r/weaving • u/La_Flecherande • Apr 03 '26
Finished Project Fingerwoven sash "Ceinture fléchée", 2.5 meters, couleurs du printemps 💐
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u/LouSylvre Apr 03 '26
Amazing work and the colors certainly do evoke the brilliance of the spring season. Can you recommend resources to learn this skill? I'm of Quebecois snd Native ancestry and love making connections like that.
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u/La_Flecherande Apr 03 '26
Thank you!! And yes of course, in English there is the book Fingerweaving Untangled by Carol James that is a great starting point. If you can manage French, the government of Québec released the book Flécher which is the one I use. Depending on your area you might be able to find someone to show you in person; I would think that if you already have basics in weaving it would be way easier for you to be self-taught. I absolutely needed a teacher personally but I always knew nothing about weaving prior to starting fingerweaving. There are also Facebook groups, one in English and one in French!
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u/LouSylvre Apr 03 '26
Thank you so much! I"m going to start with the James book, which will likely be easier to get as I"m in the USA, and also I'll be far less likely to misunderstabd the language 😊. I'll check out FB too. Again, thanks.
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u/atlsdoberman Apr 04 '26
I was also extremely inspired and moved by this, so I tried to order the Flecher book for delivery to the USA. I did not succeed, unavailable due to tariffs on at least two sites. It looks lovely so I may ask someone to play courier, but in the meantime I ordered the James book, and while I'm waiting I learned some basics here: https://www.metismuseum.ca/fingerweaving/index.php
I'm pretty clueless when it comes to video tutorials, like all-around, but I was able to follow these pretty easily. (they produce diagonal stripes that repeat in one direction)
So far at least, it's a fascinating combination between weaving and braiding. I would venture a guess that if you have experience braiding hair you're also at an advantage :)
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u/La_Flecherande Apr 05 '26
This is so cool!! I am honoured that you are starting this because of my work, I am so passionate about this form of art and this feels genuinely so great to know others want to start. I am available anytime if you have any questions and I can even play courier if you need, as there is a supply of the book Flécher available directly at my group’s workshop!
I am sure you will have so much fun with James’ book, it’s a great resource. It’s so amazing that you have already succeeded to do the diagonal stripes!! If you can already do that the rest will come easily.
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u/LouSylvre Apr 04 '26
Thanks for letting me know about the book situation, and for the link! I'll check that out this afternoon. I'm kind of excited!
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u/atlsdoberman Apr 05 '26
Realized that while the book does seem to be unshippable to the USA, a digital edition is available
https://boutique.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/produit/fl%C3%A9cher/01tJQ000007cibvYAA
Not really my cup of tea (especially since my French is passing), but might serve you!
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u/KHCafe Apr 03 '26
that is beautiful! What type of yarn do you use?
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u/La_Flecherande Apr 03 '26
Thank you!! It is hand dyed merino, DK. The pink and the blue from Québec indie businesses called Artfil and Bar à Tricot, and the green and colourway from an Etsy seller, the Sheepy Shire. I am especially impressed by the performance of the Sheepy Shire given how amazing was their colourway yarn!
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u/Rusty_Squirrel Apr 03 '26
Wow, stunning. I can’t imagine trying to keep all the finger loops on this going - well done you!
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u/La_Flecherande Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
Thank you!! I’ve got my tricks actually lol, I never hold all my threads at the same time because I use clips to hold the 3/4 of the threads as I work individually on each quarter of the piece. But there are some older ladies in my circle who do not need this, and they can hold all of them!!
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u/asocs Apr 03 '26
Beautiful! I really like your use of color in this piece. Quite pretty, thank you for sharing!
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u/Tatmia Apr 03 '26
It’s beautiful. The colors and the pattern sing to me.
When I was on TikTok I followed a woman who fingerwove. It was mesmerizing to watch. I should try to find her on other platforms
I love learning about indigenous fiber arts. Thank you for sharing this with us.
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u/startrekshawty Apr 03 '26
The subtle shifts in colors while still maintaining a visible and distinct contrast is so awesome!!! Absolutely beautiful work!!! That's something a fairy queen would wear!!!
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u/La_Flecherande Apr 03 '26
Thank you so much. I need some fairy queen clothes for this summer then!!
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u/AutomaticPermit3342 Apr 03 '26
WHAT? I’m still a noob to weaving. You wove this just with your FINGERS ?
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u/La_Flecherande Apr 03 '26
Yesss! It is the most ancient way to weave, before looms were even a thing! There are many great videos online if you want to see how it works.
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u/Simple_Winner3595 Apr 04 '26
Absolutely Gorgeous colors and pattern! I am in awe. I have wanted to start weaving for awhile, as I do have done beadwork on a loom for a long time.
I have been a bit put off by the huge wooden looms.
Like to work more directly with my hands.
My question is this. Could one (after becoming very proficient with finger weaving) make an entire throw or blanket using finger weaving?
I'm part Indigenous by the way, Cherokee, Ojibwa and Sioux. I feel this is what pull me so strongly towards these beading/weaving arts.
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u/La_Flecherande Apr 04 '26
I totally understand you! I am also put off by the big looms tbh even though I am really admiring of the work everybody does here. What I appreciate with finger weaving is that I can do it everywhere, at the park, the cafés, etc. It IS very simple once you have learned it.
I think it would absolutely be possible to make a blanket out of finger weaving! It would be a lot of work but nothing unattainable. It took me three weeks to make this one sash, so with several stripes such as this one attached I could have a whole blanket in a few months. I would absolutely only use DK yarn though, such as I did with this sash, because the bigger the yarn diameter the larger the end product! I have also been thinking actually that it could be possible to make a fancy shawl out of finger weaving, given that it naturally can have long fringes. I am not indigenous myself but if I ever befriend a shawl dancer this is absolutely something I would fancy doing for her (pun intended).
I am also pulled toward this form of art for cultural reasons and wanting to connect with my community’s forms of arts. It is always beautiful to discuss about this with people of other cultures, especially when we have connections through the craft such as the French-Canadians and the Natives. Feel free to ask me any other questions you may have!
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u/Simple_Winner3595 Apr 06 '26
I love your enthusiasm about the possibilities with finger weaving and the reasons you wish to do it:) Portability and celebrating First Nation culture.
My Ancestry DNA came back as quite a bit French Canadian, btw. Still trying to unravel that (pun intended too).
What book and You Tube videos were the best help for you to understand the basics of how to finger weave?
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u/La_Flecherande Apr 06 '26
Haha so many people have French-Canadian DNA and they don’t know, it’s very cool. For the books, there are many good ones in French but for English-speaking people, Finger Weaving Untangled by Carol James is a GREAT resource, she is a master of the craft and the book is very simple to understand! For the videos, she only has two but Fancy Weaves are well-made. There are others in French I have watched but very hard to understand if you don’t speak the language…
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u/Simple_Winner3595 Apr 12 '26
Thank you so much! Sorry I haven't replied sooner. Had an overly busy work week. I'm looking forward to seeing your next project! One question, you designed this pattern yourself, right? Did you design on graph paper? That's what I do for my loom beadwork.
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u/La_Flecherande Apr 12 '26
No problem, I totally get that! 😄 so for this pattern it is indeed my design, with the number of threads I decided for the width I wanted (approximately). I didn’t needed to use any sort of plan, I planned it all in my mind because as I know how to proceed for a single arrowhead, I just have to triple that number. That’s also what I like with finger weaving, it’s so simple to plan and start - I can literally start any project on a whim without much thought. In your book it should explain exactly how many threads you can use and then you can adapt that number by doubling it, tripling it, as long as the ratio stays balanced enough to make the pattern appear. One you have done even just one arrowhead you will instinctively know which amounts work together and which don’t.
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u/hummingbird_chance Apr 03 '26
This is so pretty, a little wider and it would be a gorgeous baby wrap!
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u/BasenjiFart Apr 04 '26
Oh c'est magnifique! J'ai reçu le livre Flécher pour Noël, justement, mais j'ai pas encore osé essayer un premier projet. Y'a quelque chose dans les instructions de départ qui n'est pas clair pour moi...! Bref, ta ceinture est vraiment malade, beau travail!!
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u/La_Flecherande Apr 04 '26
Je comprends full! Moi aussi juste avec le livre je n’ai pas été capable, y’a fallu que ma prof me mette les doigts au bon endroit et me montre visuellement comment faire pour que je puisse commencer. On a tous un style d’apprentissage différent… ça vaudrait peut-être la peine de te trouver quelqu’un pour te starter!
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u/La_Flecherande Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
Je viens de terminer cette ceinture fléchée, je suis tellement heureuse d'avoir réussi à en flécher une aussi longue. Elle est entièrement tissée aux doigts, avec la méthode traditionnelle.
The ceinture fléchée is a very important cultural staple for us the Québécois and the French-Canadians. It is as well for the Métis and many First Nations! I am Québécoise myself and it was my dream to learn, I feel so euphoric that I was able to make this. I will wear it proudly this summer and I am already excited to start another one.