During this course I was exposed to the tools and techniques of various papermaking traditions. Islamic and Japanese papermaking both involve the use of a flexible weaving surface on which the sheets are formed. While the respective sheet-forming actions are very different, both the chapri (used for Islamic papermaking), and the su (used for Japanese papermaking) are woven in much the same manner. As a final project, I decided to weave my own chapri from local grass, and to do this I also needed to design my own weaving stand and bobbins. I designed my weaving stand based on Barrett's description in his book, Japanese Papermaking, of a weaving stand used in Japan. Since I did not have ready access to a table saw or the budget to invest in lumber, I designed my stand using the backing board from large drawing pads, essentially binder's board or Davey board. Since I wanted to be able transport the stand without risk of damaging it, I designed it so that I could disassemble it and store it flat. My finished stand measures 8 inches tall by 5 inches wide by 17 inches long. This size allows me to weave a chapri 16 inches in width. My modular design consists of 9 interlocking pieces including a hinged weaving surface, 5 pentagonal ribs, and 3 slotted feet. After drafting my design, I transferred the measurements to the board and then cut down the pieces on a board shear. By using a board shear I was able to cut down my pieces fast and accurately, but a sharp blade and a straight edge would be just as effective. I cut smaller pieces of board measuring 5 x . inches each and laminated them together in groups of threes using PVA adhesive. Using these laminated blocks and more PVA, I made channels on the underside of the weaving surfaces where the sloped edges of the ribs would nestle. Once dry, I used a blade to bevel one side of the channels. With the beveled sides on each section aligned, bottom side up, I used packing tape to tape the two sections together. Beveling the channels allows the boards, once hinged, to properly seat on top of the supporting ribs. Using a sharp blade, I cut 3 notches on the base of each rib measuring 1 inch long by 1 board thickness wide and 5 corresponding notches on the tops of the feet. To prevent the board from fraying as a result of the stand being assembled and disassembled repeatedly, I covered the top edges of the 5 ribs with packing tape. After assembling the pieces, I lined the top hinge of the weaving surface with another strip of packing tape, and taped on a 3⁄16-inch dowel, 17 inches long, with strips of Scotch tape. Using .-inch PVC pipe, .-inch copper end caps, lead shot, .-inch rubber O-rings, and Super Glue, I made bobbins weighing 60 grams each, but they can be as light as 35 grams. Once you have determined the number of chainlines, you will need two bobbins per chainline. Chainlines should be no more than 1 inch apart, and about . inch from the edges. I cut my grass to length, determined the number of weaving stations, made my bobbins, and wound them with 30# nylon beading thread. I then made notches in the 3⁄16-inch dowel to serve as channels for the thread to keep the chainlines straight during weaving, and after a few James Bond movies I had successfully woven my chapri. For more information on the author's DIY weaving stand, and additional information about the history, techniques, and uses of Islamic paper, refer to the Winter 2012 issue of Hand Papermaking. Ed.
