#weft faced weaving

[gregorvorbarra]

I’m going to take decent pictures of it later once i’ve finished weaving in ends but I can’t wait any longer to show you all MY WEAVING

LOOK AT IT

[batbetbitbotbut]

Low space & low budget weaving

Want to weave but don't have space for a loom? Have a few sticks and yarns but no DIY skills? Come, be tempted anyway. Weaving is a whole family of crafts, some of which don't require a loom at all.

Small-ish looms like box looms (as basic as yarn wrapped around a cardboard grocery tray), inkle looms, and rigid heddle looms exist, but I'm assuming every possible space for a box in your life is already filled. In this post we're going even smaller and cheaper. As far as possible, everything either is flat enough to stow behind/under furniture or rolls up safely into a bundle of just sticks and yarn.

Many of these crafts have some crossover - the same setup can be used for multiple styles of weaving. Most of them can be improvised at home depending on what you have on hand, or if you need to buy something there is not a huge gulf between homemade vs professional equipment. Alas I am not skilled in any of these and my descriptions will not be wholly accurate; corrections and additions welcome! If you need help, I'd only be able to tell you to seek out books and tutorials yourself, ask other weavers, and just try stuff out.

All photos included with permission. My thanks to the people allowing me to use their projects! I saw so many gorgeous and skillful projects when assembling this and I wish I could have included them all.

Fingerweaving

Projects by @kitteniestkitten (here) and @wefty-weaver (here)

Culture - I am aware of this as a Native American technique, I don't know its history with any more specific nation.

Fabric - "Warp faced" cloth of any width, insofar as warp and weft have meaning for this craft as the weaving is on a diagonal. Often used for sashes or blankets.

Method - There is no loom! A couple sticks hold the yarns to begin with, but then it is all freehand. Starting at one corner, you use your fingers to weave a strand through the other strands, and... that's it. Very simple beginnings work up to very complex patterns that no loom is capable of. The whole project can be rolled up when not active.

Backstrap loom

Projects by @calendae-creations (here) and @weavingforlooms (here)

Culture - I am most aware of this from the Andes but I think it is much more widespread than that.

Fabric - Warp faced or balanced fabric of any width up to your own reach, suitable for blankets and clothes and many other things.

Method - You are the loom! Several horizontal rods hold and manipulate the warp threads but your body provides the tension, with the other end hooked to some furniture or around your own feet. When not in use, you can roll up all the equipment into a small bundle of yarn and rods. You can also use a backstrap loom setup for other methods like tablet weaving.

Warp weighted loom

Projects by @shadowcreepling (here) and @doctormead (here)

Culture - used by ancient Greeks among many many others.

Fabric - any kind of fabric at any size. Shadowcreepling is using a warp weighted loom for a tablet-woven band, Doctormead is probably using heddle rods to make a wider piece of cloth.

Method - the warp threads are held by a bar at the top and tensioned with weights on one end that hang down towards the floor, then the weft is woven into them with any method such as tablets, heddle rods, or by hand (if you have a lot of patience) and beaten into firm fabric at the top or bottom of the loom. Warp weighted looms can be very big, but they are simple and can also be very small and taken apart when not actively weaving.

Tablet weaving / card weaving

Projects by @damage-ko (here) and @foxease (here, hardware from CellesKit on Etsy)

Culture - found as far apart as textiles (geographically and temporally) from Byzantine Egypt and the Vikings

Fabric - a warp faced fabric with patterns made by twining warp threads around each other, usually used for strong narrow bands like collars, belts, and shoelaces.

Method - the cards hold open the shed so you can pass the weft through, then rotate the cards to advance the pattern. Many people make their own with cardboard or playing cards, or you can buy some. The rest of the weaving setup can be improvised with a backstrap (or just a shower curtain hook clipped to your trousers), a cardboard box loom, or warp weights.

Rigid heddle band weaving

Projects by @pisaracraft (here) and @crookedtines (here)

Culture - small rigid heddles like the first project have been found in Roman archaeological sites across Europe. The larger rigid heddle in the second project is being used for "baltic pickup" style designs on the band.

Fabric - can be warp faced or a balanced weave, size limited by the size of your heddle.

Method - you provide tension with any setup you please such as an inkle loom, backstrap, or warp weights. The heddle creates sheds so that you can pass weft yarn through the warp easily. Infinitely many "pick-up patterns" let you weave patterns and even words into the cloth.

Pin loom / potholder loom

Projects by @pardalote (here) and @weavingmyheartout (here)

Fabric - a small square (or rectangle or triangle) of balanced weaving, which can be used alone or patched together into larger fabrics. Pin looms are finer and suitable for many knitting/crochet yarns, potholer looms are chunkier and designed for big elastics, but the method is similar.

Method - wind yarn lengthways around one set of pins and then pull yarn widthways through these strands with a hook. Or, work at 45 degrees in continuous strand weaving! Lots of room to experiment with colour and texture. You can improvise a pin loom by cutting notches in a square of sturdy cardboard.

Needle weaving / stick weaving / peg loom

Projects by @thaylepo (here) and @pastelispunx (here)

Fabric - weft-faced fabric and rugs of any size.

Method - thread long thin warp threads through the pegs, then wind a thick weft (eg heavier yarn, sheep fleece, or long scraps of fabric) around the pegs. Push the weft down along the pegs as they fill up, so that it slides off onto the warp. The pegs can be secured in a base to make a peg loom for large projects, or just handled freely. I believe these evolved as separate crafts and the nuances are different, but the overall method is similar.

Frame loom / tapestry loom

Projects by @squeakygeeky (here) and @battlestar-gasmacktica (here)

Fabric - weft-faced or balanced fabric ideal for wall hangings and upholstery, size limited to the frame being used.

Method - (usually) thinner warp threads are wound round a frame, such as heavy cardboard with notches cut in the end, a picture frame, or a small and flat purpose-made loom. Thicker weft threads are woven in by hand using needles or just small lengths of yarn. Some people make lifelike images, others make more ordinary fabrics or geometric patterns.

Bobbin lace

Projects by @crochetpiece (here) and @noxx-notions (here)

Culture - began in renaissance Italy and spread throughout Europe, often as a cottage industry.

Fabric - balanced fabric usually made of very thin threads in freeform shapes. It's not usually considered "weaving" but the basic cloth stitch is definitely a woven fabric!

Method - each thread is wound onto a bobbin (e.g. a clothespeg) and then bobbins are crossed over each other to weave threads together. The lace is pinned to a cushion to hold everything in place while the design grows.

[verityasian]

UNCLE JJ X (UNOFFICIAL) GODDAUGHTER JACKIE . . .

SUMMARY

A five year old Jackie decides to go on her first errand and Uncle JJ is being his overprotective self and following Jackie from afar with you on babysitting duty. His.

A/N: I’ve been watching that Japanese tv show where the kids go on their first errands and couldn’t stop thinking about uncle JJ. (I’m Japanese btw. Not that it matters lol)

Jackie stood on the porch in her glittery crocs, purple lunchbox clutched like a sacred artifact. She wore her dad’s oversized cap backward and two crooked pigtails sticking out the sides like antennae. Her face was smeared with leftover jelly and fierce determination.

“I’m weady,” she said, chin high. “I’m doin’ da supuh scawy ewand.”

Everyone froze.

JJ dropped the juice pouch he was opening. “The dock? That’s the mission?! Who approved this? That place has… pelicans.”

“Jackie did,” Sarah said, tying her shoelaces.

“She’s delivering lunch to John B, JJ,” you reminded him. “She asked. It’s her confidence-building errand.”

“It’s death-defying,” JJ muttered, already reaching for his hoodie. “The walkway has splinters. She’s five. Her bones are still made of Jell-O.”

“She’s wearing elbow pads,” Kiara pointed out.

“Doesn’t matter,” he said grimly. “If a strong wind blows—gone.”

You grabbed his arm before he could sprint after her. “No. You promised.”

JJ looked like he’d rather be waterboarded.

Jackie turned, completely unaware of the emotional implosion she was causing. “No fowwowin’! I do it sowo. Wike a big giwl!”

JJ clutched his heart.

—

From behind a very suspicious bush halfway down the block, you and JJ watched as Jackie power-walked with her arms stiff at her sides, every step accompanied by the soft squeak of glitter crocs.

She muttered to herself as she went. “Wook wight… wook weft… no caws. Jus’ wiggly weaves. It’s otay. You is bwave. You is mighty.”

JJ squatted so fast behind the bush you nearly got whiplash. “She’s talking to herself. That’s the first sign of fear. I gotta go in.”

You yanked him by the hood. “You’re not a Navy SEAL. Sit down.”

“But her knee’s exposed!”

“She has three Band-Aids in her pocket.”

JJ sniffled. “She’s been trained…”

—

Jackie reached the street corner and paused dramatically. She held up one tiny fist, looked both ways with intense squints, then crossed the road like she was on a secret op.

JJ grabbed your wrist. “She’s… she’s so smol. She’s like a jam-covered soldier of justice.”

“She’s doing fine,” you said softly.

Then she tripped.

JJ screamed.

“She’s down! Man down! I’m going—”

You tackled him by the backpack strap as he tried to sprint out of the bush. “JJ, SHE’S TIED HER SHOE AND IS NOW WAVING TO A DOG!”

JJ dropped to his knees. “This is agony. I’m dying. I need a juice pouch.”

You handed him one silently.

—

At the dock, Jackie marched up to John B, hat askew, red-faced and beaming.

“I bwinged you wunch, Daddy!” she said proudly, holding up the lunchbox like it was the Cross of Santo Domingo. “PB&J, da joos, and I didn’t even cry when I twipped. Also, I saw a wiggly worm and didn’t scweam.”

John B crouched to hug her, smiling wide. “You’re my hero.”

Jackie whispered loudly, “Don’t teww Jay-Jay I feww. He might cry.”

Behind a stack of crates, JJ was already sobbing.

“She’s an icon. She’s my legacy. That worm never stood a chance.”

You knelt beside him, patting his back. “Congratulations. She did it. And you only had six heart attacks.”

JJ sniffled, wiping his eyes with the corner of his shirt. “She’s… mine. Not legally. But spiritually.”

You snicker. “And thank God she didn’t inherit your impulse control.”

[leah-of-troy]

I found a cheap enough loom!

Current goal, practice even if my tension is horrible

(yes I know that using a different colour weft is what's making it show up, but I want to be able to see what my weft is doing)

I'm used to warp faced heddle and tablet weaving, so that's my default to mimic. I don't actually know if that's what I should be doing on this style of loom. It means not using the red beater thing and using my shuttle as a beater (which is what I'm used to).

I am trying a thing and making progress at a craft I want to be ok at!

[lurkinginnernarrator]

Shen Jiu wakes up with dried tear tracks that make his face stiff, his eyelashes tacky.

The soft light of morning streamed into his quarters, bathing him in warm sunlight. His nerves were settled, his body uncoiled like worn rope finally unwound. It was a welcome change of pace from the on-edge and tense mornings that followed his nightmares.

He forewent his usual morning routine of deep breaths and paltry meditation, of white-knuckling himself into a form of composure; smoothing over the raw edges exposed by sleep. Instead he drifts around his quiet home, his mind soothed by the suffused peace of morning.

The Qing Jing Peak Lord was entitled to beautiful views, especially in his own residence.

He enjoys the chance to admire those views in the early morning light.

Surely he must have done so before, but he cannot recall.

He drifts towards his oft-neglected east window, peering out into the unknown. Immediately his eyes are drawn towards a yellow flutter of movement.

A golden oriole flies past his windowsill holding a small twig in its beak.

A gentle breeze brushes past the oriole’s tail feathers and caresses Shen Jiu’s face.

Again, and again, the small passerine searched out and returned with building pieces for its nest. Unceasing, inexorable, Shen Jiu watches as the oriole builds its home.

Golden feathers flash before his face, and a second oriole streaks into view. Morninglight reflects off of the pair as their black crested heads come together in what seems to be an embrace.

Framed by the verdant green of Qing Jing’s morning glory, haloed by the sun, the new coming oriole delicately passes a twig to the diligent oriole.

Branch by branch, the unflagging passerine weaves together a home, and Shen Jiu aches within himself.

Even birds have a home with which to roost.

(They had to build them. If a little oriole could build a home, why couldn't you?)

His hands have never known the shape of a home, only the absence of one. Could he be so talented a craftsman that he could translate his childish yearning into something he could grasp with his hands?

Perhaps he is the one who determines the shape of home.

Does the oriole know the shape of the nest before it is woven? Or is it the process of weaving in the weft, grasping those pieces in your hand, that tells you what home should feel like?

How much has he stolen from himself? How many moments of beauty, how many moments of peace? In his anger he has created a snaggle with the pieces he should have been building with.

He has bound himself with the very threads he should have wrapped ‘round his shoulders. Prisoner to his own anger, his bitter spite.

It seems Shen Jiu has followed in the steps of the world in every part of his life. How many have stolen from him? So he too has stolen from himself.

It is good, that he has begun to take action, but he cannot help but mourn for how much he has lost. His fingers trace the windowsill, and his face twists into a frown, the dried tears making his cheeks crack with the movement.

Outside is green, lush.

It’s beautiful.

Tension in his shoulders releases, from a night of dreams, or the sedate morning, he cannot know. The air smells of fragrant grass, fresh soap from the curtains, a whisper of incense from his study.

Between the rays of amber morning his mind’s eye convinced him he saw movement. A living memory, come to haunt him. An afterimage, of Shen Yuan’s sunlit dancing, the halo of his head, the sheen of his hair intermixed with the sunstained bamboo leaves.

His uplifted hands flicker like oriole’s wings, and the smile of his lips red like the petals of the peonies. The swirl of his humble robes like the sway of the magnolias in the morning breeze.

A duet registers in his ears, the oriole couple’s morning song, the beat, the music of Shen Yuan’s feet.

Shen Jiu is suspended in a dream.

His heart beats in tandem with the jubilant sweeps of hand, done in by morning and memory.

He feels the breath in his lungs, the texture smooth wood varnish of the windowsill at his fingertips, the brush of his unbound hair at his neck, his sleep chapped lips curving in an unfamiliar shape.

A lightness of heart falls upon him, and muscles disused save for cruel amusement twist into a small smile.

It seems A-Yuan blesses his work then.

His work that day was light.

Even the memory of Shen Yuan brings him good things. How is it possible that his love could not only persist, but grow?

Taken from my oneshot, because I was rereading and really liked this scene and wanted to share.

The small passage about home, determining and building it, especially, is one I find precious. Perhaps home is built a memory and joy at a time, every small bit of goodness you have in your hands, woven together.

These are the notes accompanying the scene which I think are a nice addition: "Orioles — Symbolize joy. Pair this the direction they’re in, East: new beginnings, prosperity, and well-being. Generally speaking, take this subtle thing to mean that there is joy in their new beginning."

May we find as pleasant a morning as SJ in this scene (⁠⊃⁠｡⁠•́⁠‿⁠•̀⁠｡⁠)⁠⊃ (⁠╥⁠﹏⁠╥⁠)

[handweavers]

Would it be recommended to make ribbon on a loom? I see jacquard ribbon in stores and I know that’s a type of loom. Is this something a person could make at home?

you can absolutely make ribbon by hand! many cultures have versions of band or tape weaving (those are older terms to refer to thin decorative strips of fabric, and helpful to know if you're researching weaving this type of textile) and they can be warp or weft faced, in other words the vertical threads can make the patterned design or the horizontal threads can make the patterned design. warp-faced woven bands are very popular in many cultures because they make a durable, strong fabric that can work for anything from straps for bags or other utility items, to decorative applique on garments and even hem-facings

norwegian pick up band weaving gives an effect similar to jacquard ribbon, you can see more about it here

brocade tablet weaving also gives a similar effect, which you can read about here

more about band weaving

fingerweaving is another technique that can create elaborately woven bands, and has been practiced in northern europe as well as among the indigenous peoples of the americas. it is the technique that métis sashes are made with, and bands woven with this technique have also been found in old viking graves. you can read about it here

if you're interested in learning any of these techniques, you don't need a table or floor loom to make them. some work best with an inkle loom, which is generally small and portable, or can be made off loom using heddles or tablets. searching 'band weaving' either online, at a book store, or a library site can lead to a ton of resources on the subject, far too many for me to cover here 🤎

[mawofthemagnetar]

TFC’s Completely Normal Afternoon Where Nothing Goes Wrong And Nobody Dies Horribly

(shoutout to @lindentree for inspiring this silly fic!)

TFC sat in his little bachelor pad, coffee in hand, watching the steam rise out of his mug. 

It was a nice mug, all things considered. A gift from the other Hermits. A handmade blue thing, turned on a potter’s wheel, with an extra-large handle to give his old hands a break sometimes. Full of coffee from his ancient coffee machine, that gurgled and growled like a jackhammer being waterboarded.

TFC took a sip, and winced. Okay, so maybe it was time to leave the mine and get more coffee. He’d re-used the grounds for the fourth time, and now it was really starting to get properly bitter. 

He drummed his fingers on his glass-top table, listening to the echo against the cold stone walls of his little antechamber. Maybe he’d decorate the walls at some point soon. 

TFC shrugged, and opened his comm. Hopefully one of the other Hermits had some coffee beans. He wiped the stone dust off his screen, and held down the three buttons to switch it on. Yes, he kept his comm strapped to his arm like almost every other player with some semblance of sense. No, he refused to let the damn thing be awake for any longer than it needed to be. The Hermits were chatty folks, and when TFC was deep in his mines and deep in thought, the last thing he needed interrupting his musings was a million buzzing noises as Cleo and Jevin got into a slapfight in the general chat. 

TFC’s personal logo flashed across the screen (the three letters of his name in red, natch) and he took another slurp of his bitter coffee, wrinkling his nose. The comm beeped, and TFC opened the group chat and tapped out a quick message. 

<Tinfoilchef> anyone got any more coffee? I’m clean out. 

He put his comm down, and took another swig. 

And waited. 

And waited. 

And waited. 

TFC frowned. He was a patient man by nature. The same could not be said of the other Hermits, who were usually falling over themselves to help each other out. 

And he hadn’t gotten a reply yet. 

It had been a whole ninety seconds.

TFC scrolled up in chat, and he sighed, rubbing his face. He sank back in his chair in annoyance. 

Of course. 

He tabbed upwards, watching things spiral out of control… in reverse. 

<Renthedog was blanched to death> 

<Renthedog> THE PAIN! THE PAIN IS INDESCRIBABLE

<Vintagebeef was portaged to death> 

<Vintagebeef> RUN! THE BOATS! THE BOATS ARE COMING!

TFC rubbed his temples with his free hand, sighing in exasperation. ‘

“Guys, I dug up five stacks of diamonds, don’t make me do this…I don’t want to re-dig those tunnels…” TFC groaned. 

And of course the nonsense kept coming as he scrolled farther and farther back. Gee, that last message from Ren was about four hours ago, now...

<Iskall85 became part of the weft> 

<Iskall85> HELP GOD THE LOOM’S GROWN LEGS

“Does anyone on this server besides me even know HOW to weave?!” TFC growled, averting his gaze from his pile of unfinished weaving in the corner of the room. It didn’t exist. He couldn’t see it. His WIP’s couldn’t hurt him.

And on and on it went.

<Xisumavoid was hooked to death>

<Grian was torqued to death>

<Tango was unraveled to death> 

<Zombiecleo was racqueted to death>

“Right, I’ve seen enough.” TFC sighed, “On the bright side, at least I’ll have all the coffee I had a week ago, so there’s that…” 

He carefully tabbed through his various screens and menus until he arrived at the one bit of his comm that was set aside for admin functions. Now, TFC wasn’t a server admin. That much was true. But he had slight admin privileges, for one thing and one thing only: server rollbacks. 

While, say, Hypno would have had an extensive wall of options, showing his permissions and all sorts of bells and whistles, TFC’s admin console had a text box to input a date and a big red “GO” button. 

He looked mournfully at his ender chest, and, with a sigh, keyed in a date one week prior. 

And TFC jabbed his thumb on the big red button. 

The world flashed white, utterly blinding him, and a second later TFC was deep in the branch mine in a half-finished tunnel, the same spot he’d been exactly a week prior. 

Unfortunately, he was still in a comfortable sitting position, resting all his weight on a chair that suddenly wasn’t there, so he immediately toppled to the ground, landing on his ass in an undignified heap. 

“Ow.” TFC muttered, sitting up slowly and tapping through his messages. 

<Xisuma> oh, we rolled back. Is everyone alright!?

<Tango> Mumbo you are BANNED FROM TIME TRAVEL

<MumboJumbo> It wasn’t me this time! I mean it was. But blame Zedaph! 

<Zedaph> ME?! No! Blame Cub! Cub gave me the doodad! 

TFC rolled his eyes and typed out a message. 

<Tinfoilchef> Does anyone have any fresh coffee beans?

Silence. 

No messages. No new complaining. As all the hermits re-read TFC’s words and soaked them in. 

Finally, Cleo broke the silence. 

<Zombiecleo> TFC. How many times did you re-use your last filter of grounds. 

<TinfoilChef> eh, six? Seven?

<Zombiecleo> are you telling me we’d all still be in shuttlecock hell if you hadn’t gotten sick of the taste of reused coffee grinds?!

<TinfoilChef> Pretty much, yeah 

<TinfoilChef> anyway 

<TinfoilChef> does anyone have some fresh coffee? 

[milfmorrowind]

WELP I very much did not finish the fic I was writing for TES Gala. I do plan on posting it when it's finished, but in the meantime I can share the thing I did finish: A pattern for a tablet-woven Eye of Nocturnal belt!

I started getting interested in tablet weaving about a year ago after falling down a viking clothing rabbit hole, and this past christmas my very lovely older sibling got me some basic supplies and I've been noodling around with it for a while now! As previously noted, I am a strong believer that the Thieves' Guild symbol used in Skyrim is meant to represent the Eye of Nocturnal. My evidence:

It kinda looks like an eye.

The Skyrim guild has long running ties to Nocturnal.

That's it.

Since the theme of the gala was "Daedra and Divines," I thought I should make use of this compelling evidence (and weaponize my obsession with my guildmaster LDB Mailie) and do... something with that. And therein lies the connection: Tablet weaving is very good at symmetrical geometric designs, and the Guild shadowmark is just that.

(p.s. if you're super confused about wtf I'm talking about, check out Lady Elewys of Finchingefeld for info on tablet weaving. It's overall a pretty inexpensive craft and very fun. TL;DR, it's a form of weft-faced weaving that's been practiced pretty much globally, but is frequently associated strongly with the viking era.)

I decided that when Mailie attended The Gala™️, she would wear a belt woven with the Eye. While she has complicated feelings about her status as a Nightingale, her relationship with Nocturnal is one of mutual respect. Furthermore, the Guild is incredibly important to Mailie, and I think she would relish the opportunity to represent it, even in a rather subtle way.

This has already ended up longer than I intended, so I'm putting the info on the pattern itself under the cut.

The version of the pattern I'm focusing on here is probably not wide enough to make a belt, unless you used very thick thread or were okay with a very thin belt. I wove a couple inches with laceweight cotton crochet thread, and it's about 1.3 cm/0.5 in wide. You could easily add some extra stripes on the outside to make it thicker if desired.

You can find the pattern here on twisted threads, or I've included some images below.

Threading chart

Weaving design

Woven band

(side note: I learned a different notation for threading than what twisted threads uses and that caused some confusion when I went to weave, so be aware of that if you happen to try this out for yourself. this pattern should work if you actually do your set up the way the website tells you to and don't try to wing it like me.)

The end design is not a perfect representation of the shape I'm going for, but I think to get a more elongated design you need to either have a pattern way beyond my ability to design or use 6-holed tablets. Regardless, I'm not doing that. While not perfect, I think this gets the idea across.

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading! I'm going to put up another version of this post on my main which includes the more complex version I made of this design, which I will link here when posted. Enjoy a picture of my attempt at this as your reward for reading my long ass post. Mistakes were made.

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

I have a translation question for you! 

In Chapter 3 of the official translation, Meng Mo says the following: 

“With time, your power could overturn and sweep away the entirety of the three realms, and the heavens and earth within—and it would all be simple!” 

The way I interpret this quote in English, “the entirety of the three realms” and “the heavens and the earth within” are separate things. 

While we don’t have all the PIDW details, the three ‘realms’ that Bingge successfully unites certainly seem to be the mortal realm, the demon realm and the cultivation world. (I’m under the impression the word translated as ‘realm’ is 界 or ‘jie’, which can also mean a kingdom or group, not just literal dimension. As such the cultivation world, which considers itself separate from mortal governance, could still count as a ‘realm’ despite not having its own separate dimension.) 

If the three realms are as I mentioned, then naturally the heavens and ‘the earth within’ (presumably the underworld) would be separate things. 

As I don't actually know Chinese characters, my interpretations here could be totally wrong though! That’s why I’d like you to weigh in, if you’re willing to do so. 

听他语气转冷,梦魔有点火光:“修魔有什么 不好?若你能修魔,你身上那一层东西,将于你的 修为有大大裨益,一日千里!凌驾万人之上,绝非 空谈,假以时日,纵横三界翻天覆地所向披靡,绝 不在话下!”

Hearing his voice turn cold, Meng Mo's anger flared, "What's wrong with learning demonic cultivation? If you can cultivate demonically, that thing in your body will greatly benefit your cultivation base, you will be able to grow by leaps and bounds! Overcoming ten thousand people, these aren't empty words! In time, you can cleave and bend the three realms unhindered so the heavens and earth will be turned upside down, everything will be at your feet!

Chapter 18 (SVSSS web serialization)

Okay okay... so... the sevenseas kind of compacted two, technically three I guess, different idioms here,

纵横三界, zòng héng sān jiè, to warp and weft (literally like the weaving techniques), crisscross and move unhindered (which comes from The School of Diplomacy for war tactics and strategies during the Warring States period)

翻天覆地, fān tiān fù dì: to turn the heavens and earth upside down (idiom) to cause total confusion

所向披靡,suǒ xiàng pī mǐ: sweep everything before ones self, be unstoppable,invincible

So WHOOO lots of background and a LOT of flowery language from Meng Mo to convince Luo Binghe to be "one of the cool kids".

Essentially he is saying, Luo Binghe has the potential to change the world up to the point of (metaphorical) heavenly upheaval. He is leaving it to the mortal type of obstacles Luo Binghe faces, right now with humans, immortal cultivators and demonic beings, as he is choosing to stick to uhhh... I got a lack of a better term here, but appealing to that Chūnibyō rhetoric.

[autumnslance]

Dawntrail OST - Smile Official Lyrics

(Got my CD today, any transcript errors are mine)

Music: Masayoshi Soken Arrangement: TomoLow, Masayoshi Soken Lyrics: Michael-Christopher Koji-Fox, Phil Bright Lyrical Concept: Natsuko Ishikawa, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Magumi Onozuka Lyric Translation: Natsuko Ishikawa Vocals: AKINO from bless4

-

At the crossroads, standing here Not a star in the sky to guide me tonight Left for lost, and lost in fear Deep in darkness drown my cries

All this pain inside of me Don't know where it starts or when it'll end Try and tame the agony As I close my eyes and scream to the wind

Look around and find I'm standing all alone (Look again, we're standing there) 'Cause the storm has taken everything I've known (Leaving loss you needn't bear) Don't know why I thought I'd make it by myself (After all that we've been through) Out of time, I'm runnin' blind. Can't somebody help? (Know we're always there for you)

Learned so much in life I couldn't understand (Understand we're by your side) Standing tall we'll face tomorrow hand in hand (Mine in yours and yours in mine) Weaving mem'ries, through the warp and weft we wend (This, our tale, a tapestry) Never losin' sight of everywhere that we've been (And everywhere we're gonna be)

In lightning's wake did naught but ash remain Yet with the rain, does life's song ring again O'er ancient forests, out beyond the plains It carries on, we'll carry on, whoa

So smile and let the rainbow sing (Red and yellow, blue and green) Alive with everything it brings (Laughter, peace, and harmony) We walk a neverending trail (In our hearts, we carry hence) One love, no, it shall never pale (This is our inheritance)

I turn around and what do I see? (Turn around and there we'll be) A light that guides our way to the key (Do you still remember me?) A silent flame that burns ever bright (What you've lost you won't forget) To see us forward out of the night ('Til tomorrow comes and then…)

Tight! Seize the day and hold on tight The sun is risin' Life, take it slow and take a bite

So high, on the dawn we set our sights A new horizon Fly, ever forward, starry-eyed

Hold tight, this land we call our home (Built upon a common dream) We fight to never let it go (Arm-in-arm, we still believe) Of fire, we have not seen the last (And the storm on which it rides) We'll rise again once it has passed (All for one, we march in stride)

And if you think you're ready to fly (I'll lift you up and carry you) We'll spread our wings and take to the sky (There is nothing we can't do) Come wipe away the tears in your eyes (What we've lost we won't forget) Together for the rest of our lives ('til tomorrow comes and then…)

The path ahead is steep And from the heavens the gods shall grant no relief Still we go on, we carry on, oh Never can we stop Never can we stop

Here come together, this land we'll defend Now and forever, for we won't end

[alyscat]

Homecoming

This is the first part of my post-Odyssey WIP! Masterlist here No TWs I can think of

As the child of morning, rosy-fingered dawn stretches across the sky, I see that the thread is knotted. 

It seems so obvious as I sit back, examining the tapestry before me. I misstepped. Seven rows back, there is a spot where I knotted the weft thread, doubling over a row. How I made such a novice mistake is beyond me. My jaw works as I carefully begin unwinding the thread. It will all need to be redone now. I can hardly display this with such a glaring error in the tapestry. 

A soft rap on the door shakes me from my thoughts. Lowering the shuttle, I square my shoulders. There is no more time for this now, anyways. Morning is upon us. “Yes?” 

Ctimene pokes her head into the room, and tension instantly eases from my bones. “Good morning, Penelope. My, have you been up all night?” 

She comes to stand by me at the loom, the only sound of her passage the subtle brush of fabric against her legs. I run a palm over the half-finished tapestry. “Sleep is…. Difficult. I find comfort in remaining busy.” Lately, weaving and attending to the suitors is all I seem to do. It began when potential husbands first approached me. When it became clear they wouldn’t leave me alone, I insisted that I could not wed any of them until I had weaved a shroud for my father-in-law, Laertes. His health worsened the longer Odysseus was gone. For four years, I distracted them with the promise of finishing that shroud. I would weave all day. At night, I would undo any progress I made. The fools didn’t even question it until my handmaid Melantho confessed the truth to Antinous. I can’t find fault with her, though. The men are relentless. 

“I understand.” Her voice is low and melodic as she fidgets with her braid. The resemblence between Ctimene and Odysseus is undeniable, down to the slight hook in their nose. A deep olive complexion and wiry build is shared between them. They are even the same height, since my husband has always been a little short I have to remind myself of the differences between them, such as the subtle shade in their curly hair. Odysseus’ was a dark blonde, while his sister has an auburn tint Day by day, his memory seems to fade from my mind. If I didn’t have someone who shares such a similar appearance I might have forgotten him entirely. Ctimene studies my work, where the form of a man stringing a bow is taking shape. “You could hold out for longer, m’lady. You don’t-”

“No,” I whisper. I rise from my stool to turn away from her and my foolish tapestry. “They already plotted to kill Telemachus once. They are wrecking the estate, raping my maids, and I cannot allow this behavior to continue. It has been ten years since the war, Odysseus is dead or unable to return home. Waiting another day will not change that.”

The words have never stopped hurting. ‘Odysseus is dead.’ Time is meant to ease the pain of old wounds, yet it hasn’t for me. It hasn’t for Ctimene, either. Her husband was a part of Odysseus’ crew. He is likely dead as well. Though we are both widows, she is not required to remarry as I am. The title of queen does not force her to choose someone else to sit on the throne. I gave my husband as much time as I was able. For ten years, I’ve held them off. I have raised Telemachus on my own. Expectations were just so crushing. I cannot put off the demands of the people. Had I given my father his wish, I would have wed as soon as news of the old king stopped coming. “Ctimene, thank you for checking on me. I appreciate your companionship.”

It is a clear dismissal. I don’t look to see the emotions flicker across her face. “Of course,” she murmurs. Her hand briefly settles on my shoulder. “I will be in the hall with you.” 

Then she is gone. I prepare myself, draping a veil across my face. Perhaps I should have heeded my father’s words years ago and remarried already. Maybe I would have grown to care for one of the suitors downstairs, or at least spared my maids some of the torment. There is just a part of me that refuses to believe Odysseus is truly gone. My head bows as I murmur a familiar prayer. “Athena, Daughter of Zeus, my husband was always a favored of yours. If you have blessed him, and he still lives, let him come home.”

One way or another, my suffering shall end today. My suitors foolishly believe that a lucky soul among them will claim my hand before the sun sets. Little do they know I have set them up to fail. It is my final act of devotion for the only man who will ever hold my heart.

Tag List: Please let me know if you want added or removed!

@dorcaloveskotlc @apolloinaplaguemask @hatima-cries-epicly

@fireflychaosdemon

[garadinervi]

Cynthia Schira, Panel Entitled "ABC Drawn Quilt", (cotton and linen, areas of warp-float faced 7:1 satin weave; warp and weft-float faced 7:1 twill weaves; diamond and point twills; combined twill; and plain weaves with areas of paired warps or wefts and plain weaves self-patterned by main warp and ground weft floats; woven on TIS Jacquard handloom with Jacquard Computer Aided Design), 1998 [The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL. © Cynthia Schira]

[batbetbitbotbut]

So I am still a very very very new weaver and things don't always turn out how I want. This was my first attempt at "overshot", a weave structure which is meant to have a soft thick weft making fancy patterns over and under a square plain weave background, and it was awful! I got the plain weave maths wrong so it isn't square to begin with, and I got the yarns wrong so despite the coloured cotton being twice as thick as the white cotton it didn't cover it up at all. I hated it!

Tried again with half as many plain weave weft shots, to force the colour to be a little denser even though the plain weave was much further off square, and I still hated it and also it was really hard to keep track of the pattern.

And then something on the loom came loose so I couldn't weave at all and I was so disheartened and also I couldn't figure out what was wrong so I pretended the loom didn't exist for like 2 weeks. It was the brake tension screw and it's fine but for a long time I couldn't even face troubleshooting it. Also I made this warp quite wide which was A Choice(TM) for my first attempt at a new technique and it just made all the fixing harder.

Anyway, problem fixed and I made yet another attempt, this time doubling the weft. And it's working! We're finally getting some solid patterns! It's not perfect but it's workable.

In theory, those ovals were meant to be circles. So after working 1 full motif I started afresh yet again and shortened the pattern a bit. Switched to purple because I was concerned about using up so much pink on these samples.

And!!! It's okay! It's not everything I had hoped for but it's alright to look at and it's alright to weave. So finally, FINALLY I moved on with the rainbow instead of restarting again.

Still experimenting with the pattern a bit, so this particular tea towel won't quite have even stripes, but I like it more and more as I go. It only took like a week of warping and two weeks of suffering and a week of slowly facing the pain and shame. Next project will be anything but overshot, but he only way out is through.

Onwards!

[forgingtheblade]

WEAVING WRITEUP PART 3: FINISHING TOUCHES

part 1 part 2

i’ll admit, 24 hours after having finished writing the first two parts, i don’t know exactly why i split this off into a third part, but we ride

after taking them off the loom, i still needed to put the emblem itself on them. I had originally toyed with the idea of doing the symbol while weaving using a warp and weft faced technique, but that would have been kind of unwieldy and even more math heavy than just embroidering it, which is what i ended up doing.

honestly knowing what i know now, i’d probably do the design using double weave. i’m going to be in a weaving class again next semester and I might play with that idea then, though it might be a different piece.

the embroidery itself was pretty simple—my friend gave me a 14 inch embroidery hoop they had bought for a different project and i put on spies are forever and worked on it til a solid 3 am. ahh, the finals week project grind.

also, my cat was a massive help and not a nuisance at all! her name is shylie btw. i love her.

ultimately because of the finals time crunch, i only ever finished the embroidery on the plain weave one. i think this is for the best, though—on the finished cosplay, id like to do the emblem with a beaded appliqué that will match some of the appliqué work i’m doing for the cloak itself! that’s strictly if I can find the time to do that though, because. well. beading is incredibly time consuming and i have a lot of it ahead of me.

the finished banner made its way into my first critique this semester alongside some other fun pieces that i’ll be showing off here very very soon!

[jewellery-box]

Robe à la Française

French, ca. 1770

The robe à la française, with open robe and petticoat, was the quintessential dress of the eighteenth century. Characteristic of 1770s costume are the piece's low neckline, fitted bodice, narrow sleeves with double layered cuffs, as well as the sack back and fullness at the hips supported by panniers. This exquisite example is constructed from a rare Chinese export silk dating from the first quarter of the eighteenth century. The textile is an ivory "bizarre" patterned damask (created by reversing the weave structure so that both the warp-float and weft-float faces of the satin are on the same surface).

As early as the late sixteenth century, Chinese craftsmen created silks for the European market, which were exported by the East India companies of England, France, and Holland. Due to the exchange of design motifs by both Eastern and Western artisans, Chinese export silks often bore little relation to traditional Chinese aesthetics. While this patterned damask closely resembles the European "bizarre" silks popular during the first quarter of the eighteenth century, the selvedge-to-selvedge width, fabric weight, and selvedge markings all indicate Chinese manufacture. To fully appreciate the sumptuousness of this dress, one might imagine the sense of movement candlelight would have created across its surface.

The MET Museum

[irish-dress-history]

Making late Medieval Fringe

Fringe was an important part of 16th and 17th century Irish fashion. In this post, I will discuss the historical evidence for its use and my attempt to reconstruct it.

Fringe shows up on Irish garments in several period works of art.

1680 Portrait of Sir Neil O'Neill by John Michael Wright and the 'Civill' Irish Woman from John Speed's 1611 map of Ireland, both shown wearing a fringed brat (Irish mantle).

Detail from 'Drawn after the Quicke', an anonymous 16th c. English print showing Irish men wearing ionair (Irish short coats) embellished with fringe.

Historical Research:

The Irish use of fringe is mentioned by several period writers. In 1548, Paolo Giovio stated that most Irish men wore, "a soldier’s woollen cloak, with a fringed and variegated edge for elegance" (translation from Harris 2007). Similarly, William Good said Irish men and women wore "mantles or shag-rugs [. . .] fring'd round the edges with divers well mixt colours" (1586/1695). 17th century writers Luke Gernon (1620) and John Lynch (1661/1850) both described how the Irish continued to wear fringed mantles in spite of British colonial laws banning them. Gernon stated that the Irish mantle (ie brat) "differs nothing from a long cloke, but in the fringe at the upper end, which in could weather they [the Irish] weare over their heades for warmth," suggesting that this use of fringe was such an important part of Irish fashion that it was a marker of cultural identity.

This fringe appears to have been a separate trim, typically made of wool or silk, that was added to the garments. This is suggested by John Speed's description of Irish mantles as being "purfled with a deepe Fringe of divers colours" (1611). Applied fringe trim can be seen on the brat in Sir Neil O'Neill's portrait. In his poem "A Vision", 16th c. Irish poet Tadhg Dall Ó hUiginn describes a fairy woman wearing, "A purple mantle with satin fringes" (1550-1591/1921). Fringes made of silk and wool are found among recorded imports to Ireland in the late 16th c. (Flavin 2011).

Despite all this period evidence, I sadly do not know of any extant examples of Irish fringe from this period. Since at least some of the fringe used in Ireland was imported, I decided to look at examples from other parts of Europe to determine how Irish fringe might have been made. Looking at 15th-17th c. examples in the V&A, I saw 2 common manufacturing methods: warp-faced plain weave and tablet weave.

I decided to go with tablet weave for this project, because tablet woven bands have been found at earlier Medieval sites in Ireland (Wincott Heckett 2002). Following the historical costuming advice of The Welsh Viking that simple things less likely to be wrong, I used this simple late-15th c. fringe from Sweden as the basis for my pattern. Simple tablet-woven fringes continued to be used into the late 17th or early 18th century.

I used wool yarn for this project, because I wanted something that could have plausibly been made in Ireland and afforded by Irish commoners, instead of a luxury import like silk. Wool also seemed like the best fit for John Lynch's characterization of the fringe on a brat as a practical feature which protected the wearer's neck from the rain (1661/1850). I chose blue based on a combination of the availability of woad in 16th c. Ireland (Flavin 2011), the noted fondness of the Irish for bright colors (McClintock 1943), and personal preference.

My reconstruction:

I used Garnhuset wool weaving yarn I purchased from Vävstuga Weaving School in size 20/2 for the warp and 28/2 for the weft. (Check out this video, if you need an explanation of how tablet weaving works.) I made a box loom out of a cardboard box, although I suspect that any loom type that works for tablet weaving would also work for this.

Also used bamboo chopsticks, tape to cover the rough edges of the cardboard, and a shoelace. Not pretty or historically accurate, but cheap and easy to make.

My tablet weaving pattern uses 6 cards. Cards 1,3,5 are Z threaded. Cards 2,4,6 are S threaded. All 6 cards are turned in the same direction until too much twist is built up on the warp to continue, all 6 cards are then turned in the opposite direction until too much twist is build up to continue. Reverse direction and repeat until you run out of warp.

For the weft, I used 5 strands the of 28/2 yarn run together as if they were a single weft thread. I placed a rectangle of sturdy cardboard against the left side of the warp and looped the weft around it as I wove. I neglected to get a good picture of this on my actual loom, so here is a picture of my test piece setup.

The relevant part here is the light blue and purple threads. Ignore the shuttle of black thread.

As I advanced the warp, I slid the cardboard rectangle forward to continue weaving. After I took the completed fringe off the loom, I took a pair of scissors and cut the bottoms of the weft loops.

If you try this, I strongly recommend covering the long edges of your cardboard rectangle with tape. This will both protect your warp from being chewed up the cardboard and make the cardboard more slippery and easier to to slide forward. Also, make sure you are beating the shed well and pulling your weft tight. Once you cut the loops, the tightness of your weave is the only thing keeping your fringe from pulling out.

Results:

I whipstitched the completed fringe to the edge of my brat. I am extremely happy with how this turned out. I had never done tablet weaving with wool before, so I had no idea what to expect.

This method creates a thick, fluffy fringe which I think does a nice job recreating the look of "Drawn after the Quicke". You do lose quite a bit of length though. The wool yarn is kind of stretchy, and tablet weave is kind of stretchy (similarly to a twill-weave fabric). Between the ends of the warp lost to setting up the loom, and the stretchiness of the finished product, 11 ft (335 cm) of measured warp gave me 92 in (234 cm) of completed fringe. Oh, well. At least my loom can easily accommodate a longer warp, and this piece only used 20% of my 2 skeins of yarn.

I did also make a test piece out of DMC Pearl cotton. The warp is size 8 embroidery thread, and the weft is size 25 embroidery floss with all 6 strands used together. It is slightly easier to work with than the wool, (wool warps do have an annoying tendency to stick to each other), but I don't like the way it looks as much.

Wool fringe above, cotton below. Ignore the purple fringe. It has an extra weft thread that is not part of the fringe, which is why it looks more gappy than the light blue.

The cotton tends to stay in its discrete clumps rather than feathering out to form a nice fluffy, connected whole like the wool does.

I then went to the Ren Fair and located an appropriate sword.

(Yes, that's an English kirtle and smock. I haven't finished making my other Irish garments yet.) Me carrying a sword a la Albrecht Dürer's kern.

I really should have made this fringe longer. It's only 1 in (2.5 cm) long. Looking at the scale of Speed's "Civill" woman, I would estimate that hers is closer to 2 inches long. I may add a longer second layer. John Lynch does say that the brat has a doubled layer of fringe in the neck area (1661/1850). Adding a second color to the weft would probably better match William Good's description of "divers well mixt colours" and Paolo Giovio's "variegated," but I like the way the solid blue looks.

As a bonus, I will say that the wool fringe feels softer and nicer than the cheap coating wool I used to make my brat. I suspect that may be part of the reason the 16th-17th c. Irish were so fond of having thick fringes in the neck area, to protect the skin of their necks from the irritation of a brat made of coarse wool. The léine would have protected most of their body, but it largely left the neck bare.

Irish woman wearing a brat with a deep fringe by Wenceslaus Hollar published 1643

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Bibliography:

Flavin, Susan (2011). Consumption and Material Culture in Sixteenth-Century Ireland. [Doctoral thesis]. University of Bristol.

Gernon, Luke (1620). A Discourse of Ireland. https://celt.ucc.ie/published/E620001/

Good, William (1695). The Ancient and Modern Customs of the Irish. In W. Camden (ed) Camden's Britannia newly translated into English, with large additions and improvements; publish'd by Edmund Gibson (p. 1042-1048) (Edmund Gibson, Trans.). Edmund Gibson. (Original work published 1586) http://name.umdl.umich.edu/B18452.0001.001

Harris, Jason (2007). Ireland in Europe: Paolo Giovio's "Descriptio" (1548). Irish Historical Studies, 35(139), 265-288.

Lynch, John. (1850). Cambrensis Eversus (Matthew Kelly, Trans.). Dublin: The Celtic society. (Original work published 1660) https://archive.org/details/cambrensisevers04kellgoog/page/200/mode/2up

McClintock, H. F. (1943). Old Irish and Highland Dress. Dundalgan Press, Dundalk.

Ó hUiginn, Tadhg Dall (1921). The bardic poems of Tadhg Dall Ó Huiginn (1550–1591) (Eleanor Knott, Trans.). (Original work published 1550-1591) https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T402563/index.html

Speed, John (1611). The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine: presenting an exact geography of the kingdomes of England, Scotland, Ireland, and the iles adioyning. William Hall, London.

Wincott Heckett, Elizabeth (2002). Irish Viking Age silks and their place in Hiberno-Norse Society. Textile Society of America Symposium Proceedings, 427. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tsaconf/427