I have been playing with tapestry weaving, but got sidetracked with spinning cotton and weaving tapes or inkles or just plain-weave narrow bands. I have found more references than I will ever be able to read on the weaving of those bands, but nothing that actually describes the process of sewing them together to make a wider fabric, as is done with Kente cloth. For unimportant reasons, this appeals to me much more than dealing with a loom wide enough to make a fabric in one piece.

It seems almost as if it is assumed that anyone who wants to do this kind of project should already know how to sew the strips together. I could easily place two right faces together and sew 1/4 inch in from the edge, but I don't THINK that's how they do it. I am of the impression that the strips are butted up to one another and sewn flat, but that would have to be done "right" to be any kind of durable.

I neither own nor desire a sewing machine, so I would be doing this with a needle and thimble. Have any of you done this? Any tips or references to useful sites on this subject?

Thanks in advance.

Comments

Wed, 12/17/2014 - 20:34

Sara von Tresckow

One technique is to take the warp thread or something similar and butt the edges together with small, nearly invisible stitches through the edge threads.

There are also techniques for using decorative stitches for the same purpose. You should be looking in books with chapters about finishing handwovens for ideas - and there are a few whole books about finishing techniques.

Wed, 12/17/2014 - 21:38

Deke

I tried many different search terms without success. "Finishing hand woven fabric" brought up a wealth of pertinent information, though. I will look for a promising book or two. Many thanks.

Wed, 12/17/2014 - 23:13

sarahnopp (not verified)

If you are interested in West African fabrics, this is a website I have been distracted by many times. It has great bibliography. But I don't remember if it discusses exactly the joining of the strips... 

http://www.adireafricantextiles.com/res01.htm

Thu, 12/18/2014 - 15:07

Andrew Kieran (not verified)

There is a great youtube playlist of african kente weaving. I don't know if it has the actualy sewing up shown on it, but it's a great start and very entertaining as well. Really interesting to see other culture's approach to the simple act of weaving cloth

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0A62EF800F18C90D

The weavers are Ghanan, the video is on the sit of Luciano Ghersi, who is absolutley excellent and totally a hero of mine, you should check his other videos, he does such cool stuff.

 

 

Fri, 12/19/2014 - 03:03

Deke

My initial interest was not in the production of kente cloth, but in the creation of wider fabrics from multiple narrow strips, but your reference and the reply before yours have conspired to sidetrack me yet again. I am not sure yet if I am grateful for the distraction; I have been veering off course far too often, lately. But I am grateful for the opportunity to be distracted. From what I have seen, Africa has a colorful and rather unique history in the production of artisinal cloth, even those works of art made simply for practical functionality.

Thanks for the tip.

Fri, 12/19/2014 - 14:04

sandra.eberhar…

One other ethnic use of narrow strips is by the Sami in Northern Scandinavia.  I just got a very expensive but beatiful magazine, Selvedges, that has a gorgeous picture of a Sami man in a traditional coat, hat and belt made of narrow strips pieced together.  One look at this piece would dispel all notion that you have to have a big floor loom to make beatiful fabric.  The background color is bright red, and they appear to be woven inkle-fashion.

Fri, 12/19/2014 - 16:53

tien (not verified)

When I studied weaving in Ghana, they put the strips with the right sides facing together, then sewed a very narrow seam - maybe 1/8" at most. Then open and press. Because they were sewing selvage to selvage, no worries about fraying.

But if you aren't worried about doing "authentic" kente, whatever method you want to use should work just fine.

Sat, 12/20/2014 - 01:16

Deke

That is exactly the information I was looking for. I am not intent on making any authentic kind of reproduction cloth, but I figured whatever method they used for kente cloth must have come about as the result of years or decades or longer of trying different things, and nobody is out there saying kente cloth is not durable. I have read that, when sewing by hand, they whipstitch the two strips together, but I didn't see how they could do that without a protruding seam on the inside. It seems they just decided that the protrusion was not a problem.

Your assistance is most appreciated.

Sat, 12/20/2014 - 01:34

Deke

I may have misread you, on second thought. When they press it flat, does that result in the selvedges being butted up to each other and no seam fabric on the inside? I may have to experiment some.

Still, thanks.

Sat, 12/20/2014 - 03:10

sandra.eberhar…

I think if you stitch right sides togeter, even with a very small 1/8 seam allowance, you will not butt the strips together.  You will have a small seam allowance (this will be true if use a running stitch or a whipstich), which if you are using a fabric that presses well (cotton, linen, wool) you can press  for a barely perceptable bump.   If you want to butt the panels side by side, you need a mattress or baseball stitch; the needle goes back and forth from one panel to the other while placed flat, side by side (look at a baseball).  If you want a strong, functional fabric without distorted seams, I suggest Tien's suggestion if you do it by hand.  To get a strong seam from a butt placement, you must have material that will not distort (like hide).

Sat, 12/20/2014 - 04:11

tien (not verified)

Well, when I was there they were using a distinctly modern sewing machine, but I also picked up a piece at market that was hand-sewn the same way, with a very narrow seam. When I say "narrow" I mean maybe three or four threads in from the selvage using very fine threads. I took a photo of the back of one of the kente I brought home to show what I mean:

seam in kente cloth

And here is the front side, same seam:

front side of kente seam

The handspun, indigo-dyed fugu (robe) I bought had similar seams, although hand-stitched rather than machine stitched (if I recall correctly - it's been awhile!). It was also lined using an old flour sack - which I know because it was printed "Hard Spring Wheat" on the inside! It was a fine muslin, which is probably why they used it - would be a lot comfier than the much more coarsely woven exterior.

Sat, 12/20/2014 - 05:34

Deke

I am looking for a question this forum cannot answer. Hm. If I observe an asteroid at a specific right-ascension and declination three times, correcting for atmospheric diffraction, of course, measured in zulu time, how do I predict its future location using no computer, just a pad and pencil?

Incredible gratitude to all of you. I had not expected first-hand-expeience responses, nor educated second hand experience responses. My question has been answered adequately. You have my gratitude.

Sat, 12/20/2014 - 09:59

CelticCats

Because I also knit, was thinking would the "invisible" stitch used to sew a front band on work? Basically pick up a thread on one band then one stitch on the other band and continue until both bands are sewen together? The stitch is called a running stitch and is invisible. Good luck!