Weaving Techniques

History

This is ancient textile craft, probably in fact the first ever used by humans. Weaving is a simple and extremely versatile making process that can use almost any material – its main use is obviously textiles, but it is also used in furniture, interiors, jewellery, basketry, garden, and architectural design.

Process

Threads or strands of material are passed under and over each other, either by hand or on a loom. The warp is the vertical line of the material to be woven into, the weft is the horizontal. Intricate patterns and images can be introduced by varying the weft’s path under and over the warp threads.

Other textile techniques derive from weaving, such as bobbin lace making, tapestry, darning, embroidery, and Inkle and Swedish weaving. Unlike knitting or crochet which is formed out of a series of knots, weaving is a kind of mesh of threads, that has great strength and durability and no defined beginning or end.

Most commercial fabrics today are woven on a computer controlled Jacquard loom. The fabric can be designed on the computer, and then sent directly to the loom to be woven. Before computers were involved the Jacquard loom worked on a punch card system: a large card lay over the warp threads with holes in designated places that allow the weft threads to be woven through in the desired pattern. Now instead of the punch cards the computer stores the design in its memory. (http://www.zetatalk.com/shelter/tshlt11k.htm for in depth explanations)

The Jacquard Loom: The First Computer

The Jacquard loom was invented in the early 19th century, and revolutionized the textiles industry by dramatically simplifying and accelerating the weaving process. The Jacquard loom is also extremely important because it is considered to be the first ever computer. It was the first ever practical information processing device – the punched card system was revolutionary as it proved there was a way to direct a device to perform different tasks by feeding it instructions in the form of a kind of language i.e. making a machine programmable.

There are many other kinds of looms and styles of weaving that are still being used today, include simple hand weaving, but the basic process is the same.

Weaving in Architecture:

Birds, beavers and other creatures use simple weaving techniques to build their nests and homes from sticks. Humans used the technique of wattle and daub, in various forms, to build homes for themselves all over the world. It involves weaving branches together to form the basic walls of a house and then covering them with thin layers of mud, which dries hard like plaster.

Weaving and woven materials are still present in contemporary architecture. Firstly is the increase in temporary and semi-permanent architecture that uses fabrics like Teflon, and tensile structures similar to weave in their structure. Architects such as Frei Otto see that part of the future of Architecture is in temporary, lightweight, flexible structures that can ideally be assembled, disbanded and them assembled again in a new location (including inflatables).

Woven metal mesh has become an extremely popular material to use in new architecture. Peckham Library, The Millenium Dome, and the Children’s Palace in China have all used woven metal for its strength, flexibility, ability to be disassembled, lightness. It can curve around buildings, veil ugly construction techniques, and provide an exterior sunscreen to a public building or office block, element without blocking out all the light from entering. It also can be illuminated to beautiful effect, and have images projected onto it that can allow buildings to become transformed from day to night.

Relavent Websites

http://www.weavingworks.com/

Directions to an amazing London based Handweaving Studio and shop: http://www.londontown.com/LondonInformation/Shopping/Handweavers_Studio__Gallery/1326/

Architecture: http://www.freiotto.com http://www.creativeweave.com http://www.architecturalmesh.co.uk