New Weavecast Posted
48: Rodrick Owen
Produced by Syne Mitchell, 27 December, 2009 - 12:02

250 Patterns from Japan, Peru and Beyond

This episode we chat with Rodrick Owen about kumihimo and Peruvian braids. If you’re not familiar with kumihimo, it’s a Japanese style of braiding that creates beautiful and strong braids. The most common form of kumihimo is woven on a marudai, essentially a small round table with a hole in the center.

You can access the podcast at:
http://weavezine.com/audio/48-rodrick-owen

Have a good day!

 

Comments

Syne Mitchell (not verified)

Thanks for posting the info about the new show!

francorios (not verified)

You're welcome.

I've been learning Peruvian braiding with Alta Turner's book and others so I found the subject very interesting. I also posted the info on a few yahoogroups for people who are fascinated by string.

Thank you for the great job you did in that interview.

Have a good day!

RuTemple (not verified)

francorios, do you have a copy of Adele Cahlander's book, Sling Braids of the Andes? It's long out of print, but copies can be found. A lot of the Peruvian braids can be done on a marudai (Rod shows several in 250 Braids), and there are some folks in the southern SF Bay Area who are studying braids, and travel to Peru to learn more. They're still done all in the hand, or started stretched over the leg, there. 

I also love Alta Turner's book.

Anyone who gets a chance to take a worshop with Rodrick Owen should leap at the chance! He's a splendid teacher.

bolivian warmi

When I was in the Colca Canyon region of Peru I studied with a sling braider and learned two braiding styles-the ''palma'' which uses 24 strands and the ''margarita'' with 36-all done in the hands. I was lucky to have had an excellent teacher. I made a complete sling baid while I was there with him using the easier of the two techniques-the ''palma''.

This is the margarita. I learned it with three colors-the third color gets hidden in the core of the braid while the other two are worked and then gets brought out and exchanged for one of the working colors. I made this braid with only two colors.-made with Navajo singles.

This is the sling that I made with my teacher. The cradle is tapestry woven which is the only part that stops this all from being OT!-made from handspun (by my teacher's wife) llama fiber.

Some other slings in my collection which I bought in Peru.......

   

Laverne

weaversouth (not verified)

great stuff, but perhaps you could persuade him to update his website?  His "schedule" only shows 2007, and I know a lot of people would be interested in taking a workshop with him.

keep up the great stuff, Syne!  You really are creating a big wave in the weaving world!

Nancy C.

francorios (not verified)

I had no idea slings were so beautiful! You've been holding out Laverne. That's a good collection you've got there.

I could get my sons interested in slingbraiding if they get to throw rocks afterward.

Have a good day!

bolivian warmi

Oh yes, your boys could have a good time! My teacher was full of stories about how he used to use his sling in his younger days! I have a cool photo of a lady using one. I shall scan it and put it here later.

Laverne

This a page from my journal. My teacher told me the names of the braids on the slings that I had bought. I am sure the names differ from region to region just like the names of the different pick up weaving techniques do. The one on the left that got cut off is ''cajamarca''. The lady is beside Lake Titicaca. She only allowed me one shot and was I lucky it was a good one!.

francorios (not verified)

I have not seen the Cahlander book, I'll have to see if the library has it first.

I have Basic Book of Fingerweaving by Esther Warner Dendel and A Manual of Fingerweaving by Robert Austin as well as the Turner book.

Have a good day!

francorios (not verified)

I remember finding this on my first search for backstrap loom info.
 
Karen Madigan has posted PDF copies of her Curious Weaver newsletter free for download at
 
Issue 2 includes
Curiousweaver Issue 2 May 1995 PDF 410k
This second issue features:
Make your Own Weaving Tools
Backstrap Loom Weaving
Furred and Zebra Cords of the Andes *
A Bush Garden for Spinners and Weavers
Pre-historic Thigh Spinning
Double Weave – Pocket Weave
Sequin Sash
Lavender Sachets
Creating Silk Paper
 
*It's a one page article on cords that is on topic.
 
There are many files on that web page for download, many articles of interest.
 
Have a good day!
 

bolivian warmi

yes this is great stuff. I downloaded that issue some time ago when Caroline posted it in the backstrap group and it helped me discover Karen's blog too-always like reading about a fellow Aussie!!

Clay2Yarn (not verified)

 

Laverne,

Wow!

That is a fantastic shot you got there!  I'm so glad she allowed you to take one, AND I'm really glad it turned out so great!

Thanks for sharing.

Kim

 

jemwork (not verified)

Thanks for the curiousweaver info. That's a blog with great pics & info.

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