Creek and Cherokee Sashes - 01/10/11 07:36 AM
Spent most of the afternoon researching Men's Sashes. I have to complete one for my husband within 2 weeks.
These seem to be fairly universal among the First Peoples. As with all items, they are not just decorative, but utilitarian. They are made with leather, tradecloth, fibers and yarn and can be beaded, fringed and adorned with other things. Sashes for women are generally 2 to 3 inches in width. A man's sash can range from 4 to 10 inches wide.
The sash I'm attempting will be finger woven. I had no idea how widespread fingerweaving was among the First Peoples, and found references from Canada down to Florida.
Martha Berry is a talented Cherokee artist. Her beaded sashes can be viewed at berrybeadworks.com (not a link) No time for sewing and beading, and we'll be attending a Creek Stomp dance. Sue Robishaw's website has photos of her work, which includes a finger woven sash for a Muskogee Creek Straight Dancer. manytracks.com (add the www)
While I love the chevron pattern in Sue's work, one look at the instructions confirms this is not for a beginner. I'll be learning the diagonal stripe pattern, and starting out with some scraps. Based on the instructions at Nativetech.com, I'll need 140 strands of yarn, each 10 ft, for a 4" wide sash to fit my husband.
Apparently there are at least 2 ways to tackle a finger woven sash. Start at one end and work your way to the other. Using this method, by the time I'm close to finishing, it will be hanging from a curtain rod! These have to be woven very tightly, and I'd probably rip the curtains down pulling on the yarn.
The other method is to start in the middle, weaving to one end and then the other. This method works for the chevron pattern. I wonder how it will work with the diagonal stripe pattern. With so many strands, I'm hoping working two 5ft sections will be easier than wrangling 140 strips of yarn 10 ft long. Either way, I'm thinking clothespins! I can ball up each strand and secure it with a clothespin. This may also provide enough weight to keep the yarn straight. I'm hoping I have enough clothespins and wondering what our ancestors would have used.
These seem to be fairly universal among the First Peoples. As with all items, they are not just decorative, but utilitarian. They are made with leather, tradecloth, fibers and yarn and can be beaded, fringed and adorned with other things. Sashes for women are generally 2 to 3 inches in width. A man's sash can range from 4 to 10 inches wide.
The sash I'm attempting will be finger woven. I had no idea how widespread fingerweaving was among the First Peoples, and found references from Canada down to Florida.
Martha Berry is a talented Cherokee artist. Her beaded sashes can be viewed at berrybeadworks.com (not a link) No time for sewing and beading, and we'll be attending a Creek Stomp dance. Sue Robishaw's website has photos of her work, which includes a finger woven sash for a Muskogee Creek Straight Dancer. manytracks.com (add the www)
While I love the chevron pattern in Sue's work, one look at the instructions confirms this is not for a beginner. I'll be learning the diagonal stripe pattern, and starting out with some scraps. Based on the instructions at Nativetech.com, I'll need 140 strands of yarn, each 10 ft, for a 4" wide sash to fit my husband.
Apparently there are at least 2 ways to tackle a finger woven sash. Start at one end and work your way to the other. Using this method, by the time I'm close to finishing, it will be hanging from a curtain rod! These have to be woven very tightly, and I'd probably rip the curtains down pulling on the yarn.
The other method is to start in the middle, weaving to one end and then the other. This method works for the chevron pattern. I wonder how it will work with the diagonal stripe pattern. With so many strands, I'm hoping working two 5ft sections will be easier than wrangling 140 strips of yarn 10 ft long. Either way, I'm thinking clothespins! I can ball up each strand and secure it with a clothespin. This may also provide enough weight to keep the yarn straight. I'm hoping I have enough clothespins and wondering what our ancestors would have used.