Tablet Weaving

Your average Viking man or woman would have considered themselves seriously underdressed if they didn't have some nice decorations on their clothing, probably including tablet woven bands. My Gallery shows some of the bands I've woven over the years, including some of the less successful ones...

I've written an article which attempts to explain the basics of tablet weaving, for anyone who fancies having a go:

I always used to begin by teaching people how to make "threaded in" patterns, but in this article, I've started by introducing "woven in" patterns. This is partly because I think it may actually be an easier way to begin, and it certainly makes threading up quicker, but also because I have since learned that "threaded in" patterns are quite a modern development. As far as I've been able to find out, all the tablet-weaving from earlier times (from say the Bronze Age up until late medieval times) was made using "woven in" techniques. Before anyone asks me, in this context I count the Saxon Threaded-in Weave shown on Mistress Thora's excellent site as being a "woven in" pattern, because although the tablets are not threaded identically, you do not turn all the tablets together. There is a sample of this weave in my Gallery, under Linen Bands.

If you do try to learn tablet weaving from my article, I'd love to hear how you get on! In particular, please let me know what you found confusing, so that I can try to improve it.

Patterns from the Past

I've been meaning for several years to write an article aimed at re-enactors like myself who want to weave historically accurate or nearly accurate bands but are not possessed of godlike weaving powers - and aren't sure where to start looking for information. Unfortunately writing the whole thing at once has proved to be too daunting a task and I never got started. However I have finally written up instructions for weaving a few bands. It is my intention to add bands one at a time as I get round to it...

To the best of my knowledge, these instructions will allow you to weave an exact, museum-grade replica of an early-period band.

• The Snartemo II Band
• The Cambridge belt

These patterns have been adapted to make them easier or quicker to weave. However they use period motifs and techniques.

• The Adapted Birka twining motif

Oseberg bands

In May 2003 I visited the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, where viking ships are displayed along with various things which were found in them. Most interesting to me were the textiles from the Oseberg ship, the archeological report on which was finally published in 2006, though only in Norwegian with English summaries. If anybody would like to join forces to commission an English translation, please get in touch.

Click on the thumbnail below to see a photo of us in front of the Oslo Town Hall. I'm the one in the blue mac staring vacantly at the sky. Al is the one behind the camera :)

I examined two woven bands from the Oseberg ship, which are on display in the museum, and also Professor Christensen allowed me to look at a few items from the archeological report. From this information, I've written two short reports on the bands:

You can see some more photos from our Oslo trip here.