We received special interest from more advanced weavers for backstrap looms prepped for brocade. We knew just the right person to help us prepare these looms and demonstrate the weaving process: Doña Lidia! She is a master weaver and a friend for so many years. She and her sisters are the talented weaving teachers during our Textile Travels, too.
While we can’t have in-person weaving lessons right now, we thought ,”why not offer some looms for weavers who want to practice brocade from home?” What makes these brocade looms different from our more simple Practice Looms are two additional rods that have separated the warp precisely in order to facilitate horizontal brocade lines to be made, as well as a wooden needle for inserting supplementary weft threads. Oh yes, and we include 8 different colors of thread for supplementary weft, too.
After some sample weaving by Doña Lidia
We spent some time in my garden at home one morning to take these videos demonstrating some of the brocade weaving process. We are speaking in Spanish, and for absolute beginners, Doña Lidia’s movements are probably fast-paced. However, if you’re already familiar with weaving, you should be able to keep up 🙂 Take a look:
In video 1/5, Doña Lidia patiently shows how to wrap the loom with the provided maguey belt to start weaving.
Small brocade figures known as “mosquitos” are woven in with supplementary weft threads in these videos 2-4.
In the last video (5/5), Doña Lidia demonstrates inserting supplementary weft to make horizontal brocade lines using the additional rods.
Three unique looms with everything you need to practice brocade weaving will be available this Sunday on our site!
Questions? Let us know at mari@kakawdesigns.com 🙂
XOXO,
Mari
Kakaw Designs 