Harvest what you craft — backstrap weaving

Now we are making several of our classic shuttles in plum. We just love plum!  It really is just beautiful.  It has a wide range of grain contrast and can even have purple, red, and green strips.  We have  some from old (old!) plums trees that were in our fruit orchard and also have selvedged from friends houses too.  It is from an old variety that was very popular.  A very sour small yellow plum.  Our ancestors praised sour plum for it gut loving powers.  Japanese still love there salted sour plums.  Sadly a lot of people cut them down for...

Here is one example of some shoelaces I wove for Christmas presents.  Everyone has belts, key chains, hat trims, jacket trims etc, but they sure did not see shoelaces coming!  It was the narrowest band I had made so felt dainty in the hands while weaving.   Results none the less, a strong band into laces.  

I have been weaving in the car for years now.  I was always the driver for years since being American put me way more experienced then my Latvian country man who got his drivers licenses when we were together.  I already had ten years on him at that point!  But now I am very happy to be the co-pilot, navigator, backseat driver and weaver (which makes me be not so good at the first 3.  When I began I would tie a knot and close it in the glove compartment (who puts gloves in there now?).  That worked but less...

The 5 pattern bands are cranking out these days. Why?  Its just so easy to get in the rhythm with 5 strings.  Im starting to think its just as fast as plain weave.  here are a few drafts to color up your bands with.  There are more available to download here A complete loom setup ready to weave is on the shop as well. The band above is linen background warp, as well as the borders and weft.  The colors are in wool.  That is the traditional band material in Northern Europe.  In Latvia and the other Baltic countries you will find weavers...