Tablet weaving

Tablet weaving dates back at least to the 8th century BCE in early Iron Age Europe[1] where it is found in areas employing the warp-weighted loom.

[1] Elaborate tablet-woven bands are found in many high status Iron Age and medieval graves of Europe as well as in the Roman period in the Near East.

[6] Many museum examples exist of such bands used on ecclesiastical textiles or as the foundation for elaborate belts in the European Middle Ages.

Arnold van Gennep and G. Jéquier published a book in 1916, Le tissage aux cartons et son utilisation décorative dans l'Égypte ancienne, predicated on the assumption that the ancient Egyptians were familiar with tablet weaving.

In the past, weavers made tablets from bark, wood, bone,[10][11] horn, stone, leather,[9] metal[12] or a variety of other materials.

Commercial "tablet weaving looms" adapt this idea and are convenient because they make it easy to put the work down.

Simple flat wooden or plastic shuttles work well for weaving any kind yarn from wool to cotton to silk.

Patterns are made by placing different-colored yarns in different holes, then turning individual cards until the desired colors of the weft are on top.