Tom Condé Garters

Garters from the Amherst collection at the Field Museum in Chicago. The woven part is 2 3/4" wide +/- and 12" long. Plenty of fringe for tying. Black and of course madder-dyed red. I used a "worsted-spun" yarn like many of the original weavings. Worsted-spun is a much smoother and denser yarn than we are used to with the "woolen-spun" yarns that are most popular today for knitting. Some of the techniques used for these garters are kind of neat. The beads that form the pattern in the red section are strung on strands of the same black yarn that is used to weave the rest of the black, and then woven in like the rest. Another cool thing is that the twining at the ends of the weave is done using strands from the weave itself. The fringes seem to not be intentionally plied together but sort of 'happen' as the yarn relaxes and twists on itself. A very close reproduction of the originals in material, color, and techniques. Even to the slight bead pattern variation at the ends of each garter.

Copy and photo supplied by Tom Condé.