NOBO Handweavers

Guild Origin

During the Middle Ages – the years between 1100 and 1400 – was a period of fine craftsmanship. For some people, this period may bring images of knights with lances and damsels in distress. For many others, the Middle Ages are a reminder of three of its most pervasive institutions – guilds, masonry, and the apprenticeship system for the learning of craft. The manner by which we perceive work has its roots in the guilds. It is a concept that sees the craftsman or craftswoman working manually, controlling the work process, sourcing the materials, providing the tools, and creating a product born of technical knowledge and artistic skill. The development of guilds during the later Middle Ages was a crucial stage in the professional development of artists. The power of the artists during this period was not based on their individual capacities as was developed during the Renaissance, but their willingness to join together and act as a collective. Guilds were founded on one of the oldest and most persistent themes in the histories of societies: that people who share the same trade or occupation find it beneficial to band together in mutual cooperation. – Elbardic Publishing.

FORBIDDEN – In medieval Europe, it was illegal for women to belong to either the weavers’ or tailors’ guild. – Women’s Work: Textile Art from the Bauhaus, Sigrid Wortmann Weltge

If you haven’t read the Minutes from the most recent NOBO meeting, please do so.

Many thanks, Kathie, for a job very well done!!!

And to quote Kevin, the host of PBS’ This Old House, “there’s lots going on…..stick around.”

According to our friends at the BBC, a woman has been appointed to run a Harris Tweed mill for the first time in the history of the industry. Click here for the article, and thanks to Syne Mitchell of WeaveZine for tweeting this interesting fact.

But what, you ask, makes a Harris Tweed a Harris Tweed? Well, for a bit of background, I consulted the website of the Harris Tweed Authority. By definition, “Harris Tweed is a cloth that has been handwoven by the islanders of Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra in their homes, using pure virgin wool that has been dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides”. You may find the history of Harris Tweed to be interesting as well.

Handwoven and handspun from various rare British breeds by The Staffordshire Moorland’s Guild of Weavers, Spinners, and Dyers.

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This little snippet about the Luddites of Huddersfield, England might interest those of you interested in weaving history. A bit of background information is available compliments of Wiki, and more details about the celebration can be found here.

March 16, 2010

Books written by or about Mary Meigs Atwater and Anni Albers were discussed in this column in January and February. Coincidentally, I recently ran across a book entitled String Felt Thread by Elissa Auther, which contained the following:

“In the history of American hand-weaving, no two practitioners were further apart in vision than Anni Albers and Mary Atwater. In 1940, Albers entered into a debate over the function and value of hand-weaving with Atwater in the pages of The Weaver. Their exchange provides an over-view of the competing visions and definitions of art and craft that formed the status of hand-weaving before the conclusion of WW II.

“Atwater undertook an extensive study of weaving of the American revolutionary period as well as folk weaving traditions of the 19th Century, the findings of which she published. Her research was instrumental in the survival of these historical and regional practices, but her practical how-to approach ran counter to Albers’ idea of weaving as an original art form.

“Albers regarded herself as an artist and was outspoken regarding the potential of hand-weaving to move beyond that of a leisure pursuit for utilitarian purposes. This approach is summed up by a statement she made in 1959: “Let threads be articulate, and find a form for themselves to no other end than their own orchestration, not to be sat on, walked on, only to be looked at……”

So, just what does this mean to us? I’d like to think it means the possibilities are endless; and we are free to choose our own path, whether traditional or contemporary, as we continue to learn about this time-honored craft.

Tuesday, March 16, 6:30-8:30 pm is the next “Open Studio for Weavers” at A Loom with a View. Drop-in fee of $20. Betsy will be demonstrating the direct warping method on Schacht’s FLIP, a folding rigid heddle loom, from 6:30-7:30pm. This is a good time to follow along with your own FLIP. I will also be there as well to help anyone with other weaving-related questions.

If able, give the shop a call if are going to “drop-in” – 978-463-9276. This is a great opportunity to get the extra help you might need with your weaving.