards were made from a variety of materials including horn, bone, wood and leather. The materials used for the early card-woven bands could range from coarse materials such as jute – which resulted for example in animal halters – to more luxuriant materials such as silk or even gold threads which were woven into decorative trimmings or belts. Card weaving is one of the few textile techniques that never has been mechanized.
The oldest samples of card weaving straps were found in Egypt. These bands were made of flax and the tropical fibre ramie around 945-745 BCE.
Traditional applications
Tablet weaving was already at an artistic peak in the 2nd century BCE in Egyptian and Mesopotamian cultures. Besides, samples were found all over Europe, Africa and Asia. Traditionally, the technique was used to create daily used ribbons or bands for common people, but also to produce more ornamental pieces of textile for priests, soldiers or noblemen. Until today, card weaving is used to create belts, bags or even small stools. Contemporary masters push its traditional boundaries into renewed applications and possibilities.
Traditional decorative use
The decorative and ornamental design of textiles such as robes, shawls, ribbons and cords suggest that various uses of ribbons woven with boards must have been common in early, prehistoric times. Traditionally, ribbons and belts were used to decorate clothing, bridles and weapon hangers. Besides, the Egyptian priests and nobles wore sashes and belts around their chests and shoulders. They placed narrow, colourful ribbons around their waist to drape the white linen fabric of their clothes. These trimmings often served as decorative elements on uniforms, as you can see on the picture.
Traditional functional use
Ribbons have certainly also been used among the broad classes of more common people, such as workers, farmers, craftsmen and merchants, both in their homes and businesses. Not only in Egypt but also in Iceland, Scandinavia, Africa and Asia remains of tablet woven textiles have been found. This shows how widespread this craft was.
The bands were used to attach saddles or reins to horses. Also, sword straps, all kinds of belts, trims on traditional clothing or ribbons to hold parchment rolls together were made with this textile technique.
Present time use
Nowadays, the bands are used to decorate clothing, furniture, or as hat bands and belts for instruments such as guitars. Another often applied technique is to sew together the separate bands: this results in a bigger surface, that has even more fields of application, such as bags or small stools, as you can see on the images. Card weaving masters can include texts in their card woven belts, as the examples of Peter Collingwood show. Others, such as Gonit Porat, try to challenge the limited width of normal tablet weaving.
Watch & learn
Card weaving is twining many cords at the same time, while connecting them together with the inserted weft yarn after each turn. As only the warp threads are visible in the result, it is a warp-faced woven fabric. So, if you want to create a specific pattern on the fabric, you need to pay attention to the colours of the warp threads.
Since card or tablet weaving is a braiding technique that has not been mechanized, Soft Connection Lab decided to integrate it in its research. When worked alone, the width of the woven fabric is determined by the maximum number of cards that the weaver can hold in his hands.
As we wanted to explore the possibilities of creating a wider fabric by working in teams of more people, we’ve included this technique into our research. Doing so, we transform the traditional braiding technique into a contemporary application. Furthermore, it requires little and easy to create tools, as the hands function as important tools themselves.
How does card weaving work?
The only tool you need, are cards with a certain number of holes – from two up to five or even more. Each hole gets its own thread. Together these threads form a 2/3/4/5…-ply strand, depending on the number of holes in each card. You can hold as many cards as you can in your hands.
By turning the cards, the warp threads – which pass through each card – twist together into one 2/3/4/5…-ply cord. Once the card is turned, a thread is horizontally inserted into the shed or temporary opening of the warp. This action draws together the 2/3/4/5…-ply cords and makes sure they are locked into place. This twisting of the warp threads makes card weaving unique and distinguishes it from normal weaving. Besides, it provides extra strength to the woven result.
The difference between normal weaving and card weaving is well illustrated in the image with the red thread (image 1). On the left, you see a band woven on a traditional hand loom. The band is woven with six warp threads (blue) and one weft thread (red). The weaving structure is one on one. The right image shows a band woven with card weaving. This sample is woven with twelve warp threads using three cards. Each card or tablet contains four holes which hold one thread each. Turning the tablet produces twined 4-ply cords. In other words: the twelve warp threads are twined together in three cords of four threads each (green, blue, yellow, purple).
The weft (red thread) is the same as in the normal weaving sample on the left. Doing so, you create three ropes that lie next to each other and that are held together by the weft (red thread). Twining the warp threads results in a much stronger woven band than when woven normally.
The different steps to understand card weaving
To learn how to do tablet/card weaving, we split the making process into different steps, as shown in the first video: threading, tablet slant, flipping a tablet, turning a tablet, pattern development, float, twist, hole position, threading chart and set-up.
By watching this video, you can learn the principles of card weaving. It shows the different steps involved from how to thread, turn …. in order to make a card woven strap. The accompanying pdf sheet – that is available to download – shows you how to create your own pattern.
You can watch this video to learn how to create a colored pattern with the pattern template of Hermes Saucedo.
Extra options to broaden the design possibilities
Tablets can have a different variety of holes. The most common number of holes is 3, 4 or 5. Each tablet has a front and a back side. This is important because the way the yarn is thread through the holes defines the final pattern. After each turn of the cards, a weft thread is placed in the opening over the entire width. This links the different twined cords together.
Secondly, you need to define the number of cards you want to work with. Then you can draw the chart of the pattern on a piece of paper, as indicated on the blue picture with the schema above. The numbers 1-4 on the left side of the chart correspond to the four holes in each card. If you want to weave with a different number of threads per card, you need to add or subtract a number. You can also use numbers on the vertical axe or letters, as shown in other examples. Now you can start colouring the blocks with the colour of the patterns you would like to achieve. The threading chart consists of the information for the set-up, including number of tables, tablet slant or threading direction and hole positions of the colours.
A third parameter is the threading direction. You can change it from card to card, but you must thread the four holes of each card in the same way. Depending on how you thread the card, the four strands will be twisted either in a Z or S direction. This results in a visual of effect of slant of the twist pointing to the right or the left. The easiest is to indicate the direction of the threading on your pattern. A downwards line ( \ or S) means threading from back to front. An upwards line ( / or Z) directs threading from front to back. Some tables also have a hole in the middle of the card. This can function as an extra strengthening warp thread.
Lastly, the way you turn the tablets and the way the yarn is threaded defines the pattern. If you thread the yarn from the front, you’ll get a Z twined cord. If you thread it from the back, an S twined cord will appear. Besides, you can turn the cards in two directions, either forward or backwards. One turn means a quarter turn, if you use a square with four holes.
Each time the reversal in the direction of rotation causes a reversal of the structural image, a reflection of the pattern in the longitudinal direction will appear. This mirrored pattern reversal is a characteristic feature of fabrics made with cards. So, the pattern depends on the type and colour of the warp threads and their arrangement. As with any other weaving technique, the number and thickness of the warp threads determine the width of the fabric. The number of warp threads results from the total number of holes in each card.
