Staicele is a place where the cultivation of agriculture forms a key role in people’s everyday life. From poultry farmers to beekeeping, people there are relying on nature’s resources as their main source of income as well as leisure. The globalization and capitalist consumption-driven ideologies have not affected Staicele and its population and people there share the same set of lifestyles as their ancestry. The immutability of ideologies in Staicele, as well as the slow pace of life, links to the ideal state of ‘first city’ described by Plato in his book “The Republic”. Plato depicted the essential units of the utopian state characterised by simplicity and production of resources, just enough to satisfy basic needs of its citizens.
the warp
According to Plato, those needs pertained to the body and consisted of food, clothing, and housing. Plato believed that what formed a society referred to as the first city was “the embodiment of the rational and consensual restraint of appetitive desire” (Balasopoulos 8). The weaving in Staicele than becomes something more than just a craft, it becomes a symbology of simple lifestyles and set of non-materialistic set of values, which we as capitalist societies have forgotten about.
audience
introduction
Whereas in weaving, weft and warp refer to the two sets of thread that are woven together, in the case of this publication, those are referred to the different levels of complexity woven together to shed the light on the position of weaving in contemporary society. The first level of meaning the weft, features its inspiration from an interview with Evgenija and her journey into the craft and features elements such as complexity, density, interconnection, repetition, and symmetry. The typographical elements in this section form a reflection of the nuances of the craft and illustrate different parts of the looms. The insights into the everyday life of Staicele and its culture gathered from an interview inspired the second level of complexity the — warp.
the warp
The following publication “Threads of Time” celebrates the life of my beloved grandmother Evgenija who is mastering the craft of hand weaving in a small town called Staicele (Latvia). In a place where the technological progress has not had time to take root, people still rely on agriculture and handicrafts as main sources of income. Weaving there has always played a significant part of everyday life. Although once a prestigious occupation, it is now sustained by the small but passionate craftsman community, who truly believe in a beauty of handmade items.
the weft
strategy
The following publication is in the interest of weaving craft practitioners, however, is not limited to the general public. Independent readers might value the book from the perspective of a journalistic story of the societal values of Staicele through weaving. In addition, the story of Evgenija, allows the general reader, especially the one living in capitalist society, to evaluate its own lifestyle. The following publication can be placed in the craft section of bookshops, as well as in gallery bookshops, where the traditional understanding of the book is loosened.
paper stock
The content paper source was derived from GF Smiths Colourplan collection in Pristine White (135 gsm). The paper features slight texture feel which resembles haptic communication of the roughness of the materials used by Evgenija such as linen and cotton. The available woven pieces played a major part in paper selection, as I could feel and compare the paper stock to Evgenija’s work. The weight of the stock paper ensures smooth folds and delicate feel. Alternative paper types sourced from Shepherds bookbinding materials have also been considered, those include BFK Rives White Royal 180gsm and Canaletto Book 125gsm. The BFK Rives is Mouldmade in France by ArjoWiggins and consists of 100% cotton rag, which corresponds with the materials used in weaving. However due to its incompatibility with laser printers, I was unable to proceed using it.
colour
Concertina book format was selected as the most appropriate binding type based on the research of weaving principles. In most cases, woven pieces are restricted in their width due to limited capabilities of the weaving looms. The length of the woven production, however, is unlimited, hence the majority of the woven pieces are oblong. In this case, the concertina book format becomes a representation of the weaving process and limitations associated with it. The book format is divided into two sections of content which are reflected in dual concertina format. The book features two covers which separate the two parts of the book. The content of the book is running in parallel to one another and once the reader has finished reading one side of concertina, it can be turned around to reveal its different side. The biggest budget-friendly paper format when printing double sided was A3 which resulted in multiple page joints. In a case of commercial printing, the book is planned to be printed as a continuous strip or on larger paper formats ensuring fewer joints .
The colour use throughout the book is minimal A custom sepia effect was applied to all images to eliminate colour and contrast differences and ensure cohesive aesthetics. The colour red was selected as an accent colour. In the first section of the book (the weft), it is used to create depth and differentiate between different experimental typography elements. In the second part of the book (the warp), it is used to outline the key words and ideas within the body of text. c 15 m 100 y 100 k 0
images
binding
format
All images are sourced from the family archive and capture Evgenija during the weaving process. Photographs provide genuine scenes of her everyday life and allow the reader to immerse into the atmosphere of life in Staicele. I have stayed away from over using the imagery to avoid turning my publication into a photo-book.
grids
6 7
4 5
paper size margins 3
1 Top margin: 10.3mm 2 Bottom margin: 10mm 3 Left margin: 10mm 4 Right margin: 10mm
The top margin was set to the uneven number of 10.3 to even out the baseline grid.
5 Column number:6 6 Gutter:0 7 Column width: 16.23mm
I have used the six column grid for body text navigation reason. The gutter was set to zero as I did not use any columns.
baseline grid
2
The current paper size choice 15cm (width) x 16cm (height)was based on a type of binding (concertina book). Anything above A5 size has made it uncomfortable for a reader to hold a publication and made pages to appear to bulky. The current document size allows for pleasant experience and preserves detailing of the artwork.
columns
1
Start: 10.3mm Relative to: top of page Increment every 12 pt
body text layouts 1
5
2
4
4
type 2
Type 2 body text layout was used in conjunction with experimental typographic elements 1 Space between interview question and answer: 1 2 Body text alignment: centred to 6 column grid 3 Space between bottom margin and body text: 8 lines
headings & body
4 Body text size: 11 pt Body text leading: 12 pt 5 Headings size: 11 pt Headings leading: 12 pt
spacing & alignment
Type 1 body text layout was mainly used with text without any of the additional elements. Position of the text created loads of white space around it allowing for balance between complex typographic detailing 1 Space between top margin and body text: 10 lines 2 Space between interview question and answer: 1 3 Body text alignment: centred to 6 column grid
3
2
headings & body
spacing & alignment type 1
3
5
1
4 Body text size: 11 pt Body text leading: 12 pt 5 Headings size: 11 pt Headings leading: 12 pt
experimental typography 1
2
1
1 Alignment: centred to 6 column grid 2 Space between main body text frame: 5 lines
uncontrolled
Experimental typographical elements are the reflection of weaving process as well as loom structures. The example above is a reflection of the process of yarn separation called shed. The shed is created to make it easy to interlace the weft into the warp and thus create woven fabric. It was selected to illustrate how the invisible mechanism of loom creates discipline in the weaving process The majority of the experimental elements followed the set of guidelines described below
spacing & alignment
spacing & alignment
controlled
2
In some cases, breaking set guidelines was more convenient. In the example above, the use 5 line gap guideline could not be used due to oblong shape of the typographic experiment. Shortening gap between the body text and frame created more balance composition. The example above is a reflection of the small part of the loom called heddle. It is used separate the warp threads for the passage of the weft. Illustration of loom parts illustrates the complexity and importance of minor elements in achieving the final woven piece. 1 Space between main body text frame: 5 lines 2 Alignment: centred to 6 column grid
typography
Mrs Eaves Petite Caps Rationale
Mrs Eaves Italic Rationale
22 pt
The reason behind selecting Mrs Eaves font family in my design was the story of the font. Mrs Eaves was named after an ordinary woman and housewife Sarah Eaves who not only became the wife of John Baskerville but the companion in typesetting and printing. I found it charming that Mrs Eaves bears a quiet story of a significant woman, just like the book “Threads of Time” does.
ABCDEFGHIJK LMNOPQRSTU VWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopq rstuvwxyz
11 pt
22 pt
ABCDEFGHIJK LMNOPQRSTU VWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopq rstuvwxyz
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
11 pt
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
The reason behind selecting Mrs Eaves Petite Caps was a differentiation between interview questions and answers as well as placing emphasis on certain words. I have stayed within the font family of Mrs Eaves as it provides the big variety of styles to choose from.
nn e
e v
Inspired by Latvian folklore
gg
v
1 Letter source: ‘g’ Mrs Eaves Italic 2 Inspiration: Latvian folklore symbol “Usins” that purifies human energy 1 Letter source: ‘n’ Mrs Eaves Italic 2 Inspiration: Latvian folklore symbol “Ugunskrusts” which symbolises protection from the negative energy. 1 Letter sources: ‘e’ and ‘v’ Mrs Eaves Italic 2 Inspiration: Latvian folklore symbol “Zalkstis” which is believed to balance human life.
Inspired by weaving process
1 Letter source: ‘a’ Mrs Eaves Italic 2 Inspiration: Latvian folklore symbol “Martena Zime” which is believed to take away the negative energy
Inspired by letterheads
Ornamentation is an inalienable part of the weaving process. I have designed series of ornamentation to add a piece of detailing that would tie all elements together. The inspiration for different ornaments come from different sources, those include traditional Latvian folklore symbols, features of hand weaving process or the letterheads themselves.
1 Letter sources: ‘v’ and ‘n’ Mrs Eaves Italic 2 Inspiration: the following ornaments were inspired by the notion of symmetry in woven pieces
1 Letter source: ‘i’ Mrs Eaves Italic 2 Inspiration: the following ornament was inspired by the notion of repetition in hand-weaving.
aa a
Rationale
decorative elements
1 Letter source: ‘a’ Mrs Eaves Italic 1 Letter source: ‘n’ Mrs Eaves Italic 1 Letter source: ‘i’ Mrs Eaves Italic
1 Letter sources: ‘g’ and ‘w’ Mrs Eaves Italic 2 Inspiration: Latvian folklore symbol “Dzirnavas” which symbolises successful regulation of obstacles. 1 Letter source: ‘w’ Mrs Eaves Italic 2 Inspiration: Latvian folklore symbol “Kodols” which is believed to restore and maintain balance. 1 Letter source: ‘e’ Mrs Eaves Italic 2 Inspiration: Latvian folklore symbol “Jumis” that brings success
Ornamentation was used to support the blocks of text of style 1 layouts