International Known Artist, Carolyn Nelson, AAWA, at LOVBOTSWANA Maun, Botswana

International Artist teaches Card Weaving in
SEPTEMBER 2014
Africa
VOLUME
Card weaving History
# ISSUE #
CARD WEAVING HISTORY
Card or tablet weaving is a very ancient and widespread off-loom (no loom is
required) weaving method of weaving narrow bands of fabric using flat cards with
holes punched in them. Some archaeologists speculate that card weaving dates
back to approximately 4,000 B.C. because certain patterns which lend themselves
to card weaving appear often in ancient Egyptian carvings. However, this does not
seem to be sufficient evidence to support knowledge of the technique. The oldest
cards found in Egypt are a set of twenty-five 4-holed wooden ones believed to
have come from the Coptic Period (400-600 A. D.). What is known is that card
weaving has been known from Japan, China through Asia to North African and
north through Europe as far as Iceland
Scandinavians have been using card weaving since the Celtic Iron Age (about 400
B. C. There have been cards uncovered in Scandinavia dating from this time. The
most important archeological Scandinavians have been using card weaving since
the Celtic Iron Age (about 400 B. C. There have been cards uncovered in
Scandinavia dating from this time. The most important archeological ooden cards
which were threaded and half-woven were found. Card weaving was also used to
secure the ends of yarn to a loom in Viking Age Scandinavia so very old woven
fabric have card woven borders
- Sonja Carlson