String Notes

I don’t have anything new and entertaining of my own. There are piles of slightly-started articles, partly finished projects, and an abundance of vague concepts, but nothing as yet ready to share with the world. Unless you want to hear about my mammoth office-cleaning project, and the piles of paper to be recycled? Didn’t think so.

Instead, I’ll point you at some other interesting things I’ve encountered lately.

First up, a website that I was pointed to today, on how to make a Papua New Guinea twined bag, called a bilum. The Wikipedia article is pretty awful, so I won’t link to it. This commercial site has some photos, including good closeups.

Next, go take a look at this scarf swatch that the Tsock Tsarina is working on. See the front and the back side? More pictures of swatches in that technique here. It’s braided knitting! I must figure it out!

While not much of the blog material has demonstrated my interest in medieval textiles, if you look at the rest of my website you’ve probably noticed. There are some good blogs out there that do have that focus. Here are a few:

• Medieval Silkwork: Embroidery, braiding, weaving – good stuff.
• Arachne’s Blog, by a textile archaeologist. Not frequently updated, but some interesting articles.
• Gina-B Silkwork: Gina is a professional textile artist specializing in historic silkwork and passementerie.

Laura and I have been discussing medieval purses and pouches, and I found a couple of websites with interesting information and/or photographs on the subject.

• ANNE WANNER’S Textiles in History
• German reliquary purse
• Gold-und seidenbestickter Almosenbeutel (gold- and silk-embroidered alms purse)

There, that should keep you busy until I have something of my own.