Since I’ve become more known as a tablet weaver, I occasionally receive messages about weaving legacies that people wish to pass on to someone who will cherish them. In those moments, I feel deeply honored and somewhat humbled. It’s touching to know that people entrust me with something so personal and precious.
A little over a year ago Twink emailed me to ask if I’d be interested in some books from Annelies ‘t Hart, a well-known Dutch tablet weaver a generation before me. The answer was simple: as a book lover and passionate tablet weaver, I was definitely interested. So, I went to Twink.
Annelies’ collection included some more well-known books, but also a few truly unique treasures—rare, old (foreign) books that are nearly impossible to find nowadays, and even a gift to her: a manuscript containing actual photographs. It was something to handle with great care. I returned home with a bag full of books, fully aware of the immense (emotional) value of what I was carrying.
Back home I took a closer look at the books. A few small cards, the size of postcards, unexpectedly slipped out of one of them. They turned out to be patterns designed by Annelies herself. Carefully drawn in colored pencil, with small woven samples attached, each one titled. All written in that beautifully old-fashioned school handwriting. The card with the little kittens is especially adorable. It holds three samples, with one marked “failed.” And the little Santa Claus? Annelies had apparently reworked him in 1992, making a few adjustments along the way.
These little treasures deserved to be honored. So, I put my newly acquired cutting skills to use, and the designs found a special place in my studio. And that was it.
Until this past Vlechtzomerweek, when one of the participants would like to weave some “four forward, four backward” (4F4B) patterns. Designing something nice isn’t easy, and after two evenings of trying, I was nearly ready to give up. Then, it suddenly hit me … . What has been hanging in my studio for over a year? Adorable 4F4B patterns!
I sent a message to Twink, asking if I could use them for Vlechtzomerweek, and received an enthusiastic “yes.” A follow-up question about making the patterns public was met with another resounding “yes.”
So, here are six of the seven patterns, presented just as Annelies ‘t Hart originally conceived them—in the same setup and colors she once carefully designed. It’s a tribute to Annelies, ensuring that her charming creations live on and are not forgotten.
Photocredits photo in studio: Iris van Tricht
Dankjewel / Thanks so much, Marieke
Thank you so much for publishing these, I am a beginner in tablet weaving but have mastered 4 forward 4 back so these are perfect for me to keep practicing while I wait to buy my Lojan Inkle.