Card or Tablet Weaving

Oh, dear! I've done it again! I've found something else that is absolutely fascinating to do! Cardweaving is a mindboggling way of making cords and belts with punched cards holding the threads and keeping them in order. See the huge pack of cards on the cover of the book? Each of those cards has 4 threads that it controls. Each turn of cards (1/4 turn actually) brings a different thread to the surface of the work.


I wasn't very brave and made my first project very simple! I used only three cards and each card had 4 threads of the same color. My first piece is in the picture with the book. The center white line has a zig-zag effect because of the way I turned the cards 4-1/4 turns forward, followed by 4-1/4 turns backwards. My second piece has the white line without zigs or zags, but the entire piece twists. I turned the cards one direction for the entire piece.

See the twists?
I changed tensioning devices in the middle of the second piece and the change in my tension is obvious in person. The twisting of the piece at the beginning is less than at the end. Good to know--tension matters!


The book is "Card Weaving" by Candace Crockett. It belongs to my library...and it came complete with a set of cards! Now it's time to make myself a set!