Fiber Page: Ramie

I completed the fiber page for my spindle spun Ramie top fiber from Hearthside fibers. Ramie was pleasant to spin and has a cottony feel but with a long staple length. I experimented with three and four ply yarns.

Photo description: 12 x 13.5 inch fiber page with (clockwise) a sample of macrame on a bamboo stick, the card from Hearthside Fibers that says “Ramie Top Developed in China about 4,000 BC Non-stinging member of the nettle family”, paper bobbins containing single spun, 3-ply, and 4-ply yarn, finger woven sample, crocheted basket weave swatch, plain weave swatch, knitted swatch, unspun fiber in a clear topped drawer
Photo description: sample fiber page with the swatches flipped up to show the descriptions written in white ink on the blue card stock

Finger weaving

I’ve wanted to try finger weaving since I heard about it on a Sprang group (it was misidentified as Sprang). In Sprang, there are no weft threads, the vertical warp threads are overlapped consecutively. In finger weaving the warp threads become the weft threads, similar to braiding, but with more threads. I watched video after video before I found this video showing the weaving going out from the center, which made sense to me, and seemed balanced.

Photo description: start of a finger woven band made from hand spun Ramie four ply yarn, anchored on a bamboo skewer resting on a spinning wheel
Photo description: weaving continues, the characteristic chevron pattern emerging
Photo description: the end of the weaving secured with two rows of macrame knots

I wasn’t sure how to end the weaving, I’ve seen some bands just knotted at the end, but I want to put it in my fiber book, so the finish needed to be relatively flat. I opted to run two rows of double half hitch knots along the angles of the weave, which I think came out complimentary.

Photo description: back of the weave, showing the back of the knots and the sewn hem at the top

This was an interesting exercise, and finger weaving is a nice addition to my craft repertoire. It is nice that it can be done by anchoring one end, rather than needing a loom, and it comes out thinner and more flexible than macrame. It is more interesting with multiple colors.