This project is woven in plain weave using a medium-weight cotton yarn, and weaves up very fast. When I travel, a strap I've woven rolls up beautifully and goes into my backpack along with my loom sticks. I based the dimensions of this project on a beautiful braided-straw backstrap that was made for me in Peru in 1997. In this article, I show you the basics of backstrap weaving while teaching you to create one of the fundamental parts of the loom: the backstrap.Īfter fourteen years of backstrap weaving, I have found that a broad and sturdily constructed backstrap, well positioned around the hips (rather than the waist) allows me to comfortably weave at my loom for hours. Many of its secrets have been revealed to me in the homes, hearts, and hands of my weaving teachers-homes at the end of dusty village paths on the cold, harsh, and colorless Bolivian high plains-an environment which starkly contrasts with the warmth of my teachers' welcomes, their overwhelming generosity, and the rich, intricate, and colorful designs they weave into their cloth. I am fortunate to be currently living in Bolivia, a part of the world where this loom is still very much in use today. Small, portable, and inexpensive-the backstrap loom is ideal for those who lack the space for a table or floor loom, would like to be able to take their weaving "on the road" with them, or simply don't have the means to invest in more sophisticated equipment. Fortunately for me, needing to subsidize her trip to the US, Leki brought it with her, hoping to sell it-I’m glad I could help.Basic, crude, primitive-these are all words that spring to mind when one thinks of the humble backstrap loom-a description that obscures the fact that some of history's most beautiful and complex textiles have been woven on this simple arrangement of sticks.Ī simple loom, yet mysterious.the most frequent comment I hear when I pull out my backstrap rods is, "All those sticks! Where do they go and what in the world do they do?" The puzzling collection of sticks and tangle of yarn miraculously springs to life and transforms itself into a loom when the weaver dons the backstrap, attaches the loom bar, tensions the warp, and starts to weave. When I saw Rinzin and Leki the following summer, I bought a gorgeous silk piece Leki had originally woven to present to the king of Bhutan for use as a hand towel. Each package must include a khata (the Buddhist silk ceremonial scarf) as well as handwoven textiles of the quantity and quality dictated by the presenter’s affluence. In addition, during important religious and secular celebrations, guests are expected to follow the age-old Bhutanese custom of presenting the hosts with gift packages containing traditional textiles.ĭuring that first Convergence when I peppered Rinzin with questions, she demonstrated the packaging and presentation rituals, which include a specific way of folding the textiles for gift giving. Not only is traditional attire still expected at formal events, but it continues to be worn by many Bhutanese, of all walks of life, on a daily basis. This type of weaving resonates strongly with me partly because of the technique and the aesthetic and partly because of my friendship with Rinzin and Leki, but I also love the fact that Bhutanese culture is still deeply imbued with textile traditions. Mesmerized by her work, I settled down on the floor next to her and asked numerous questions.
It’s also where I first learned about Bhutanese backstrap weaving.Īt their booth at Convergence 2006, Rinzin was demonstrating the Bhutanese version of backstrap weaving. I first met Leki, who is a Master Weaver for the King of Bhutan, and her daughter, Rinzin (a superb weaver herself) at Convergence 2006.
That’s what Leki Wangmo has done for most of her life.
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