A revival of Tapestry Crochet

It's not weaving, it's not canvas work, it's not needlepoint... this mosaic-like colorwork is called tapestry crochet and we'll be wielding our hooks with this technique at the May 5 meeting of the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild.

Tapestry crochet or mosaic crochet is a form of color crochet.

Tapestry crochet shares attributes of traditional crochet, fair isle and intarsia knitting and has a look similar to weaving. The geometric patterns give a nod to needlepoint and other canvas needle arts.

Tapestry crochet pouch necklace. 

The history of the art form can be seen in decorative crocheted borders from Switzerland, hats from Africa, yarmulkes from Israel and shoulder bags from Guatemala. Today, tapestry crochet can be used to make all kinds of objects—from scarves, hats, garments and jewelry to bowls, baskets, blankets and wall hangings. The resulting fabric can be soft and drapable or firm and rigid, depending on the tension (looseness or tightness) of the stitches. Various yarn weights, fiber types and hook sizes can produce a multitude of results.

At the May 5 guild meeting, a demonstration on making a small pouch necklace will be given. Kits will be available for purchase (yarns only kits and yarns + hook kits), or members can bring the following supplies to make the project.

• 2 small balls of cotton yarn (worsted or light worsted wt.) in two contrasting colors
• a size G metal crochet hook
• scissors

Let's carry on the tradition of this versatile and colorful needle art. Visit the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild on Saturday, May 5. New members are welcome!

Acadian Weaving's rich Cajun history

"Laissez le bon temps roulez!" [Let the good times roll] topped off the introduction of Debbie Todhunter's presentation on Acadian Weaving at the April meeting of the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild.

Brown cotton rolags (left), Acadian woven hand towels,
and uncarded bolls of brown cotton.

The Acadians, original French colonists of the eastern Canadian maritime provinces and a portion of modern-day Maine, were inhabitants of New France's unspoiled wilderness colony since the early 1600s. In the early decades of the 1700s, "the turmoil of six colonial wars," Ms. Todhunter said, "finally resulted in the Great Expulsion (1755-1763) of the Acadian people [by the British]."

Debbie Todhunter

After being ousted from their homes with not much more than the clothes on their backs, some Acadians migrated down North America's Atlantic coast and eventually found refuge in southern Louisiana. Here, they blended their French Canadian culture, language and domestic skills—including spinning and weaving—with what they found in their new Louisiana home. These French Canadian immigrants became known as Cajuns.

For weaving and spinning, the Acadians that settled in Louisiana had forgone wool fiber and mostly used the readily available short-staple brown cotton and some white cotton. Ms. Todhunter distributed packets of brown cotton to the meeting attendees and demonstrated the process of hand ginning (removing the seeds).

Ginning the cotton by hand.

 Guild members had an opportunity to card the cotton fibers into rolags. 

Carding the cotton fibers into rolags in preparation for spinning.

Limited dye resources yielded a small color palette in Acadian woven textiles. The colors were white, cinnamon, brown, indigo and a unique green tone achieved from overdying the brown cotton with indigo. "Plain weave" was used to weave utilitarian items; many having patterns comprised of stripes of varying widths and colors.

The Acadian style of weaving, the focus of an extensive study of 150 samples by the Complex Weavers Study Group, illustrates both diversity and simplicity of what is achieved with two harness looms. Ms. Todhunter's presentation included weaving samples from the study, and her collection of newspaper clippings, books and other articles on Acadian weaving and its weavers.

Newspapers and other articles on Arcadian weavers, textiles,
and Acadian lifestyles.

What started as a desperate situation in the history of the Acadian people has given rise to a treasured and unique form of weaving that is regarded by today's weaving aficionados and textile historians. "They had to introduce patterns with color..." stated Mrs. Elaine Bourque, who studied with master Acadian weaver, Gladys LeBlanc Clark, "... and I thought, my goodness, these people were artists... they just didn't know it."

For more information and a video of Gladys LeBlanc Clark, go here. "To hear [Mrs. Clark] speak is to really get a sense of how she lived her life, sharing her heritage," adds Debbie Todhunter.

Brown cotton, carders and a reference book on textiles of northeastern Canada.

Uncover the mystery of Acadian weaving

You may know about the German weavers in Pennsylvania, the coverlet weavers in New England, and the overshot weavers across Tennessee, Kentucky and through the Southern Highlands... but Acadian weaving is a mystery to many. To find out about these wonderful woven textiles, visit the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild on April 14 for a program on Acadian Weaving presented by Debbie Todhunter, a hand weaver and Acadian weaving aficionado.

Acadian weaving has historical roots in French Canada and Louisiana. In their native Canada, the Acadians raised sheep and used the wool in their woven fabrics. In 1765, they were removed from Canada and immigrated to southern Louisiana where they replaced wool with cotton, the indigenous fiber of their new home.

 A young Gladys LeBlanc Clark at a loom. Courtesy of National
Endowment for the Arts. 2011. "Gladys LeBlanc Clark ."
KnowLA Encyclopedia of Louisiana. 

In her presentation, Debbie will discuss the spinning of cotton and the variety of patterns that can be achieved with Acadian weaving and simple, two-harness looms. She'll take us on a journey into the rich history of this weaving technique and via the magic of DVD technology, you'll meet

• Mrs. Gladys LeBlanc Clark, probably the last Acadian spinner/weaver to learn spinning and weaving from her mother, father, and grandmother;
• Mrs. Audrey Bernard, who amassed a vast collection of Acadian textiles, and who herself spun and wove. Her collection was part of the basis for the Complex Weaver's Acadian Weaving Study Group;
• Mrs. Elaine Bourque, who demonstrated the techniques taught to her by Mrs. Clark and regales us with stories about weaving and spinning;
• Mrs. Mary Lynn Jackson, who provides background information about L'Amour de Maman, and shares personal reminiscences of Mrs.Clark and Mrs. Bernard.

Join the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild on Saturday, April 14, for a look into the unique woven textiles and culture of Acadian weaving. Visitors are welcome.