Handloom Weaving Technology: Revised and Updated
Monday, February 8th, 2010
at
2:40 am
A classic of weaving literature, updated to include computer-aided techniques for home production.
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Handloom Weaving Technology: Revised and Updated
Tagged with: Handloom • Revised • Technology • Updated • Weaving
What a cold, lifeless book. Full of interesting info, but with no enthusiasm for the art of the craft. This author might appeal to a technologist approaching weaving.
I found this book a disappointment, probably because, in my view, this is not a book for the average weaving hobbyist such as myself. It is certainly very detailed, but I dislike its constant implied criticism of handloom weavers. I also feel that this book imparts absolutely no sense of a “love” of weaving. Its stern, academic tone seems to be telling us weavers to buck our ideas up and do things properly in future. If you want to weave professionally, however, this book may well be worth buying.
This book covers the technical aspects of handweaving equipment and technique. The relationship between yarn and equipment design and function is detailed. The degree of detail and constructive criticism of modern handweaving equipment and technique is very beneficial and missing in other books on this topic. This book is a “Must Read” before a serious loom purchase or the decision to build one yourself, in addition to being an excellant reference regarding handweaving technique.
Sooner or later, every handloom weaver starts asking questions to which no one seems to know the answer, or encounters problems for which there seem to be no solutions. Or merely starts asking a lot of “whys”. Why do it this way and not that way? Why isn’t there a way to do this that doesn’t cause that problem? The weaver asks around, but no one seems to have the answers. Well, relax! Allen Fannin rides to the rescue with Handloom Weaving Technology. In thorough and great detail, Fannin answers all your questions –and more — regarding yarn, looms and related equipment, drafts and layouts, getting ready to weave, weaving, and fabric finishing. A new section in this edition addresses computer-aided design. The black-and-white photo illustrations are excellent. Fannin’s writing style can be a bit academic, but no handweaver should be without this resource. I wish I had owned this book when I first started weaving. It would have saved me a lot of grief, as it does continually now that I own it.