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Though
Sparrowpost did a brief feature on Marianne Blackmar’s
recycled tie weavings last August, we’re
revisiting these projects in greater depth this
month in the artist showcase.
Just as knitting has been the craft of the hour
in the early 21st century, so was weaving the
hit craft fad of the late seventies and early
eighties. Perhaps one of the biggest differences
between the two is that while knitting requires
very little in the way of tools and accoutrements,
weaving necessitates a loom; an often expensive
and sizeable barrier to entry. Part of the reason
for the success of the 70s weaving craze had to
do with the popularization of smaller looms that
were cheaper and demanded less space than the
multi-peddled floor looms on which large carpets
and blankets are made. Most of these small looms
are defined by the fact that they have a single
“rigid” heddle, which switches the
fibers of the warp (instead of a variety of heddles
and peddles, as on a larger floor loom.) Rigid
heddle looms can very basic; the backstrap loom,
for example, is made by attaching one side of
the warp to a tree or pole, and then bringing
the strings taut by literally wearing them, belt
like, around the hips. Frame rigid heddle looms
offer an advantage over backstrap looms because
the warp can be rolled up, up one side of the
loom, which makes it possible to weave longer
projects. Though even small looms are not as portable
as a pair of knitting needles, the end products
have a somewhat more refined quality conducive
to the production of wall hangings, blankets and
table runners.
Marianne
Blackmar’s recent tie weavings demonstrate
an additional advantage of woven textile production;
which is that a variety of non-yarn objects can
be readily incorporated into the weaving. In the
case of the weavings shown here the inspiration
came from Ms. Blackmar’s late father, who
was a great wearer (and collector) of ties. When
he passed on, he left behind literally hundreds
of beautiful ties. Blackmar wanted to find a meaningful
way to keep all of these beautiful ties in the
world, but realized that they would have to undergo
a state change, as many of the size styles and
sizes that her father wore had passed their fashion
expiration date. Her solution were these beautiful
weavings, which she has subsequently made for
all of her siblings in memory of their father,
Dr. Joseph F. Ross.
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