Ravattula garter band

5/17/2022

These are simple tablet woven bands, done with a pattern threaded in to the 8 cards.
I say these, plural, because while they are the same pattern one band is 6mm wide and the other is 3mm. So tiny!! I can't wait to see how close I can reproduce them.

Screenshots from the FB Page of NESAT XIV, and the post links are from here and here

I used the tablet weaving designer at https://jamespbarrett.github.io/tabletweave/ to make sure my thoughts of how to pattern it were correct; for example which threads are S and Z twist, colors, etc. Hey, guess what? I got it on the first try, and made sure to check with the pattern repeats. Taa-Daa! Now, putting it in to action...

Left- screenshot of my pattern draft, based on the Ravattula find from grave 41/2016.

Right- Proof is in the pudding! ... or the band. This band is explained below.

10 mm band

At 10 mm wide this band is too wide for my specifics of a recreation. This is due to 2 extra border cards not in the original band, tension.& possibly also yarn size.

I patterned this one off of a recreation I saw that Mervi Pasanen posted in a FB group. I knew it had 2 extra border cards, but since she is an expert, I thought it was a good place to start and try my pattern theory. But I decided I wanted it more precise.

Remove the 2 border cards, and tighten my weft tension... et voila!

I did it! 6 mm wide!!
Look how itty bitty it is! and this is the wider garter of the two found!

Now it matches the grave find in size, colors, and pattern.

6 mm garter band

Fibers and dye

For my fiber I have used a 50/50 Wool/Silk blend sized 2/20, from Ursula's Alcove.

Woad ("particles of blue indigotin"1) and madder have been shown to be the dyes used in the grave fragments of the wool fibers from the socks, aprons and garter bands.
1 More info can be found in the Ravattula Costume booklet
I needed to source my fiber with constraints of availability, budget, and the yarn size needed to achieve the small size of the garter bands..

The red shows more pink against the 2/2 twill of the wool for the socks, but both are colors possible by madder dyes. This pink hue could be because of the silk content, or the commercial modern dye used for the sock wool.

In the end, I'm satisfied with the result.

Plaited tassel ends and Bronze coils

To finish these sock garters, the end of the bands were found to have plaited tassels and bronze coils.
Aug 7, 22 I have a migraine and will finish the rest of this descriptions at a later time. These tassels are really cool. the create tubes! I totally want to dish on these when I can read what I am typing.

oopsies

aug 7, 22 I made an oops when switching for moving the band/ changing tension and I will expand on this more once the migraine is gone.

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