The Art of Weaving by Betty Briand

The Art of Weaving

by Betty Briand

This comprehensive guide to floor loom weaving begins with the basics – parts of the loom, how to wind your warp and dress your loom; how to read and weave drafts – but then goes so much farther, explaining the different types of weaves and how to read and weave from charts, and exploring a variety of weaves in depth. The author covers each topic in detail, with illustrations, photos, and charts to guide you. The first half of the book is devoted to the basics of weaving, and the second part teaches a variety of weave structures and how to use them and adapt them to whatever you want to make. The Art of Weaving is extensive in its scope, and a reference book appropriate for all skill levels.

Reviewed by annieb123 on

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Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Art of Weaving is a tutorial and instruction guide to weaving by Betty Briand. Originally published in French in 2021, this English language translation is due out 1st Aug 2023 from Rowman & Littlefield on their Stackpole Books imprint. It's 284 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats. 

This is a thorough, accessible, and very well annotated reference work on weaving. It covers the tools, materials, utilization, and theory behind planning, designing, and executing a woven structure in plain and (relatively) easy to understand everyday language. 

The author is clearly very knowledgeable and experienced and readers will not have trouble following the instruction as written.The lessons are arranged logically and follow on from one another. She begins with tools and supplies, building on the introduction with a survey of fibres and threads for different specific purposes. The book then proceeds through weave structure (with very good explanations of the characteristics), through drafts, tie-ups, dressing the loom, and weaving. 

Each lesson follows on from the ones before; step-by-careful-step. This is written as a reference and will be invaluable for the weaver's studio, maker's groups, home studio, and library acquisition. It will undoubtedly also find a place in more formal art classroom instruction. There are numerous useful schematics and blank charts and worksheets included for customization and design. 

It is well illustrated throughout with clear diagrams and color photos. 

Five stars. Very well written. It's not for beginners, but a determined intermediate student through expert level will find valuable info here, if mostly as a reference.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. 

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Reading updates

  • 24 July, 2023: Started reading
  • 24 July, 2023: Finished reading
  • 24 July, 2023: Reviewed