Carol James has been exploring sprang for more than 25 years, examining items in collections across North America and Europe, and making replicas. She has worked for clients such as George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the German Archaeological Institute, and the Norwegian Army Museum. She has taught extensively across North America, Europe, and New Zealand. Students describe her as a patient and enthusiastic teacher. She has developed a pattern-writing system to accommodate the variety of designs encountered in her sprang explorations. She is the author of numerous articles, two DVDs, and six books: Fingerweaving Untangled, Sprang Unsprung and four new books of Sprang Lace Patterns.
Sprang through History
How did the ancient Persians make functional leggings and tight fitting shirts?
This seminar begins with a brief discussion of the textile method that is sprang, and then traces the history of sprang. We view images of museum pieces, and handle replicas to understand the technique and its application. We discuss the manner in which the sprang technique has been used through time, from the Bronze Age in Scandinavia Greek, Roman, and Egyptian times, through European History and pre-Columbian America to modern times. We examine the wide variety of applications of this technique in diverse garments, from hats and scarves to vests, leggings, and stockings.
