Yes -- You CAN weave complex patterns on simple looms!

Several people have written me challenging my contention that its possible to produce complex patterns with simple looms using plain weaves. Since a picture is worth a thousand words here is a series of wonderful pictures of very intricate patterns produced by picking up selected warp threads in a particular pattern. I outlined this procedure in a previous article for you.

All the photos are courtesy of Kathleen Forance Johnson, an internatinally recognized weaving ethnographer. She has studied the textiles of many cultures. However, one place we see very intricate pick up thread weaving is southeast Asia. Here are a series of photos which show how plain weave can be used to produce incredible cloth. Many of the patterns use the diamond technique, as it is easy to follow with many interuptions. Since most of the women in native cultures weave while tending children this is an important factor (writes the Mom of an active eight year old!).

On to the photo show!

Atayal Diamond Pattern from Taiwan (courtesy of K. Forance-Johnson)

This a type of traditional weaving done in the mountains of Taiwan by the indigineous people there. Women use small person sized box looms used seated on the ground.

Woman at a box loom.

Woman winding warp. All this is done seated on the ground for comfort with very simple tools. This is why I get so provoked at people who say they can't weave because it takes too much equipment!

Beautiful cloth done in repeated diamond structures.

After this little slide show I hope you are very much inspired. Lili

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