Garment Weaving: Structure

The structure of most woven garments in human history has matched that of the human body and the form of the loom.

In Peru, women weave on portable backstrap looms. They produce long strips of cloth which are linked together to form garments. The people of the western part of Africa weave long narrow strips of cloth on looms mounted in the ground. This kente cloth is usually only four inches wide. To form garments the strips are pieced together, much like quilting.

The basic form most of the countries follow is to have square or rectangular forms which fit over the body. The actual creation of the garment often uses the wearer's own personal measurements.

John Marshall outlines how to make an authentic Japanese short jacket using cloth strips and your own personal measurements. The technique calls for you to measure yourself in your own handbreaths to cut the cloth to size, thus all the pieces fit your personal symmetry. Its an interesting process which takes us back to the times before micrometers and laser measuring.

To create garments with simple woven forms like the small woven patches I used to teach weaving in earlier articles, I suggest looking over the John Marshall instructions and some other ethnic site like the links above. You should get lots of ideas for using small or narrow cloth pieces to form garments. And, of course, check out our own < A HREF= " http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/quilts_and_quilting ">Suite 101 Quilting site for lots of ideas on cloth piecing!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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