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Ceinture fléchée
 
 
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The ceinture fléchée (from French, English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
: Assomption Sash or "arrow sash") is a type of colorful sash
Sash

A sash is a cloth belt used to hold a robe together, and is usually tied about the waist. The Japanese equivalent of a sash, obi , serves to hold a kimono or yukata together....
, a traditional piece of French-Canadian clothing of the 19th century (of the Lower Canada
Lower Canada

The Province of Lower Canada was a British colonization of the Americas on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence ....
, Canada East
Canada East

Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canada Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French language region....
 and early confederation
Canadian Confederation

Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federalism Dominion of Canada was formed beginning July 1, 1867 from the provinces, colony and Territory of British North America....
 eras). The Métis
Métis people (Canada)

The M?tis are descendants of marriages of Cree, Inuit, Ojibway, Algonquin, Saulteaux, Menominee, and other indigenous peoples of the Americas to Europeans and other ethnicities from around the world, and are one of three officially-recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada, the other two being the First Nations and Inuit....
 also made ceintures fléchées and use them as part of their national costume
National costume

National costume, , expresses an national identity through costume which usually relates to a geographic area or a period of time in history, but can also indicate social, marital and/or religious status....
.

uebec, this wool sash was used by men to tie jackets around their waist to prevent the cold from creeping in.






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The ceinture fléchée (from French, English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
: Assomption Sash or "arrow sash") is a type of colorful sash
Sash

A sash is a cloth belt used to hold a robe together, and is usually tied about the waist. The Japanese equivalent of a sash, obi , serves to hold a kimono or yukata together....
, a traditional piece of French-Canadian clothing of the 19th century (of the Lower Canada
Lower Canada

The Province of Lower Canada was a British colonization of the Americas on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence ....
, Canada East
Canada East

Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canada Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French language region....
 and early confederation
Canadian Confederation

Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federalism Dominion of Canada was formed beginning July 1, 1867 from the provinces, colony and Territory of British North America....
 eras). The Métis
Métis people (Canada)

The M?tis are descendants of marriages of Cree, Inuit, Ojibway, Algonquin, Saulteaux, Menominee, and other indigenous peoples of the Americas to Europeans and other ethnicities from around the world, and are one of three officially-recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada, the other two being the First Nations and Inuit....
 also made ceintures fléchées and use them as part of their national costume
National costume

National costume, , expresses an national identity through costume which usually relates to a geographic area or a period of time in history, but can also indicate social, marital and/or religious status....
.

History

In Quebec, this wool sash was used by men to tie jackets around their waist to prevent the cold from creeping in. It was a both practical and fashionable accessory, worn by both the bourgeois and the habitant classes. The width of a traditional belt can be 15 centimetres to 25 centimetres, and its length can easily be more than 2 metres.

It is adorned by an arrow
Arrow

An arrow is a pointed projectile that is shot with a bow . It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures....
ed pattern and was worn around the winter coats of the time. It is also a symbol of the Lower Canada Rebellion
Lower Canada Rebellion

The Lower Canada Rebellion is the name given to the armed conflict between the rebels of Lower Canada and the United Kingdom colonial power of that province....
 and the Quebec Winter Carnival, as it is worn by the festival mascot, Bonhomme Carnaval. Imitations are sold and seen throughout the carnival. The belt is represented in a number of artistic creations, such as the illustration Le Vieux de '37
Le Vieux de '37

Le Vieux de '37 is the name under which is known an illustration by Henri Julien created approximately in 1880 to illustrate Le vieux patriote, a poem from Louis Fr?chette....
 by Henri Julien
Henri Julien

Henri Julien, baptised Octave-Henri Julien was a French Canadian artist and cartoonist noted for his work for the Canadian Illustrated News....
, the painting L'Assemblée des six-comtés
L'Assemblée des six-comtés (painting)

L'Assembl?e des six-comt?s , also known as Manifestation des Canadiens contre le gouvernement anglais, ? Saint-Charles, en 1837 , is a large oil painting executed on canvas by Ontario artist Charles Alexander Smith in 1890....
 by Charles Alexander Smith
Charles Alexander Smith

Charles Alexander Smith was a Canada painter from Ontario....
 and the song Mon Pays, suivi du Reel des Aristocrates from néo-trad
Néo-trad

N?o-trad is a List of musical styles from Quebec that arose around the turn of the 21st century. It can be considered a subgenre of Qu?b?cois Trad music....
 musical band Les Cowboys Fringants
Les Cowboys Fringants

Les Cowboys Fringants are a popular musical band and cult phenomenon from Quebec, who perform Qu?b?cois n?o-trad music , the band also draws on Country music....
.

Fabric-making Process


How to do

Many steps are required for the creation of a ceinture fléchée (also known as an "Assomption sash"). First, the craftmaker picks the wool threads that he needs. The threads have to be long enough so that the person who will wear the belt can pass it twice around the waist. The craftmaker needs to add the length of the fringes at each side of the belt. The fringes are used to tie the arrow sash.

After that, the craftmaker organizes the threads and weaves them to create designs of lightning bolts (zigzags), flames (lozenges) and arrow heads (often in the middle of the sash). Finally, the craftmaker finishes the belt by making twists or braids with the length of thread that remain, to make the fringes.

It can take more than 350 hours to make a sash. That explains its beauty and its cost. People often confuse authentic handmade ceintures fléchées and machine-woven sashes. A woven sash usually does not cost more than $50. However, a real handmade belt is more durable than a machine-woven one, often made with synthetic fibres (nylon, polyester).

In the creation of a perfect ceinture fléchée or the intricate beadwork designs that would adorn various artifacts a hard callus develops on the tips of the finger. This is referred to as a "needle finger". It is considered a "rite of passage" for young girls and is acknowledged by the matriarchs in the family.

Specialize Reference in Textile

  • Emery, Irene,(1966). The Primary Structures of Fabrics, The Textile Museum Washington, D.C.
  • Burnham, DOrothy, K., (1976). Braided "Arrow" sashes of Quebec. Emery Roundtable at the Textile Museum of Washington, D.C. (with the presence of Noemi Speiser). Dorothy Burnham is an historian in textile, Canada. She start working at the Royal Ontario Museum in 1929 as a second assistant "draftsman" and became its first curator. She is an authority in textile history.
  • Burnham, Dorothy K., (1981). The Comfortable Art: Tradition Spinning and Weaving in Canada. Chapter 2. Indian and French Braiding, National Museum of Canada, Ottawa. En français, L'art des étoffes: filage et tissage traditionnels au Canada. Chapitre 2. Indian and French Braiding, National Museum of Canada, Ottawa.
  • Speiser, Noémi, (1983). The Manual of Braiding. Published by the author, Basel. Zwitzerland. Reedition:1988-1991-1997. Noémi Speiser is an international authority on Braids, having researched the subject over 35 years.


See also

  • National costume
    National costume

    National costume, , expresses an national identity through costume which usually relates to a geographic area or a period of time in history, but can also indicate social, marital and/or religious status....
  • Culture of Quebec
    Culture of Quebec

    The culture of Quebec is a Western world culture that is rooted in the history and society of the French language-speaking majority. As the only region in North America with a French-speaking majority and as one of only two provinces in Canada where the French language is a constitutionally-recognized official language , the culture of French...
  • Lower Canada Rebellion
    Lower Canada Rebellion

    The Lower Canada Rebellion is the name given to the armed conflict between the rebels of Lower Canada and the United Kingdom colonial power of that province....
  • Quebec City Winter Carnival
    Quebec City Winter Carnival

    The Quebec Winter Carnival is an annual winter carnival that takes place in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The festival typically starts on the first Friday of January and continues for 17 days....
  • Metis people (Canada)
    Métis people (Canada)

    The M?tis are descendants of marriages of Cree, Inuit, Ojibway, Algonquin, Saulteaux, Menominee, and other indigenous peoples of the Americas to Europeans and other ethnicities from around the world, and are one of three officially-recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada, the other two being the First Nations and Inuit....


External links

  • , personal Web site of sash weaver Carol James, author of the book Fingerweaving Untangled, containing instructional videos and other resources