Intro to loom weaving taught at library

Wednesday night, the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) hosted its monthly medieval class in the Copperas Cove Public Library’s meeting room. The class, taught by Mike Call (SCA name Mihály Takács), worked to teach participants the basics of loom weaving. At the class’s conclusion, participants were able to try their hands at using either a rigid heddle loom or a table loom.

 

Call’s class focused on methods of weaving that utilize a loom and are considered to be living arts. Living arts are arts that are still practiced to this day. His lesson covered weaving methods (interlacing, interlocking, braiding, and tapestry), weaving fibers (cotton, wool, linen, and silk) and types of looms (rigid heddle loom, ground loom, Inkle loom, tapestry loom, etc). To illustrate his lesson, Call brought four different kinds of looms for participants to look at and interact with.

 

“Weaving can be expensive, but it can also be really cheap,” said Call. “I spent my whole life not weaving because all I looked at were the $50,000 looms, and I said I couldn’t afford that. One day, about four years ago…I stumbled across the rigid heddle. For the first time, I saw a loom that was in my reach price-wise…So, it was a misconception on my part that I needed to be smart, advanced, and rich to do it. But I don’t.”

 

One of the things Call discussed during his lesson was the prices of the various kinds of looms. There are some looms that are relatively cheap, Call said that Hobby Lobby sells kumihimo braiding kits for about $15 that includes everything. On the other hand, there are looms that cost more than a brand new car. It depends on what a person is looking for. Many can even craft their own looms to help save on costs.

 

“It was very interesting. I liked learning about the history, seeing/visualizing the machines, and even doing it too. It was fun,” said Sorenson who brought her daughter (12) to the event. They two found out about the SCA event after she saw a flyer at the library. Malik used to make and sell bracelets

 

“For me, it’s a hobby and for fun,” said Malik about weaving. “Learning new things is great for me. I love learning new things.”

 

Library Director Kevin Marsh (SCA name Sir Maelgwyn Dda), described the SCA, saying, “We recreate all of the enjoyable aspects of the Middle Ages, so if it seems like fun, there’s somebody in our group that’s doing it. Some of it, like the weaving, has a lot of crossover with other kinds of organizations because the basic technology didn’t change from the Middle Ages until up to the modern era…Some of it is just the joy of making things yourself, part of it is the joy of learning a craft or technology, and it’s also a social activity. We get together and we share our knowledge… So, it makes a fun hobby, and if you get bored of the things you are doing, you can pick up another craft.”

 

Anyone interested in checking out the SCA is welcome to attend any of the SCA’s future meetings. The group meets every Thursday at 7 p.m. in Harker Heights at Carl Levin Park. The group also holds a meeting at the Copperas Cove Library every third Wednesday of each month which begins at 8 p.m.

 

For more information about the SCA visit www.sca.org and for information about their Central Texas branch, visit hellsgate. ansteorra.org