Tablet Weaving and Ply-Splitting Books, Tools & Kits
Zoom Presentations
Tablet Weaving and Ply-Splitting
If you are interested in a Zoom presentation for your guild, please contact me for more information.
Traditional and Contemporary Tablet Weaving
In this PowerPoint presentation I share my 30+ years of enthusiasm for this 2,500-year-old craft, and show examples of its delightful versatility. Tablets can be flipped and turned to produce many different weave structures and designs; warps can be twisted together, crossed, and pulled into a tube. I love the traditional tablet-woven motifs from Asia and North Africa. I have studied and reproduced designs from many of these beautiful textiles, including garment trim with magical symbols from Indonesia, diaper bands from Persia, and curtains found in Ethiopian churches. I also enjoy exploring new ideas, and have used tablets to weave tubular necklaces, double-faced mug rugs, soft gauze-weave scarves, and inscription bands. I will show and discuss many pieces from my collection. For examples, see my Tablet Weaving Gallery and the descriptions/photos on my Studio Instruction page.
Tablet-Woven Calligraphy
The history of tablet-woven inscriptions is closely associated with different religious traditions. Inscription bands were made for pilgrims to Jerusalem, and used to wrap the loose pages of holy books in Burma. Bands inscribed with blessings for mother and child were used as "diaper bands" in Persia. Bands were often woven as an act of devotion.
In this PowerPoint presentation, I will start with my own history of tablet weaving, and then show photos of the original pangrams that I wove using the alphabet graphs in my book Please Weave a Message, as well as a number of other inscription bands that I've woven. Photos of other inscription bands, by unknown weavers in the past, and contemporary weavers will also be included. This talk ends with a few slides from trips that I made to Thailand and Myanmar to promote a greater understanding of the techniques used to weave these bands.
Ply-Split Braiding from Camel Girths to Fiber Art
Ply-split braiding comes to us from the desert between India and Pakistan, where men spin goat hair, ply the yarn into sturdy cords, and ply-split the cords into girths and necklaces for their camels. Contemporary fiber artists are using the techniques in new ways and with new materials.
In this PowerPoint presentation, I will show the unique feature of ply-splitting: plied cords go through other cords to create both flat and three-dimensional objects. I will show examples of traditional pieces, as well as my own work over 30+ years, which includes ornaments, jewelry, hats, bags, rugs, and baskets.
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This page updated February 9, 2026.