The ART of the LOOM
Weaving, Spinning & Dyeing across the World

by Ann Hecht

Paperback - 208 pages (2001)
169 illustrations, 60 in colour
British Museum; ISBN 0 7141 2553 9

The emphasis of this book is on traditional methods of weaving, spinning and dyeing still in use today, but originating hundreds of years ago and passed down from one generation to another. In every case the equipment used is simple, but the methods of patterning are sometimes extremely complex, either at the dyeing stage before weaving commences or in the procedures used for the weaving itself. The textiles have been produced by people living in small communities often far removed from city life, initially for themselves but now bought by collectors who recognise their value.

The author has selected eight subjects which she finds of special interest: Navaho Indian weaving in North America; fhe work of the bedouin from the Arabian peninsula the narrow-strip weaving of West Africa; inlay weaving in Nepal; Indonesian weaving, with special emphasis on the supplementary warp and weft weaves; weaving in Peru.

The introduction describes the basic principles involved in the closely related, and interdependent, crafts of weaving, spinning and dyeing, in order to prepare the general reader for the more detailed descriptions that follow.

Each chapter starts with a brief geographical and historical sketch of the area, or country, in order to set the scene. This is followed by separate sections describing the spinning of yarns used; the dye plants and dyeing procedures; the loom or looms used; and the weaving techniques (with the exception of thechapter on kastlri, which concentrates on the methods of binding)