Tablet-Woven Leashes for Spike and Jones

LINDA HENDRICKSON

After we lost our beloved airedale ten years ago, we visited the Oregon Humane Society to find a dog. My husband John spied a golden-haired Tibetan terrier mix peeking out from the “employees only” area (he and his brother were considered too aggressive to other dogs, so they were truly on death row). We fell in love with them both and convinced the ofﬁcials to let us have them. They’ve been happily with us ever since!

hey have turned out to be wonder- ful pets, each with his own distinct Tpersonality. They still don’t like other dogs, however, so keeping them on leashes when they are in public is espe- cially important. My plan was to weave both leashes with just their names and paw prints on them, but after discovering dog haiku, I made one up for Jones’s leash: “Jones my ﬁerce guard dog pads down the hall on short legs N O

looking for my shoes.” S K C I R

Jones loves to collect shoes, not to chew, D N E but as pillows to line his bed with! H A D N I L Y Tablet weaving for leashes B H P A R

Tablet weaving is ideal for making a leash; G O T it produces a sturdy band, and a loop for a O H P handle can be woven right into the band. Jones and Spike sport their new tablet-woven leashes. Because each tablet can be manipulated independently of the others, you don’t have checkerboard design alternating with paw to rethread to weave different structures— Tablet weaving basics prints and his name woven in double- all you do is turn the tablets differently. Before winding the warp, use a colored faced tablet-weaving techniques. Spike’s marker to draw a heavy line between the The instructions in this article are for leash uses a total of 30 tablets: 24 four- A–B holes on both sides of the tablets. Spike’s leash with a split-loop handle and hole tablets for the design area plus three This line will aid in rearranging the a band decorated with a warp-twined tablets on each side for a border. tablets for the designs. To design and weave a personalized Warps for tablet weaving are often Linda Hendrickson leash for your own favorite canine com- wound as a continuous loop around two practices permaculture panion, study the graphs for the paw upright pegs, with the tablets threaded on and mindfulness at prints (Figure 5, page 5) and use the al- the warp and then placed. A continuous Laurelhurst Fiber Art phabet and the blank graph in Figures 6 warp is used for Spike’s leash both because Studio & Urban Farm in Portland, Oregon. and 7 (pages 5–6) to chart the letters for it is efﬁcient and because it makes it pos- your dog’s name. sible to weave the handle. Cont’d, Page 6

© Handwoven® magazine, Interweave Press LLC. www.handwovenmagazine.com HANDW O VEN 1 Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved. © Handwoven® magazine, Interweave Press LLC. www.handwovenmagazine.com HANDW O VEN 2 Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved. STEPS FOR TABLET WEAVING A DOG LEASH

Step Place warping pegs 80" apart. Make groups as in Figure 2. Stand a can of with Group 2. Weave 5", using the 2- a continuous warp for the design tablets food or a large cone of yarn in this yard tail as weft for this half of the 1 (2 Purple and 2 Kelly Green threads space. Tighten the warp. Keeping the loop. End with the A–B line on the wound together), placing the tablets group of tablets that is closest to you tablet nearest you on the bottom. Re- near the left-hand peg. (For warping (Group 1) near the left-hand peg, move the warp spreader. steps and how to use tablet-weaving slide the other group (Group 2) to- Shift the entire warp counterclockwise equipment, visit www.lindahendrick ward the right peg. Put a choke tie Step again so the two fells line up, and join son.com and click on Instructions.) Put around all the warp threads behind the tablets together as one pack. the starting slipknot on the right-hand the left peg. Shift the entire warp 7 warping peg and keep the slipknot counterclockwise about a foot. Step Now you will move the warp to the 6' slightly above the rest of the yarns as board to weave the remainder of the you wind. When you finish winding, Step Tape a bright piece of yarn to the 8 leash. Place the tablet holder under untie the slipknot and tie its 4 ends to table beneath the choke tie to mark its the warp and put the 2 needles the last 4 ends so the entire warp can 5 position and remove the tie. Place a through all 30 tablets; secure with be shifted around the posts. warp spreader just beyond the tablets rubber bands. Cut the warp at in Group 1 and spread the threads Step Now add the border tablets. The three the right peg. Clamp the board to the evenly to about 1" wide. Insert a border tablets on each side carry 4 table, with the ends of the board small, stiff piece of cardboard into the threads of a single color (2 tablets all hanging over both edges of the table. 2 shed at the mark on the table to beat Garnet, 2 all Gold, and the 2 outer- Clamp a warping peg to the left-hand against, and put in the first weft. most tablets all Purple). Again, tie the end of the board, and the tensioning Leaving a 2-yd tail of weft, begin last 4 ends to the first 4 so the warp block with horizontal dowel to the weaving, always turning the cards for- can be shifted around the posts. right-hand end. ward, with the warp under your left Step Instructions assume that you are weav- arm as you face the right peg. Weave Step Carefully move the warp with the ing with the band on your left. To 5", ending with the A–B line on the tablet holder and shuttle to the board. 3 weave the loop that makes the han- tablet nearest you (the outermost bor- 9 Slide the woven loop over the warp- dle: beginning with the tablet nearest der tablet) visible on top. ing peg. Even up the fells and attach you, arrange the threading directions the loop to the peg with a large of the tablets so that the ﬁrst three bor- Step Adjust the warp spreader as neces- binder clip to secure. Clamp the tablet der tablets are Left, Right, Left. Pattern sary as you now move the tablets and holder to the board/table. tablets: Right, Left, repeat. Last three 6 the warp to weave the other half of the border tablets: Right, Left, Right. Next, loop. Move each group of tablets to Step Remove all accumulated twist one arrange the A–B lines: Border tablets: switch their positions (Group 1 moves tablet at a time as follows: Hold the 4 all A–B lines on top. Pattern tablets toward the right-hand peg, and Group 10 warp threads from one tablet in one (for checkerboards): 4 A–B lines on 2 moves back toward the left-hand hand and put the ﬁngers of your other top, 4 on the bottom; repeat. peg). Shift the warp clockwise so the hand in the shed. With the threads woven part is on the other side of under tension, move both hands down Step Loosen the tension slightly, and divide the left-hand peg. Check the shed and the warp all the way to the end. Lay the warp into two halves at the left turn the tablets if necessary so that the these threads down on the table and 4 peg, separating the tablets into two checkerboard design joins smoothly repeat for next 4 ends.

PROJECT AT-A-GLANCE

Weave structure for leash Purple, 126 yd (1 oz); Kelly Green, 108 shops; swivel clip from hardware stores. 7 Warp twined and double-faced tablet weaving. yd ( ⁄8 oz); Garnet and California Gold, 1 Warp order and length 18 yd ( ⁄5 oz) each. 120 ends 80" long (allows 22" for take-up Equipment Weft: 5/2 pearl cotton (2,100 yd/lb), and loom waste). Thirty 4-hole tablets; 2 warping pegs; 1" x 4" 1 Purple, 58 yd ( ⁄2 oz). board 6' long; 6 C-clamps; warping wand; 1 Warp and weft spacing 1 unopened soup-size can; 2 large binder Notions and other materials Warp: about 96 epi for 1 ⁄2" weaving width. clips; warp spreader; tablet holder; warp ten- Fray Check and swivel clip. Weft: 14 ppi in warp-twined sections; 18 sioning block with horizontal dowel; 2 pieces Yarn and equipment sources ppi in double-faced sections. Woven of 1" x 3" heavy cardboard; 1 knife-edged length (measured under tension on the 5/2 pearl cotton and tablets are available belt shuttle (see www.lindahendrickson.com loom): 58". for photos of tablet-weaving equipment). from most weaving retailers; warping wand, warp spreader, tablet holder, and Finished dimensions Yarns warp tensioning block from www.linda After ﬁnishing, amounts produce one leash, 1 1 Warp: 5/2 pearl cotton (2,100 yd/lb), hendrickson.com; Fray Check from fabric 1 ⁄4" × 55 ⁄2".

© Handwoven® magazine, Interweave Press LLC. www.handwovenmagazine.com HANDW O VEN 3 Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved. 1. Color order for warping and double-faced weaving (all A–B lines on top) b684b5 b4 24b123 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 753621 b3 b2 D C B A RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL

Purple (background) Garnet (border) Kelly Green (pattern) California Gold (border)

2. Color order for warp-twined checkerboard design

Group 2 Group 1 b684b5 b4 24b123 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 753621 b3 b2

RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL

All A–B lines are on top in the border areas, and the pattern tablets are arranged so that they alternate 4 tablets with A–B lines on top and 4 tablets with A–B lines on the bottom.

3. Threading direction of the cards

Left-threaded direction Right-threaded direction (all 4 strands of yarn are visible (all 4 strands of yarn are visible on the left side of the tablet) on the right side of the tablet) To change the threading direction of a tablet, flip the tablet around its vertical axis. Then, if necessary, rotate until the A–B lines are in the correct position for the design to be woven.

4. Turning the tablets for double-faced weaving position of A–B line position of A–B line before 1st F row before 1st B row

ready for 1st turn ready for 2nd turn ready for 1st turn ready for 2nd turn Forward (F) Forward (F) Backward (B) Backward (B)

Turning sequence for double-faced designs = FFBB. The A–B line connects the two holes (A and B) that contain background threads. Pattern threads are in the other two holes. Tablet pack's weaving pattern always turns in the opposite direction from pack's weaving background.

Step Tie the border threads to the dowel in off the weft tail. End with the A–B line the tensioning block. Then tie the pat- on top on the tablet nearest you (out- 11 tern threads to the dowel in groups of ermost border tablet). After the last four tablets each. Be sure the tension is turn, beat, but do not put in any weft. even. Remove the tablet holder and binder clip. Sandwich the two sections Step To switch from the warp-twined of the woven loop side by side be- checkerboard design to the double- tween two pieces of stiff cardboard 13 faced weave for the paws and letter and secure with two binder clips. Be- designs, place the A–B lines in the fore beginning to weave, check to be tablets so they are all in the same po- sure the threading direction and position. The following method distrib- sition of the A–B lines in all tablets are utes the extra twist between two picks arranged as in Figure 2. so it is less obvious: with no weft in the shed, turn the tablets with green up Step Weave 6" of warp-twined checker- (the A–B line on the bottom) one turn board design: put the weft tail and the forward. Put in weft; turn all tablets. 12 weft on the shuttle through the shed in Beat, but do not put in weft. Turn the opposite directions. Turn forward, same groups of tablets as before so leave the tail, and weave with the weft that all the pattern tablets have the on the shuttle. After an inch or so, cut A–B lines on the right. Put in the weft.

© Handwoven® magazine, Interweave Press LLC. www.handwovenmagazine.com HANDW O VEN 4 Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved. 24 tablets 24 tablets 5. Paw prints 6. Letters 7 9 8 F/B n 7 9 8 F/B o g i

t 24 n i c

design n e 8 7 9 r r i

u 7 2 582 d 24 tablets t tablet count 72582 7 9 8 F/B 8 7 9 B 24 24 F 88116 8 88 7 2 15 24 B 24 7 2 15 7 4 3 2 8 F 6 552 6 8 88 721 2228 B 331 2 552 2 1 24 7 2 221 2 8 7 2 3 4 8 F 77424 888 7 2 15 24 B 2 4 12 4 2 7 2 15 7 4 13 F 1 6 10 6 1 8 88 10104 B 2 4 3 6 3 4 2 7 2 15 13 4 7 10 4 2 44 F 7 10 7 7 2 15 8 88 7 4 8 3 2 B 5145 24 24 F 3318 2 148 78171 B 446 4 6 24 78333 882 4 2 9 5 10 F 24 992 2 2 7 3338 B 24 10104 7 1718 F 24 2 14 8 24 7 413 B 88116 24 3 2 2 14 3 10104 F 24 20 2 2 133 8 B 6 552 6 3 2 2 9 8 10104 F 331 2 552 2 1 24 7 413 104 10 B 77424 888 7 2 15 13 3 8 F 2 4 12 4 2 7 2 15 10104 B 1 6 10 6 1 2 14 8 7 4 13 F 2 4 3 6 3 4 2 24 24 881 4 3 7 413 B 7 10 7 8 6 2 2222 10104 F 5 14 5 7 2 4 2221 2 2 13 3 8 B 3183 7 2 4 5 2 2 2 104 10 7 4 13 F 464 6 4 8 6 3 4 3 3 2 19 24 B 24 222 1 17 7 8 9 F 24 3 13 8 14 2 8 14 2 8 LRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLR 6 1 17 8 4 2 1 9 7 8 9 Design section: Each rectangle represents 1 design tablet and 7 2 2 1 2 2 8 24 2 picks (border tablets are not shown). 7 2 2221 8 5 2 7 2 8 White square = 1 tablet in background pack (place close to 8 7 9 3 12 9 the fell). 24 5217 Shaded square = 1 tablet in pattern pack (place farther away 2 13 9 24 from the fell). 7 2258 8 223 9 7 2 1222 8 Place border tablets farthest from the fell. 7 2258 8 7 9 721222 8 Turning direction indicated is for background pack; 24 8 3 229 24 pattern pack turns in the opposite direction. 8 232 9 7 2 5 2 8 8 2 14 7 2 15 Tablet count: squares indicate the number of tablets, alternating 7 2258 8 7 9 8 88 between background (white) and pattern (shaded) packs. Move 24 24 tablets between packs as necessary for each row. 8 7 9 8 13 3 7 2258 72582 7 2 5 2 8 72582 2 13 9 8 7 9 Step Move the six border tablets away from 24 24 8 88 879 the fell. Weave the paw prints divid- 712 2 2 2 8 7 2 582 ing the design tablets into background 7 221 228 72582 14 8 1 2 4 9 8 14 2 and pattern packs as described in Fig- 24 24 LRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLR LRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLR ures 4 and 5. (The border tablets always turn forward.) Continue, weav- end, push out twist as described in ing four paw prints, the dog’s name, Step 10, and retie them frequently. Ad- and four more paw prints in double- just the tension on the warp after every faced weave. For the remainder of the few inches of weaving by loosening leash, alternate 6" of warp-twined one clamp at a time on the tensioning checkerboards with one paw print. 1 block and moving the block about ⁄4". End with a section of warp-twined Weave as far as possible, and then checkerboards. To, minimize twist cut off the warp. buildup, reverse the turning direction in each of the warp-twined areas. Be- Step Saturate the cut end with Fray Check. cause the border tablets always turn Fold the cut end over the leash hard- forward, you will need to untie the 15 ware and turn the raw edge inside to threads of the border tablets at the far make a hem; machine sew.

—continued from page 1 g tern pack. Tablets in the background 7. Design graph i t n i c n design e r Once they are warped, tablets can r pack stay close to the fell. Tablets in i u d 24 tablets t be rearranged to produce different de- 7 9 8 F/B tablet count the pattern pack are moved ahead of the signs. Three variables can be adjusted background pack (farther from the fell). for patterning: the direction of the The border tablets are kept in a sep- threading, the position of the warp col- arate third pack ahead of both the back- ors, and the direction the tablets are ground and pattern packs (farthest from turned during weaving. the fell) and turned Forward continual- Tablets can be threaded either to the ly. You will need to untie the threads in Left or to the Right (see Figure 3, page the border tablets every few inches to 4). The threading direction can be push out accumulated twist. changed from one direction to the other The graphs in Figures 5 and 6 show by flipping the card around its vertical how to arrange the tablets and also axis. The position of the colors can be which tablets must be moved from one adjusted by rotating a tablet, using the pack to the other for each row to pro- A–B lines as an aid to color placement. duce the design. Numbers in shaded The third variable is the direction the squares indicate tablets that must be in tablets are turned during weaving: ei- the pattern pack, while each white ther Forward (F), away from the weaver, square indicates tablets that must be in or Backward (B), toward the weaver. the background pack. For each graphed After the warp is made, the tablets row, turn the background pack accord- in the project leash are arranged so that ing to the F (forward) or B (backward) the threading direction alternates Left indicated by the row. Turn the pattern and Right across the width of the warp. pack in the opposite direction. Use the Both the warp-twined checkerboard tablet count to place the tablets in the and the double-faced designs are woven correct pack for weaving each row. on this arrangement. For the graphs of letters in Figure 6, the turning directions have been left Warp-twined tablet weaving blank. After you arrange the letters into To weave the checkerboard design in the words you want to weave, fill in the Spike’s leash, the tablets in the design blanks, alternating F and B. area are rearranged so that 4 tablets of To get a clear shed in double-faced the background color weave alternately technique, after you turn the packs put your fingers into the shed between the with 4 tablets of the pattern color (see LRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLR Figure 2, page 4). The checkerboard de- packs and spread your fingers to widen sign appears as the pack of tablets is the shed first between the packs and then turned forward continuously and a weft show the designs used in Spike’s leash. all the way through to the fell. Put your inserted after every turn. The turning ac- (The weave structure is three-span warp hand into the shed between the main tion causes the four warp threads of each floats in alternate alignment.) Warp pack and the fell and slide it toward the tablet to twine around one another, form- twisting occurs only where there is a fell. Put the shuttle in the shed before re- ing a cord. Warp twisting occurs on both color change, so there is less problem moving your hand. sides of the tablets. Because the twist in with accumulated twist in double-faced the warp beyond the tablets eventually weaving than in warp-twined designs. Resources interferes with making sheds, it is occa- Before weaving the double-faced areas, Collingwood, Peter. The Techniques of Tablet sionally necessary to work out the accu- the warp color orders must be rearranged Weaving. McMinnville, Oregon: Robin & Russ Handweavers, 1996. mulated twist. so that the background and pattern col- Crockett, Candace. Card Weaving. Loveland, ors are aligned and the cards in the de- Colorado: Interweave Press, 1973. Double-faced tablet weaving sign areas placed as shown in Figure 1, Hendrickson, Linda. Double-Faced Tablet Weav- The double-faced technique is used to page 4. The turning sequence consists of ing: 50 Designs from Around the World. Port- weave graphed geometric designs, pic- two turns Forward and two turns Back- land, Oregon: Linda Hendrickson, 1996. torial images, letters, and symbols. The ward (F, F, B, B) with a weft placed after ___. Please Weave a Message: Instructions and Graphs for Tablet-Woven Calligraphy. Port- designs appear on both sides of the weav- each turn. To weave double-faced designs, land, Oregon: Linda Hendrickson, 2003. ing, with the colors and image direction the design tablets move between two Staudigel, Otfried. Tablet Weaving Magic. Libri reversed. The graphs in Figures 5 and 6 packs—the background pack and the pat- Books on Demand, 2000.