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Photograph of the design.
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The
Oak Ridge Sister City Support Organization (SCSO) is sponsoring this
project to weave a tapestry that will be given to Oak Ridge's sister
city, Naka machi, Japan for
installation in a public building. SCSO hopes to continue this project
in subsequent years to provide a tapestry for Obninsk, Russia (Oak
Ridge's other sister city) and one for Oak Ridge as well.
Our
community tapestry will be woven on a beautiful 6' solid cherry Fireside
tapestry loom that has been set in the foyer of the Oak Ridge Public
Library. Loom set up took place in April, 2001 and weaving is expected
to take many months.
THE
DESIGN
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Design
for the tapestry was created by Marianne Vigander of Norris, who
used a sunflower
image (the city flower of Naka machi),
superimposed with hands of various colors to represent
friendship between the two cities. The names of Naka machi and
Oak Ridge will be woven into the corners of the tapestry. It
will be a colorful 4'x4' tapestry with green base, blue sky and
a bright yellow sunflower. |
Shigeko Uppuluri's mother
inspects the design.
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The
most common form of weaving is performed on a horizontal loom
using a shuttle as the vehicle in which the yarn passes from one
side of the weaving to the other. It may encompass plain weave
or any one of hundreds of complicated patterns.
Traditional
tapestry is woven only in plain weave which means that the weft
(horizontal yarns) pass over one warp (vertical twine) and under
the next. Tapestry is a weft-faced fabric meaning the weft
completely covers the warp.
The
Oak Ridge tapestry is being woven using butterflies as the
method of controlling the yarn. The design is marked directly on
the warp. Each color or design area is woven independently of
the others and requires a separate
set of weft threads; this is known as discontinuous weft.
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Marti
Fleischer is "dressing the loom"-
putting on the warp.
Husband Bert is keeping
a close eye on her work.
The loom has been
moved to the library.
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MATERIALS
USED
The
weft will include two strands of two ply colored woolen yarns. These
yarns are woven onto a base of white cotton warp that runs vertically on
the loom.
THE
WEAVERS
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It
is necessary for those weaving the tapestry to have a basic
knowledge of
tapestry weaving. A short series of classes are arranged for
anyone interested in participating. Specific skills are not
required for the weaving and anyone with the motivation will be
able to perform satisfactorily to contribute to the community
tapestry.Each volunteer weaver has committed himself/herself to
a specific time period
each week to spend weaving at the loom. We hope that library
patrons will enjoy these demonstrations of the weaving process. |
Marianne Vigander
weaves a practice design. |
WEAVING
THE TAPESTRY
Community
tapestries are being woven all over the world. It is fortunate that Oak
Ridge will be able to join in the enriching experience of creating a thing
of beauty in a public venue that is visible to everyone in the
community.
Others
who have taken part in this experience believe that there is a bonding
within the community as people visit the tapestry and watch its slow
progress.
Thanks to volunteers who are currently
weaving the tapestry:
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Marti
Fleischer
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Liz
Lieberman
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Esther
Manning
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Jack
Moneyhun
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Marese
Nephew
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Marianne
Vigander
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Shigeko
Uppuluri
If
you would like to learn how to weave tapestry and take part in
this project contact Marti Fleischer at 483-0772 or MartiFL@aol.com. |
Volunteer weaver at work. |
DONATIONS
Thanks to the contributors for making
this project possible:
If
you wish to contribute to this project, contact Ken Luckmann (865 483-3958
or kluckmann@mindspring.com).
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