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Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks (Read 9556 times)
Teg
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Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Dec 15th, 2019 at 4:47pm
 
I found some time to continue my work on the Egyptian slings (see http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1515612008/0 for a summary). In 2017, I uploaded a “no-tools” approach on how to make these slings (http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1505851909). However, I wasn’t absolutely happy with this method, as it is quite a tedious process.

In the meantime, I found some inspiration in the book “Sling braiding – traditions and techniques” by Rodrick Owen and Terry Newhouse Flynn (http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1516755231), as well as an exhibition in a local museum, where a Tibetan sling was shown (Ur-do: Steine schleudern, Josepha Graf). The technique I stumbled over was “weaving with sticks”. It is reasonably fast and requires only a very minimal set of tools. You need about 30 little sticks, string, a knife and optionally a needle. The work time is, give or take, on the order of 3 hours.

I put together an article which documents some of my work until now (see appended pdf). It outlines different variations of this technique. Consider it not a straightforward tutorial on how to make this or that specific sling, but more as a collection of ideas on what could be done with this technique. During my experimentation, I found that it might be a viable approach to reproduce other slings as well (Cortaillod / Corcelettes http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1534190532).

I found that especially the Lahun sling in Manchester can be approached very well with this technique. However, I will not make a direct comparison with it to keep the article somewhat concise. There are just way too many small variations, some of which I know of, but just haven’t found the time to try them out. If you are interested in attempting an exact reproduction, I recommend reading my analysis (the first link) and go from there.

So feel free to experiment with this technique. It‘s actually quite beginner friendly. And, most importantly, don’t forget to post pictures of your work 😉.

Enjoy!

Teg / Thomas E. Gartmann

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TheJackinati
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #1 - Dec 16th, 2019 at 2:44am
 
So Tibetan sling pouches are made in roughly the same way?

Well then... I might have to give this stick weaving a try!
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Sarosh
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #2 - Dec 16th, 2019 at 3:35am
 
Nice! you used Latex for the document?
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Kick
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #3 - Dec 16th, 2019 at 3:47am
 
This is fantastic! I've tried weaving and I've had a lot of problems with it (probably due to my choice of material more than anything) but this looks really simple and clearly explained. Another project for the project pile Cheesy
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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
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Teg
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #4 - Dec 16th, 2019 at 2:43pm
 
Thanks for the replies!

TheJackinati wrote on Dec 16th, 2019 at 2:44am:
So Tibetan sling pouches are made in roughly the same way?


Sort of. See the appended picture. You use just two strings, which replace sticks consecutively.
I did something similar also in Figure 42.
Afterwards, you sew it to the braids, if I'm not mistaken.

Source: Graf, Josepha, Ur-do: Steine schleudern in: Begegnung – Spur – Karte : das
ethnografische Erbe von Heinrich Harrer und Peter Aufschnaiter, Stuttgart, Zürich:
Arnoldsche Art Publishers, Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich (2018)


Sarosh wrote on Dec 16th, 2019 at 3:35am:
you used Latex for the document?

Yes, I did. I'm not going to bother with Word when I have about 50 pictures with text Grin


Kick wrote on Dec 16th, 2019 at 3:47am:
I've tried weaving and I've had a lot of problems with it (probably due to my choice of material more than anything)


The material choice here is not so critical. Also, tensioning is way easier than when weaving without a proper loom. Give it a go  Wink
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Tibet_sample.JPG (73 KB | 102 )
Tibet_sample.JPG
 
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TheJackinati
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #5 - Dec 17th, 2019 at 4:06am
 
Whelp, looks like it's high-time I get some wooden sticks.
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Kick
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #6 - Mar 5th, 2020 at 4:23pm
 
I finally have this a go and... well... mine sucks Cheesy Just as was said, material choice is crucial. Again I've used too thin material for weaving which has left large gaps and holes on the side where it wasn't possible to tension it any tighter because of the width of the bamboo sticks. I've ordered thicker jute (in different colours as well) that should male for a much better pouch. The cords were just finished quickly with a braid just so I could call this one done. I have learnt a lot from this so the next ones should be much better Cheesy

Photos will be resized in the morning.
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« Last Edit: Mar 6th, 2020 at 6:30am by Kick »  

You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
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Teg
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #7 - Mar 5th, 2020 at 6:06pm
 
Kick: consider adding two or three lines, before reducing a row. Then you can still use thin string if you want. The Lahun sling also adds multiple lines per row. If you want, compress a bit less to fine adjust.
The sling i see is quite evenly woven. Just too narrow. One mistake if i see correctly, when replacing the sticks with string.
Gaps in the side, i.e. some space in the rows, are not a huge issue in my opinion, as long as the string is strong enough. The original Lahun sling also has some gaps. The lahun sling uses slightly thicker thread in this place.

Can the guide be improved somewhere? How long did it take you to make the sling?
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Teg
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #8 - Mar 5th, 2020 at 6:10pm
 
And how difficult did you find the process? Easier or harder than your loom attempts?

Looking forward to your feedback  Smiley
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Kick
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #9 - Mar 6th, 2020 at 6:22am
 
Teg wrote on Mar 5th, 2020 at 6:06pm:
Kick: consider adding two or three lines, before reducing a row. Then you can still use thin string if you want. The Lahun sling also adds multiple lines per row. If you want, compress a bit less to fine adjust.
The sling i see is quite evenly woven. Just too narrow. One mistake if i see correctly, when replacing the sticks with string.
Gaps in the side, i.e. some space in the rows, are not a huge issue in my opinion, as long as the string is strong enough. The original Lahun sling also has some gaps. The lahun sling uses slightly thicker thread in this place.

Can the guide be improved somewhere? How long did it take you to make the sling?


Thanks for the tips! I think it came out ok but I know I can make nicer. It did turn out quite narrow but still usable. The main problem is I also want it to look nice Cheesy I've learnt a lot from it.

It took me only a few hours which, considering I made mistakes and had to redo some rows and this being my first time trying it, was really quite quick. I was thinking I would be spending days on it. I think the guide is clear. If anything was slightly unclear in reading it, actually working on the sling cleared up any questions.

Teg wrote on Mar 5th, 2020 at 6:10pm:
And how difficult did you find the process? Easier or harder than your loom attempts?


Well when I tried the loom, I was using WAY too thin material. It was incredibly fiddly and ended up a tangled mess that took multiple hours for a very poor result. For this one I was using thicker jute which made things easier but I do think it was easier overall than the loom. If nothing else it's more portable and compact Cheesy I might try again with the loom with this jute as I think that would work better because it would be woven onto the jute itself so there wouldn't be any gaps, but I'll definitely use the stick method again with the material I've ordered.
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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
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Teg
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #10 - Mar 6th, 2020 at 1:04pm
 
Thanks for the feedback!  Smiley

With twining, the sticks are most probably faster. With a plain weave, my money would be on a loom. But I have never actually recorded the exact times it would take for each method to make the same sling.

Personally, I find the gaps visible in the sides actually aesthetically pleasing. But maybe I just looked too much at the Lahun sling  Grin.

To my knowledge, the gaps and their appearance are influenced by the following factors:
- Ratio of distance between the rows and diameter of the string.
Distance between rows: Stick diameter when stick weaving; inverse of warp density on a loom (How many mm from one warp to the next on the loom). (it's roughly equivalent, give or take a factor to account for the thickness of the sticks etc.)
- The amount of tensioning. If you tension a lot, the gaps will show more.

I.e. if you want less gaps with the current string, go for a high warp density. This is indeed easier to achieve on a loom than with sticks, as you can reduce the stick size only to a certain limit, which still allows to replace the sticks easily with string.
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Kick
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #11 - Mar 6th, 2020 at 1:22pm
 
Teg wrote on Mar 6th, 2020 at 1:04pm:
if you want less gaps with the current string, go for a high warp density. This is indeed easier to achieve on a loom than with sticks, as you can reduce the stick size only to a certain limit, which still allows to replace the sticks easily with string.


This is what I was thinking as well. I've got 4 ply jute on it's way which should be that bit thicker. I hope to do some more experimenting with the sticks and on the loom so I'll be posting again pretty soon I imagine Cheesy
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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #12 - Mar 6th, 2020 at 5:42pm
 
Tried out the loom again. It did not go well. At all. Pictures and story will come tomorrow. All I'll say is twining over sticks is the way to go and I know how I'll make it work now. I really can't wait for that new jute to arrive...
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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
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Kick
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #13 - Mar 7th, 2020 at 9:46am
 
Yeah... It's always in the tightening that it goes wrong. One of the strands broke and... it is fixable, but it's really not worth it. Twining over sticks at least gave me a recognisable sling pouch. I need to completely review how I use the loom I think.  The next woven pouch I attempt will be with the sticks but I do like the idea of using a loom even if I've had nothing but trouble from it Cheesy
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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
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Teg
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Re: Sling Making by Twining and Weaving over Sticks
Reply #14 - Mar 7th, 2020 at 1:29pm
 
Kick: Your problem starts before tightening. Check your weaving and compare with e.g. the excellent tutorial by Timothy Potter (it's sometimes online, sometimes not. But two days ago it was. Look for Tut tutorial 2, step 2, check the pictures).

There is too much tension on the weft and not enough beating while weaving.
Check my answer to Sarosh here: http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1515612008/11#11
The fabric should already be compacted and weft-faced on the loom. Otherwise tightening will be difficult, require a lot of force or become outright impossible, as you experienced.
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