Weaving Patterned Bands: How to Create and Design with 5, 7, and 9 Pattern Threads

The author has a real gift for explaining things the pick in ways that I never understood even after taking 3 semesters in weaving in college as part of my applied arts minor. I am dyslexic and have trouble reading electronic media (its a thing almost all dyslexic people have) so I always like hard copy that has been officially checked by an editor. I cannot overemphasize that in reading 5 minutes of this book I understood exactly her method, that I did not need to look at her utube demo. I just wish the special heddle/reed was available from amazon and not just two sellers/manufactures in the whole world, nether of whom are good. The plastic 3d printed one is brittle and frequently breaks in shipment- even if its replaced for free....it sounds like it would break on first drop....and the other seller uses a thin laminated birch veneered plywood and you never want warping in your loom and weaving parts so quality , i.e. not a children's toy, is made from solid hardwood to prevent warping. My solid wood floor loom is over 200 years old and after heavy use is still in perfect condition. I will either make the reed/heddle myself or get a friend who woodworks. Its clear from the book that the Sami would make their own anyway. This book makes me not only try the techniques but make the tools myself and I am not usually thatn kind of person LOL!The charts are clearer than all the my other weaving books and textbooks, and include how to convert to otehr weaving types like using a inkle loom (many more pattern options ) which as someone who does historical education non-profit volunteering is WONDERFUL, because it is a completely different weaving layout and technique, so without even practicing the technique I can see how I can translate those patterns to this method. IF that alone wasn't enough it also includes several ways to alter the patterns because each weaver traditionally develops their own patter within their local or familial style. Both my parents were teachers, and I am really picky, and it takes a special mindset to make the directions this clear and simple on one of the most difficult techniques to learn much less master. Honestly she is going on my short list of favorite authors that I completely trust to make the technique fun as well as easier.

Susan Foulkes seems to be the acknowledged authority on Balkan style woven bands. She is certainly passionate about it and can be credited with lots of original research on the topic. Her own weaving is enviable and gorgeous. She provides here a brief history of Balkan weaving followed by excellent details on the actual process of weaving. In fact her descriptions are much easier to understand than other authors I have read and for that I commend her. She also lists a really comprehensive directory of resources, online tutorials and organizations. The book offers lots of 5, 7, and 9 thread patterns. Many of the patterns seem repetitious, though, as she provides patterns for both the front and the back of some these two sided patterns and other changes such as shortening or elongating motifs seem so obvious that a separate pattern wouldn’t be needed.Here is the issue I found most troubling: The distinguishing characteristic of Baltic style bands is that the pattern motifs sit above the background and are worked in a yarn that is at least twice as thick as the background yarns. Faulkes accomplishes this by using the same yarn doubled that she has used for the background though it can also be achieved by using fatter yarn. And yet there is NO discussion of this and NO discussion of yarns at all in the book! I only figured out the doubled yarn point by very close examination of her samples and by counting the actual threads in the photos. It is possible that she covers this issue either in her voluminous and excellent blog postings or her many UTube videos but shouldn’t something thing as basic as this be discussed in a book on the subject?She also mentions the equipment to be used including something called a band lock but there was no description of how to use or attach it. There are really beautiful, close and clear color photos throughout the book. But it wasn’t till the end-paper author’s bio that I found one of her actually using the backstrap loom with weaving in progress. There is no description of how to advance the weaving, how to get out of the backstrap to pause the weaving or how to stow it with weaving in progress between sessions. In other words this book is very much limited to the patterns and the weaving itself but omits discussion of a bunch of other important aspects of the skill. In spite of that it is a good book and I’m glad I have it in my library - but I will have to rely on other sources to get open questions answered.

The media could not be loaded.  I absolutely love this book. It was recommended to me, as it was super hard for me to find instructions for a 9 pattern double heddle, that wasn't a part of card weaving. This book is full of photos, information, and a good amount of patterns that you can change up/modify once you have the techniques down. For me, it's so much more easier than watching YouTube videos.The author takes great care in being informative, as well as making things easy to understand. She breaks down the process of things, adding little tips to make things go easier. The charts are all well explained, and she has side by side comparisons for different looks or methods.I like how you are introduced with history and about the author's journeys in band weaving. Of course, for the learned weaver, you could probably just find the chapter you want to go to and pick the pattern chart you want to go with. The book is definitely easy to navigate, like a work book.

Awesome reference book for band weavers. Very easy to comprehend and offers information about different tools.

I love this book. It has so many different choices of designs. And it has everything you need to know.

縦糸をピックアップして模様を織り出すバンド織りの図案集です。パターンスレッド5本用のデザインが53、7本が47、9本が43と多数の図案と写真がカラーで掲載されています。写真にあるようなダブルスロットヘドルを使用した方が、色糸用のスロットがあるためピックアップしやすく織りやすいと思いますが、普通のヘドルやインクルルームを使用するときの方法も載っています。ダブルスロットヘドル等は巻末にあるショップから個人輸入できますよ。

I love this book. It is so interesting and well written. Love the images and instruction.

The book arrived with serious damage, I am very disappointed!However the book itself seems very well structured and has enough information to get me started