How is the miracle of northern brane weaving created? Let's take a look into the upper room of the craftswoman and see it.
Patterned weaving - an ancient feminine science
Branded weaving is so called because the craftswoman "takes" or "selects" the threads when she creates a pattern from them. Most often they are woven in two or three colors. Traditionally, the craftswoman uses red, white and black colors for protective patterns. However, we also know linen - weaving in white on white, which is used in ritual dresses or towels. Then you cannot see a bright pattern, only the dense overlap of threads on each other creates a pattern very similar to Slavic embroidery. Craftswomen also create bright, multi-colored patterns on woven belts.
Weaved in the old days on a special loom - it was used to create a wide strip of pattern that adorns a shirt or sundress. This machine is large, it is placed indoors in winter; on warm autumn days it was sometimes taken out into the street. More often, women weaved belts or ogel, here they did without a machine. We knew weaving on planks, on thread, on reeds - all these are ways of weaving.
The craftswoman would thread the threads into the loom or into a small weaving device. They were divided into warp thread and weft thread. The craftswoman laid the weft thread somewhere above the warp thread, and somewhere under it. So row by row a magic pattern was formed.
On branded fabric, the pattern is always mirrored on the reverse side, where the weft thread passed under the warp thread. Sometimes the craftswomen even intentionally make the pattern on the back more complex than the pattern on the front side. It is only important that the distribution of the threads is uniform: there were neither large gaps between the parts of the pattern, when the weft thread does not participate in weaving, nor too long overlaps of colored thread on the warp. Otherwise, the fabric will turn out to be uneven and too loose.
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Why woven belts are so good
In the old days it was impossible to imagine a Slavic outfit without a belt. Men, especially warriors, could wear leather belts. Women, children, and many men, wore only woven belts made of threads. Among them were very simple ones, woven into a braid of thick threads. There were also more complicated belts, woven on a reed, on planks or in some other way. Such belts were worn for holiday clothes, but could also be worn on weekdays.
It was impossible to go anywhere without a belt! He is also a strong amulet. And supports a wide linen shirt. And various little things: knives, spoons, combs - were worn tied to a belt, because clothes usually did not have pockets. And the patterns of the Slavic belt could tell others a lot about a person.
Only good craftswomen were trusted to weave a belt for themselves. It is especially good if a belt for a man is made by a woman who loves him, not necessarily a bride or wife - for a young guy, a mother or sister could weave. The craftswoman spends many hours at work, gradually creating a complex and beautiful pattern. She cannot be mistaken and lose count of threads, therefore the needlewoman pays all attention to her work. This is how a talisman is born, filled with warmth, love and good wishes of the craftswoman.