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I’ve been trying to keep up with my weaving while travelling. Luckily fingerweaving can go anywhere. Here I took a photo of myself working in my hotel room in Basel, Switzerland.
I was in Basel, Switzerland in order to visit the AbeggStiftung.  The small Swiss village of Riggisberg near Basel is the home of an amazing textile collection and research center known as the AbeggStiftung. One of the curators showed me around and let me examine a mid-asian skirt. A major component of the skirt is worked in 2-2 interlacing. Some of the pieces of 2-2 interlacing are probably 3 meters long … yes, this is possible with fingerweaving. I made up a piece of 2-2 interlacing, using Peter Collingwood’s directions.  European trains have hooks that are most conveniently placed for weaving. I completed the sample and mailed it to the AbeggStiftung for them to compare with the original.
While in Switzerland I also visited with Noemi Speiser. I’ve been blown away by her books. Her Manual of Braiding, for example brings such order to a wide variety of structures. I had to meet her. She is a delightful character. I only hope I’m half as sharp, should I make it to her age. On to Munich where I met with Dagmar Drinkler. Over the past two years several people have referred me to Ms Drinkler’s article from the Archaeological Textiles Newsletter. She has recreated sprang pants, following inspiration in Greek painted sculptures. Now on to Holland where I hope to meet Blue (of denblauenswaen fame) and Fenny Nijman.
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Manchester UK was the site of the 2nd International Braiding Conference. It was an amazing opportunity to meet top experts from a variety of braiding techniques. I attended Joy Boutrup’s class on loop manipulated braids, and made several myself.  Some of the loop manipulated braids I made during the class. Simple braids can be made by one person. We learned how to work together making even more complex braids.  More people means more fingers, holding more loops, making a more complex braid. It was then my turn to teach sprang.  We explored figure-8 and circular warp. We spent a day at Macclesfield, learning about the English silk industry. I also visited Platt Hall and the Stockport Hat Museum. Very interesting. On to Lyon where I was treated to backroom tours of the Guimet Museum and the Textile Museum. I was priveleged to view some sprang bonnets associated with mummies in these collections. I am going to have to set aside some time now to try to replicate some of the designs. Presently I am in Bern, on my way to visit the Abegg Stiftung.  The reason Switzerland goes by the letters CH is written on this building They call themselves the Confederated Helveticans.
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