good ideas woven into good reads

While I don’t yet own a loom that by most modern readers would be considered a real loom, I am fascinated by the process of weaving fabric. I am most fascinated by the simple elegance and style that can be woven by primitive looms. I believe, today, that my first big loom will be a rigid heddle of one brand or the other. I’ve heard debates on all sides of the aisle and I hope next Sunday at Rhinebeck to look critically at offerings and potentially make the best decision for me.

The Magic of HandweavingThe Magic of Handweaving
by Sigrid Piroch
1 star for book review1 star for book review1 star for book review1 star for book reviewno star for book review
Krause Publications, 2004
144 pages
Projects: 10
Skill Set: all though geared more toward beginning weavers

Piroch’s book helps to capture the magic of handweaving and shape it into understanding for the reader to grow and comprehend basics not just of the real looms of various shaft configuration but also the small ones that hold very powerful magic in their own right.

The many photos, detailed drawings, and small snippets of text on weaving around the world help this book be an informative reference for all, even those who are not yet handweaving.

Weaver's CompanionWeaver’s Companion
Edited by Linda Ligon and Madelyn van der Hoogt
1 star for book review1 star for book review1 star for book review1 star for book reviewno star for book review
Interweave Press, 2001
112 Pages, Dual Ring soft cover binding
Reference material

For reasons unknown I had never interacted with any of Interweave‘s Companion books before checking this out from the library on a whim to learn more about the lingo as I immerse myself in loom education.

Wow. It is compact, double ringed, and chock full of information that is helpful for a newbie (or non) weaver to follow the conversation and begin to understand what is similar and different to lingo in other fibre arts. Despite a concise 110 pages (2 additional pages for index) one can find everything from how to estimate sett, to assistance with calculating warp length, to a gentle nudge on the beauty of the golden ratio.

A must for any weaver, but especially helpful for the newbie.

The Weaver's Idea Book: Creative Cloth on a Rigid Heddle LoomThe Weaver’s Idea Book: Creative Cloth on a Rigid Heddle Loom
by Jane Patrick
1 star for book review1 star for book review1 star for book review1 star for book review1 star for book review

It isn’t often that a library book is in my possession for minutes when I’m running off to the book store to acquire a copy of my own. This book holds the record. I don’t think I had even made it out of the library before I knew I needed to have this for keeps.

What makes Patrick’s Weaver’s Idea Book so very awesome?

Reason the first: Rigid Heddle Looms can produce much more than just plain weave. I knew this, but I did not know how much variation existed before adding a second heddle.

Reason the second: Clear photographs and technical drawings

Reason the third: Instructions for how many of the ideas may be applied to Inkles or shaft looms

Reason the fourth: 5 chapters, 240 pages, 10 projects

Reason the fifth: I bought the book and I don’t even own a rigid heddle loom yet!

If you are looking for ideas, inspiration, and lots of education I greatly recommend Patrick’s awesome idea book.